Patent ID: 7466704
Filing Date: 2008-12-16
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A network switch assembly for network communications, said network switch assembly comprising: at least one fabric blade, with the at least one fabric blade comprising: at least one switch having a plurality of data port interfaces, supporting a plurality of fabric data ports transmitting and receiving data, and a CPU interface, said CPU interface configured to communicate with an external CPU subsystem, the CPU subsystem communicating with the CPU interface; and a plurality of port blades, with each of said plurality of port blades comprising: at least one switch having a plurality of data port interfaces, supporting a plurality of port data ports transmitting and receiving data; and a local CPU and the at least one switch of the plurality of port blades comprises a local CPU interface, said local CPU interface configured to communicate with the local CPU, wherein the plurality of port data ports of each of the plurality of port blades communicate with the plurality of fabric data ports along multiple paths such that data received by the port data ports is switched to the at least one fabric blade of the network switch assembly along a specified path of said multiple paths based on a portion of the received data.