Patent ID: 8898431

Claim:
A multi-path network for use in a bridge, switch, router, hub or the like, comprising a plurality of network ports adapted for connection with one or more devices, each device having a different identifying address; a plurality of network elements; and a plurality of network links interconnecting the network elements and connecting the network elements to the network ports, wherein the multi-path network further comprises separately addressable memory elements each adapted for storing identifying addresses and wherein the multi-path network is adapted to generate a corresponding hash value for each such identifying address, and to distribute a plurality of identifying addresses amongst the plurality of memory elements for storage thereby, at respective locations determined by the corresponding hash values for the identifying address concerned, wherein the memory elements are organized hierarchically in at least two levels with a plurality of separately addressable memory elements at each hierarchical level and the multi-path network is adapted to distribute a plurality of identifying addresses amongst a plurality of memory elements in an uppermost hierarchical level.