Patent ID: 8547971
Filing Date: 2013-10-01
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A multi-stage switching system, comprising: a first stage comprising a plurality of groups of switching devices, wherein each group of switching devices includes more than one switching device, and wherein each group of switching devices is associated with a corresponding single device identifier (ID); and a second stage comprising a plurality of switching devices; wherein the switching devices of the first stage are coupled to the switching devices of the second stage via a plurality of uplinks; wherein the switching devices of the first stage are configured to associate a target device ID and a target port ID to a data unit received via a front port of the switching system, wherein the target device ID corresponds to a device identifier associated with one of the groups of switching devices to which the data unit should be forwarded, and wherein the target port identifier identifies a port within the one group of switching devices; and wherein the switching devices of the first stage and the switching devices of the second stage are configured to direct the data unit through the switching system using the target device ID and the target port ID; wherein each switching device in the each group of switching devices has a plurality of ports, including front ports, associated with a plurality of corresponding port identifiers (IDs), and wherein port IDs of each group of switching devices are not unique within the groups of switching devices; wherein each front port in each group has a corresponding port ID that is unique among the front ports of the group of switching devices.