Efficient highly connected deployment units

摘要

Efficient and highly-scalable network solutions are provided that each utilize deployment units based on Clos networks, but in an environment such as a data center of Internet Protocol-based network. Each of the deployment units can include multiple stages of devices, where connections between devices are only made between stages and the deployment units are highly connected. In some embodiments, the level of connectivity between two stages can be reduced, providing available connections to add edge switches and additional host connections while keeping the same number of between-tier connections. In some embodiments, where deployment units (or other network groups) can be used at different levels to connect other deployment units, the edges of the deployment units can be fused to reduce the number of devices per host connection.

主权项

1. A method of connecting switches in a data network, comprising:
providing a plurality of deployment units each comprising a respective plurality of tiers of switches, each switch of a lower-level tier of a given deployment unit being connected to each switch of a higher-level tier of the given deployment unit; determining connections between a first deployment unit of the plurality of deployment units and a second deployment unit of the plurality of deployment units, an egress switch of the first deployment unit being connected to an edge switch of the second deployment unit; removing the egress switch from the first deployment unit; setting the edge switch of the second deployment unit to function as the egress switch of the first deployment unit and as the edge switch of the second deployment unit; and connecting the edge switch to each switch of the lower-level tier of the first deployment unit.