Patent ID: 9160686
Filing Date: 2015-10-13
Classification: H04B,H04L

Abstract:
1. A system comprising: a first physical switching shelf including a plurality of interconnected port cards having a first predetermined aggregate capacity for carrying data forwarded to a switching system and a plurality of switch cards having a second predetermined aggregate capacity for switching the data carried by the interconnected port cards, the second predetermined aggregate capacity being greater than the first predetermined aggregate capacity; multiple second physical switching shelves, each second switching shelf including a plurality of interconnected port cards having a third predetermined aggregate capacity for carrying data forwarded to the switching system and a plurality of switch cards having a fourth predetermined aggregate capacity for switching the data carried by the interconnected port cards, the fourth predetermined aggregate capacity being greater than the third predetermined aggregate capacity, the third predetermined aggregate capacity being less than the first predetermined aggregate capacity, and the fourth predetermined aggregate capacity being less than the second predetermined aggregate capacity; and a plurality of interconnecting links configurable to upgrade the switching system as a function of connecting the switch cards of the multiple second physical switching shelves to the switch cards of the first physical switching shelf.