Distributed control of a modular switching system

摘要

A large-scale switching system configured as a global network or a large-scale data center employs switches arranged in a matrix having multiple rows and multiple columns. The switching system supports a large number of access nodes (edge nodes). Each access node has a channel to each switch in a respective row and a channel from each switch of a respective column. Thus, an access node connects to input ports of a set of switches and output ports of a different set of switches. Each access node has a path to each other access node traversing only one of the switches. Controllers of switches of each diagonal pair of switches are integrated or mutually coupled to provide a return control path for each access node. The switches may be arranged into constellations of collocated switches to facilitate edge-node access to switches using wavelength-division-multiplexed links. The switches are preferably fast optical switches.

主权项

1. A switching system comprising:
a plurality of switches logically arranged in a matrix of a number of columns and the same number of rows, each switch comprising a number of input ports and the same number of output ports, and coupled to a respective switch controller; a plurality of edge nodes, each edge node communicatively coupled to:
an input port of each switch of a respective row; andan output port of each switch of a respective column, wherein:
a first switch and a second switch of each diagonal pair of switches are collocated; andswitch controllers of said first switch and said second switch are communicatively coupled.