Patent ID: 9729346
Date: 2017-08-08
CPC Classifications: H04L

Claim:
1. A method for layer 2 forwarding of packets within a first node of a multi-node switch cluster, the method comprising the steps of: implementing a logical User to Network Interface (UNI) switch in the first node of the multi-node switch cluster to handle layer 2 forwarding of packets within the first node between UNI ports on the first node, the logical UNI switch including a plurality of UNI ports on the first node and no NNI ports on the first node; and implementing a logical Network to Network Interface (NNI) switch in the first node of the multi-node switch cluster to handle layer 2 forwarding of packets within the first node between NNI ports on the first node, the logical NNI switch including a plurality of NNI ports on the first node and no UNI ports on the first node; wherein the logical UNI switch and logical NNI switch are independently controlled switching processes within the first node, and wherein the logical UNI switch and logical NNI switch are configured to forward copies of packets to each other within the first node.