Patent ID: 8446910

Claim:
A method for hash distribution comprising: initializing a global free active hash value pool and a global free standby hash value pool; determining available free active hash values from a plurality of ports currently associated with the port channel; adding available free active hash values to the global free active hash value pool; comparing a target active hash count per port with a current active hash count per port for each of the plurality of ports associated with the port channel; if the current active hash count per port for one of the plurality of ports is greater than the target active hash count per port, randomly selecting a number of hash values equal to the difference of the current active hash count per port for one of the plurality of ports and the target active hash count per port, and releasing the randomly selected hash values to the global free active hash value pool; and if the current active hash count per port for one of the plurality of ports is less than the target active hash count per port, randomly selecting a number of hash values from the global free active hash pool equal to the difference of the current active hash count per port for the same one of the plurality of ports and the target active hash count per port, and assigning the randomly selected hash values to the same one of the plurality of ports.