Multi-stage switch fabric

摘要

A multi-stage switch fabric (SF) is provided. The multi-stage SF includes a line card chassis (LCC) and a fabric card chassis (FCC). The FCC includes a stage-1 switch element (S1), a stage-2 switch element (S2), and a stage-3 switch element (S3), where the S3 corresponds to the S1, and the S2 is coupled to the S1 and S3 respectively. The LCC includes an interface component and a line card (LC) coupled to the interface component, where the interface component is coupled to the S1 and S3 in the FCC respectively. Through the technical solution under the present invention, when a switch element generates flow control information and requires another switch element or an LC to respond to the flow control information, a timely response can be received.

主权项

1. A multi-stage switch fabric (SF) comprising:
a fabric card chassis (FCC) comprising,
a stage-1 switch element (S1),a first buffer area bound to S1,a stage-2 switch element (S2), anda stage-3 switch element (S3),a second buffer area bound to S3, wherein the S3 corresponds to the S1, and the S2 is coupled to the S1 and S3 respectively; a signal cable; a line card chassis (LCC) comprising a line card (LC) and an interface coupled to the LC, the interface configured to receive packets from the LC and switch the received packets to the first buffer area via a first path of the signal cable, the interface configured to receive packets from the second buffer area via a second path of the signal cable and switch the received packets to the LC; and wherein the interface comprises a stage-0 switch element (S0) configured to:
switch packets from one LC in the LCC to another LC in the LCC, andswitch packets from the LC in the LCC to the S1 in the FCC, andswitch packets received from the S3 in the FCC to the LC in the LCC.