BACKPLANE SYNCRONIZATION IN A DISTRIBUTED SYSTEM WITH CLOCK DRIFT AND TRANSPORT DELAY

摘要

A packet switch. The switch includes a plurality of port cards. Each port card has an unstriper which reassembles stripes of a particular packet. The switch includes a plurality of fabrics (FABRIC # 1 to FABRIC #N). Each fabric operates on only a same respective fragment of a packet received from one of the plurality of port cards. Each of the plurality of fragments is connected to each of the plurality of port cards. A method for switching packets. The method includes the steps of sending a sync signal from a port card to a plurality of fragments. Then there is the step of sending fragments of a packet as stripes to the respect plurality of fabrics (FABRIC # 1 to FABRIC #N). Next there is the step of operating on the fragments after they are received at each respective fabric by each respective fabric only after the respective fabric has received the sync signal.