Patent EP0910195A2 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
EP0910195A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
A network communication device including bonded ports for increased bandwidth
Assignee: Compaq Computer Corp
•
Filing: 1998-09-17
•
Granted: —
•
Expires: 2018-09-17
Abstract
Abstract A network communication device including port control circuitry for controlling packet flow between the ports of the device, where the port control circuitry includes a port manager that directs packets between the ports and port bonding circuitry that bonds two or more ofthe ports into a bonded port set. For each packet to be sent via the bonded port set, the port bonding circuitry selects one of the bonded ports for transmitting the packet. More than one bonded port set may be defined in a given communication device, and each bonded port set may include from two ports up to all the ports of the device, as long as each port is included in only one bonded port set. One or more port bonding registers are provided to identify which ofthe plurality ofports are bonded in each bonded port set. In one embodiment, the bonded ports are selected on a packet by packet basis so as to achieve a relatively even distribution of packets sent by each bonded port. In an alternative embodiment bonded ports are assigned to packet source identifiers so as to achieve a relatively even distribution of source identifiers among the bonded ports. If bonded ports are assigned to particular source identifiers, then the traffic is preferably monitored and the assignments are periodically adjusted to achieve even distribution of packet flow on the bonded link. The bonded ports may have different bandwidths, in which case traffic is distributed on a proportionate basis.
Inventors
- 👤 Michael L. Witkowski
- 👤 Dale J. Mayer
- 👤 William J. Walker
- 👤 Kirk D. Roller
- 👤 Patricia E. Hareski
- 👤 Gary B. Kotzur
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 23:26
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04L; H04L12/00; H04L12/28; H04L12/46; H04L12/4641; H04L12/467; H04L49/00; H04L49/35; H04L49/351; H04L49/20; H04L49/201; H04L49/205; H04L49/25; H04L49/253; H04L49/254; H04L49/354; H04L69/00; H04L69/14
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 26
Claim 1
Independent Claim
88 words
A network communication device, comprising: a plurality of ports, by and from which packets of data are received and sent; and
port control circuitry coupled to said plurality of ports, comprising: a port manager that directs packets between said plurality of ports, and port bonding circuitry coupled to said port manager that bonds at least two
of said plurality of ports together into a bonded port set, and, for each packet to
be sent via said bonded port set, selects one bonded port of said bonded port set.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
34 words
The network communication device of claim 1, wherein said port bonding circuitry
includes at least one port bonding register that identifies which of said plurality of ports
are bonded in said bonded port set.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
44 words
The network communication device of claim 1 or claim 2, wherein said port
bonding circuitry selects a bonded port on a packet by packet basis so as to achieve a
relatively even distribution of packets sent by bonded ports of said bonded port set.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
51 words
The network communication device of any of claims 1 to 3, wherein: each of said packets includes source identifiers; and further comprising memory coupled to said port control circuitry that stores a plurality of entries, each
of said plurality of entries including a unique source identifier and a corresponding port
identifier.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
47 words
The network communication device of claim 4, said port bonding circuitry further
comprising, for each entry in said memory that includes a source identifier that was
received at any bonded port of said bonded port set, programming said corresponding port
identifier to represent said bonded port set.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
111 words
The network communication device of claim 4, said packets including unicast
packets having a destination identifier, wherein for each entry in said memory that includes a source identifier that was received at
any bonded port of said bonded port set, said port bonding circuitry programs said port
identifier to identify one bonded port of said bonded port set so as to achieve a relatively
even distribution of source identifiers among said bonded ports of said bonded port set;
and said port manager uses said programmed port identifier that corresponds to a
destination identifier ofa unicast packet to select a bonded port to send said unicast packet
via said bonded port set.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
59 words
The network communication device of claim 6, wherein said port bonding circuitry monitors unicast packets sent via each bonded port of
said bonded port set and periodically re-programs said port identifier of each of said
plurality of entries so as to achieve a relatively even distribution of unicast packet traffic
among the bonded ports of said bonded port set.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
94 words
The network communication device of claim 4, wherein each of said plurality of entries in said memory that has a source identifier that was
received at any non-bonded port of said plurality of ports further includes a bit map having
a bit corresponding to each of said bonded ports; and said port bonding circuitry programs each bit map of each of said plurality of
entries to assign one bonded port of said bonded port set so as to achieve a relatively even
distribution of bonded port assignments to source identifiers corresponding to non-bonded
ports.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
83 words
The network communication device of claim 8, wherein said memory includes a default bit map table that includes a default bit map for
each of said plurality of ports, each said default bit map including a bit corresponding to
each of said bonded ports; and said port bonding circuitry programs each of said default bit maps to assign one
bonded port of said bonded port set so as to achieve a relatively even distribution of
bonded port assignments among said plurality of ports.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
85 words
The network communication device of claim 8, said packets including broadcast
packets that are received by any non-bonded ports to be sent to said bonded ports as
determined by said port control circuitry; wherein said port bonding circuitry monitors broadcast packets sent by each bonded port
of said bonded port set and periodically re-programs each bit map of each of said plurality
of entries so as to achieve a relatively even distribution of broadcast packet traffic among
