Servers, switches, and systems with switching module implementing a distributed network operating system

摘要

One networking device includes a switch module, a server, and a switch controller. The switch module has ports with a communications interface of a first type (CI1) and ports with a communications interface of a second type (CI2). The server, coupled to the switch module via a first CI2 coupling, includes a virtual CI1 driver, which provides a CI1 interface in the server, defined to exchange CI1 packets with the switch module via the first CI2 coupling. The virtual CI1 driver includes a first network device operating system (ndOS) program. The switch controller, in communication with the switch module via a second CI2 coupling, includes a second ndOS program controlling, in the switch module, a packet switching policy defining the switching of packets through the switch module or switch controller. The first and second ndOS programs exchange control messages to maintain a network policy for the switch fabric.

主权项

1. A networking device comprising:
a switch fabric; external ports in the switch fabric; a Ternary Content-Addressable Memory (TCAM) table in the switch fabric, the TCAM configured for storing classification information to classify packets received at the external ports; a switch fabric classifier in the switch fabric configured to determine if there is classification information for an incoming packet in the TCAM table; a control processor; and a memory in communication with the control processor, the memory configured for storing a processor classification table with processor classification information to classify the packets received at the external ports; wherein when there is classification information for the incoming packet in the TCAM table, the switch fabric classifier transmits the incoming packet to one of the external ports based on header information in the incoming packet and the classification information from the TCAM table; wherein when there is no classification information for the incoming packet in the TCAM table, the switch fabric sends the incoming packet to the control processor for further classification; wherein when there is no classification information for the incoming packet in the TCAM table, the switch fabric adds an entry in the TCAM table to classify future packets of a same flow as the incoming packet.