Patent ID: 8199750
Filing Date: 2012-06-12
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A packet switch operating method comprising: using forwarding circuitry of the packet switch, receiving a plurality of Ethernet packets comprising Ethernet source addresses and Ethernet destination addresses from one or more first devices distinct from the packet switch, each Ethernet packet of the plurality conforming to a different one of a plurality of forwarding information formats; the forwarding circuitry determining that a first subset of the received Ethernet packets of the plurality are to be forwarded to control circuitry of the packet switch instead of to ports of the packet switch; the forwarding circuitry forwarding a second subset of the received Ethernet packets of the plurality to the ports without forwarding the second subset of the received Ethernet packets to the control circuitry; the ports transmitting the second subset of the received Ethernet packets to one or more second devices connected to the packet switch via the ports; the forwarding circuitry modifying each Ethernet packet of the first subset to conform to a common forwarding information format instead of a respective one of the plurality of forwarding information formats without modifying Ethernet source addresses or Ethernet destination addresses of the Ethernet packets of the first subset; the forwarding circuitry forwarding the modified Ethernet packets of the first subset to the control circuitry of the packet switch; and the control circuitry taking an action influencing a behavior of the forwarding circuitry based on the modified Ethernet packets.