Control plane architecture for switch fabrics

摘要

In some embodiments, a system includes multiple access switches, a switch fabric having multiple switch fabric portions, and a control plane processor. Each switch fabric portion is coupled to at least one access switch by a cable from a first set of cables. Each switch fabric portion is configured to receive data from the at least one access switch via the cable from the first set of cables. The control plane processor is coupled to each switch fabric portion by a cable from a second set of cables. The control plane processor is configured to send control information to each access switch via a cable from the second set of cables, a switch fabric portion, and a cable from the first set of cables. The control plane processor is configured to determine control plane connections associated with each access switch and is configured to determine data plane connections associated with each access switch as a result of the control plane connections.

主权项

1. An apparatus, comprising:
a switch fabric portion of a switch fabric, the switch fabric portion configured to be coupled to each access switch from a plurality of access switches via a cable from a plurality of cables and having both a data plane portion and a control plane portion physically distinct from the data plane portion, the switch fabric portion including a control module configured to receive control data from an access switch from the plurality of access switches via the control plane portion of the cable between the access switch and the switch fabric portion,
the control module configured to send the control data to a control plane processor, the switch fabric portion configured to send, based on the control data, a data unit to the access switch via the data plane portion of the cable between the access switch and the switch fabric portion.