Patent ID: 8953606
Filing Date: 2015-02-10
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A network device, comprising: a processor having access to a memory storage device storing instructions for execution by the processor; a first flexible port having a physical layer that can be configured to operate as a first link type or a second link type based on a control signal sent by the processor; wherein the first flexible port is coupled to a computing system using the first link type and receives a packet from the computing system; wherein the first flexible port determines an egress flexible port for transmitting the packet to its destination and a routing module generates a route control tag for the packet, the route control tag includes an identifier identifying the egress flexible port, a location identifier identifying where the packet is stored at the first flexible port and a translation identifier identifying an action that is to be performed on the packet at the egress port before sending the packet to the destination; wherein the routing module is implemented in a ternary content-addressable memory; wherein the routing module includes a pre-defined segment, a dynamically defined segment and a default action segment, each segment storing a route control tag from a higher priority to a lower priority.