Patent ID: 8081620
Filing Date: 2011-12-20
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A method for transferring traffic through a network device having communication protocol stack logic and a plurality of physical ports attached to a unidirectional link capable of receiving traffic in only a first direction and not capable of transmitting traffic in a second direction and a bidirectional link capable of receiving traffic in the first direction and transmitting traffic in the second direction, the communication protocol stack logic including shim logic, the method comprising the steps of: the shim logic receiving traffic in the first direction from a plurality of physical ports attached to unidirectional and bidirectional links; the shim logic transmitting traffic in the second direction to a physical port attached to the bidirectional link even if the traffic is destined to a unidirectional link; the shim logic determining to which of the physical ports attached to the unidirectional and bidirectional links traffic arriving in the second direction is destined; and the shim logic passing the traffic arriving in the first direction through on the physical port attached to a link on which the traffic arrives; wherein the shim logic is located in a Link Aggregation Sublayer (LAS) of the communication protocol stack logic or between the LAS and a MAC layer of the communication protocol stack logic.