Patent ID: 8937959
Filing Date: 2015-01-20
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A method of forwarding a multicast data frame in a distributed switch comprising a plurality of switches, comprising: receiving a multicast data frame on a receiving port of an ingress switch of the plurality of switches in the distributed switch, wherein the receiving port of the ingress switch is associated with a first bridge element; determining destination switches of the plurality of switches that should receive at least a portion of the multicast data frame, wherein each of the plurality of switches has a direct connection to each of the other plurality of switches in the distributed switch, and wherein the portion of the multicast data frame is at least a portion of a payload of the multicast data frame, and wherein at least one connection interface in the ingress switch is configured to forward the portion of the multicast data frame from the first bridge element to a second bridge element in the ingress switch; and forwarding the portion of the multicast data frame from the ingress switch to a first surrogate switch of the plurality of switches in a hierarchy, wherein the first surrogate switch is assigned in the hierarchy to forward the portion of the multicast data frame to at least one of: one of the destination switches and a second surrogate switch of the plurality of switches in the hierarchy, wherein each of the plurality of switches include at least two bridge elements that are each associated with at least one connection interface on the plurality of switches, wherein a connection interface of the first surrogate switch is associated with a third bridge element, wherein the connection interface of the first surrogate switch is configured to forward the portion of the multicast data frame from the third bridge element to a fourth bridge element in the first surrogate switch.