the bonded ports of said bonded port set.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
109 words
A packet-based network system, comprising: a first and a second network communication device according to any of claims 1
to 10; a bonded link coupled between the bonded port sets of said first and second
network communication devices, said bonded link including a connection link between
respective bonded ports of said bonded port sets; said first network communication device selecting any one of its bonded ports for
each packet received by it to be sent to said second network communication device; and said second network communication device selecting any one of its bonded ports
for each packet received by it to be sent to said first network communication device.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
32 words
The network system of claim 11, wherein said first and second network
communication devices each select bonded ports to send packets so as to evenly distribute
packets on said bonded port link.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
23 words
The network system of claim 12, wherein said first and second network
communication devices select bonded ports on a packet by packet basis.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
33 words
The network system of claim 12, each packet including a unique source identifier,
wherein said first and second network communication devices select bonded ports by
assigning a bonded port to each source identifier.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
97 words
The network system of claim 14, wherein: first network communication device assigns source identifiers received by said first
bonded port set to its bonded ports on an approximately equal basis; said first network communication device assigns bonded ports among source
identifiers received by its non-bonded ports on an approximately equal basis; said second network communication device assigns source identifiers received by
said second bonded port set to its bonded ports on an approximately equal basis; and said second network communication device assigns bonded ports among source
identifiers received by its non-bonded ports on an approximately equal basis.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
43 words
The network system of claim 11, wherein: said bonded port sets include bonded ports operating at different bandwidths; and wherein said first and second network communication devices select bonded ports
to distribute packets sent on each bonded port in proportion to its bandwidth.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
148 words
The network system of claim 11, further comprising: a third network communication device according to any of claims 1 to 10; said first network communication device including a further plurality of ports and
a further bonded port set including at least two bonded ports; a second bonded link coupled between said third bonded port set of said third
communication device and said further bonded port set of said first network
communication device, said bonded link including a connection link between respective
bonded ports of said third and further bonded port sets; for each packet received by said first communication device to be sent to said third
communication device, said first communication device selecting any one of its bonded
ports; and for each packet received by said third communication device to be sent to said first
communication device, said third communication device selecting any one of its bonded
ports.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
20 words
The network system of any of claims 11 to 17, wherein said first and second
communication devices are network switches.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
72 words
A method of bonding ports of a network communication device having a plurality
of ports that send and receive packets, comprising steps of: defining at least two of the plurality of ports as bonded ports forming a bonded
port set; receiving a packet; determining that the received packet is to be sent via the bonded port set; selecting one of the bonded ports; and sending the packet via the selected bonded port.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 19, further comprising a step of modifying a spanning tree
function to prevent disabling any of the bonded ports.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 19, wherein said selecting step comprises selecting bonded
ports on a random basis.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
80 words
The method of claim 19, further comprising steps of: retrieving a source identifier from the packet; determining a port identifier of the selected bonded port; storing the source identifier with the port identifier of the selected bonded port; subsequently receiving a broadcast packet with an identical source identifier; retrieving the port identifier of the selected bonded port; and broadcasting the broadcast packet to selected ones of the plurality of ports
including sending the broadcast packet via the selected bonded port.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
67 words
The method of claim 22, further comprising steps of: receiving a plurality of packets at the non-bonded ports; retrieving a source identifier from each packet; for each unique source identifier, assigning any one of the bonded ports so as to
evenly distribute bonded port assignments among the unique source identifiers; and storing each unique source identifier along with a port identifier of the
corresponding assigned bonded port.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
55 words
The method of claim 19, further comprising steps of: receiving a packet at a bonded port; retrieving a source identifier from the packet; assigning any one of the bonded ports of the same bonded port set to the source
identifier; and storing the source identifier along with a port identifier of the assigned bonded
port.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
71 words
The method of claim 24, further comprising steps of: receiving a plurality of packets at the bonded ports; retrieving a source identifier from each packet; for each unique source identifier, assigning any one of the bonded ports so as to
evenly distribute unique source identifiers among the bonded ports of the bonded port set;
and storing each unique source identifier along with a port identifier of the
corresponding assigned bonded port.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
60 words
A network system, comprising: a first network device including a plurality of ports; a second network device including a plurality of ports; a plurality of data links coupled between corresponding ports of said first and
second network devices; and said first network device sending data to said second network device by distributing
data among said at least two data links.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
Maintenance schedule is calculated for granted US utility patents.