Patent ID: 6678269
Filing Date: 2004-01-13
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
In a switching device having a plurality of ports, each port having a plurality of forwarding databases wherein each forwarding database has an associated database format compatible with at least one format of a network frame, a method of transmitting the network frame within a port comprising the steps of:(a) receiving the network frame wherein the network frame has a plurality of characteristics comprising a destination address and a format property; (b) determining a partial search key from the destination address of the network frame; (c) determining one or more format identification bits from the format property of the network frame wherein the determined one or more format identification bits are associable with one of the plurality of forwarding databases; and (d) generating a full search key by concatenating, to the partial search key, the one or more format identification bits as the most significant bits of a fill search key; (e) identifying a forwarding database associated with the most significant bits of the full search key; (f) searching a plurality of forwarding information entries, according to the full search key, within the identified forwarding database; (g) determining, by the search engine, at least one destination port from the searched forwarding information entries; (h) storing the network frame within a switch fabric; and (i) transmitting the network frame from the switch fabric via the at least one determined port.