Patent ID: 7050431
Filing Date: 2006-05-23
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A network device having a plurality of ports, said network device comprising: address resolution logic (ARL) configured to perform address resolution of data received at a plurality of ports of the network device and to switch the data from a first network port to a second network port of said plurality of ports; a first switch having a first group of ports which are a first subset of said plurality of ports and are numbered by a first numbering scheme; and a second switch having a second group of ports which are a second subset of said plurality of ports and are numbered by a second numbering scheme different from said first numbering scheme; wherein a first link port of said first group of ports is coupled to a second link port of said second group of ports, and said ARL is configured to perform address resolution based on said first and second numbering schemes such that when said first network port is in said first group of ports and said second network port is in said second group of ports, a data packet received at said first network port destined for said second network port is directly routed from said first network port to said second network port.