Patent ID: 9106564
Filing Date: 2015-08-11
Classification: G02B,H04L,H04Q

Abstract:
1. A method of incremental scaling network switches in a data center, comprising: providing a first set of edge switches, each edge switch capable of being connected to a respective set of host servers; providing a first set of at least two spine switches, each spine switch of the first set of spine switches capable of being connected to each of the first set of edge switches; connecting at least two ports of each edge switch of the first set of edge switches with at least two ports of each spine switch of the first set of spine switches, to yield connections, each connection utilizing a cable to couple a respective port of a respective edge switch with a respective port of a respective spine switch; providing a second set of edge switches, the second set of edge switches equal in number to the first set of edge switches; providing a second set of at least two spine switches, the second set of spine switches equal in number to the first set of spine switches; for each of the connections connecting each edge switch from the first set of edge switches with each spine switch of the first set of spine switches, disconnecting one of the at least two connections from a corresponding port of each spine switch from the first set of spine switches; for each of the disconnected connections from each spine switch from the first set of spine switches, reconnecting each respective disconnected connection from each spine switch from the first set of spine switches to a port of a respective spine switch from the second set of spine switches; and connecting a first port of each edge switch of the second set of edge switches to a first port of each spine switch of the first set of spine switches; and connecting a second port of each edge switch of the second set of edge switches to a second port of each spine switch of the second set of spine switches, wherein connecting each edge switch of the second set of edge switches with each spine switch of the first set of spine switches and the second set of spine switches results in a formation of at least one of i) a Clos network topology or ii) a fat tree network topology.