TRANSPARENT INTECONNECTION OF ETHERNET FABRIC SWITCHES

摘要

One embodiment of the present invention provides a switch. The switch includes a fabric switch module and a border module. The fabric switch module maintains a membership in a first fabric switch. The fabric switch includes a plurality of switches and operates as a single logical switch. The border module determines that the egress switch identifier in a first encapsulation header of a first packet is associated with a switch outside of the fabric switch. The first packet is forwardable in the first fabric switch based on the first encapsulation header. In response to the determination, the border module changes the ingress switch identifier in the first encapsulation header of the first packet to a first virtual switch identifier associated with a first virtual switch. This first virtual switch externally represents the first fabric switch.

主权项

1. A switch, comprising:
a fabric switch module adapted to maintain a membership in a first fabric switch, wherein the fabric switch includes a plurality of switches and operates as a single logical switch; a border module adapted to:
determine that an egress switch identifier in a first encapsulation header of a first packet is associated with a switch outside of the fabric switch, wherein the first packet is forwardable in the first fabric switch based on the first encapsulation header; andin response to the determination, change an ingress switch identifier in the first encapsulation header of the first packet to a first virtual switch identifier associated with a first virtual switch, wherein the first virtual switch externally represents the first fabric switch, thereby facilitating interconnection of fabric switches.