Patent ID: 7751416

Claim:
A virtual switch, the virtual switch comprising: a master distribution switch chassis comprising: a first plurality of linecards; a master supervisor card for controlling the first plurality of linecards; a first master distribution switch port configured for communication with a slave distribution switch chassis over a virtual switch link, wherein the master distribution switch chassis and the slave distribution switch chassis communicate one or more media access control (MAC) notification frames according to a virtual switch link protocol over the virtual switch link; a second master distribution switch port configured to communicate with a first satellite switch; and a third master distribution switch port configured to communicate with core switches; and a slave distribution switch chassis, coupled to the master distribution switch chassis by the virtual switch link and under the control of the master supervisor card, the slave distribution switch chassis comprising: a second plurality of linecards; a slave supervisor card; a first slave distribution switch port configured for communication with the master distribution switch chassis over the virtual switch link; a second slave distribution switch port configured to communicate with a second satellite switch; and a third slave distribution switch port configured to communicate with the core switches.