Patent ID: 8582423
Filing Date: 2013-11-12
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. An Aggregation Switch in a multi-chassis system, comprising: an internal system network; and a plurality of network interface modules coupled to the system network, each of the plurality of network interface modules including at least one respective customer-facing port, a sub-set of the customer-facing ports being assigned to an inter-process communication virtual local area network (IPC VLAN) and coupled to a virtual fabric link (VFL); wherein the VFL is connected to a remote Aggregation Switch in the multi-chassis system; wherein each of the Aggregation Switch and the remote Aggregation Switch are active, the remote Aggregation Switch being in a separate physical chassis; wherein the IPC VLAN enables the plurality of network interface modules to communicate with the remote Aggregation Switch via the system network and the VFL; wherein each of the plurality of network interface modules has a globally unique address associated therewith that is unique between the Aggregation Switch and the remote Aggregation Switch, the globally unique address being used for communication between the Aggregation Switch and the remote Aggregation Switch; wherein each of the plurality of network interface modules further has a local address associated therewith for communication between the plurality of network interface modules on the Aggregation Switch; and wherein the Aggregation Switch has a chassis identifier that uniquely identifies the Aggregation Switch between the Aggregation Switch and the remote Aggregation Switch, the globally unique address for each of the plurality of network interface modules including the respective local address and the chassis identifier.