System and method of IP packet forwarding across directly connected forwarding elements

摘要

Systems and methods are provided through which a packet is transferred within a router through the use of a switch-label. The switch-label is generated upon receipt by a component of the router. The switch label indicates an address within the router of another component within the router that will transmit the packet to a destination outside the router. The switch-label uses an abbreviated address of components within the router. The address is abbreviated because the number of potential addresses within a router is significantly less than the number of addresses outside the router that require a fill address. As a result, transferring of the packet within the router is faster because processing the switch-label using an abbreviated address is faster than processing a full address.