Trunking ethernet-compatible networks

摘要

A network system dynamically controls data flow between physical links by logically combining multiple physical links into a single logical channel trunk, preferably to balance data flow carried by each link. Each link in the trunk has identical physical layer and identical media access control layer characteristics. A system server assigns a single media access control layer address to the single trunked logical channel, preferably randomly by hashing destination media access control layer addresses for the links. The system server includes, in addition to a physical layer and a network layer, a pseudo-driver software layer disposed therebetween, which pseudo-driver software layer functions as a multiplexer in a receive path and functions as a de-multiplexer in a transmit path. The resultant preferably Ethernet-compatible network system operates in full-duplex mode and distributes packets from the server to the links to preserve temporal order of data flow.