Load balancing switch protocols

Claim 3

The method of claim 1 wherein said hello packets include hello request packets and hello response packets and wherein the step of exchanging includes the steps of: transmitting a hello request packet from said first switch to said second switch; and receiving, in said first switch, a hello response packet transmitted from said second switch to said first switch in response to transmission of said hello request packet.

Claim 4

The method of claim 2 wherein the step of identifying includes the step of: identifying the corresponding port on said first switch as within said load balance domain in response to receipt of said hello response packet.

Claim 5

The method of claim 2 further comprising the step of: identifying the corresponding port of said first switch as outside said load balance domain in response to failure to receive said hello response packet in response to transmission of said hello request packet from said first switch to said second switch.

Claim 6

The method of claim 4 wherein the step of transmitting hello request packets comprises the step of: periodically transmitting said hello request packet from said first switch to said second switch, and wherein the method further comprises the step of: identifying a dead port within said load balance domain in accordance with said hello request packets.

Claim 7

The method of claim 5 wherein said hello request packets include a hello time parameter value and include a dead count parameter value and wherein the step of identifying a dead port includes the steps of: first detecting, in said second switch, the expiration of a dead period of time equal to said hello time parameter value during which no hello request packet is received from said first switch; detecting, in response to the step of first detecting, a consecutive number of dead periods during where said consecutive number is equal to said dead count parameter value; and identifying said corresponding port of said second switch as a dead port in response to the detection of said consecutive dead periods.

Claim 8

The method of claim 2 wherein said hello request packets include a hello time parameter value and include a dead count parameter value and wherein the step of exchanging further comprises the steps of: negotiating said hello time value and said dead count parameter between said first switch and said second switch.

Claim 9

The method of claim 7 wherein the step of negotiating includes the step of: transmitting additional hello request packets with a modified hello time parameter value until a hello response packet is received with an equal hello time parameter value. transmitting additional hello request packets with a modified dead count parameter value until a hello response packet is received with an equal dead count parameter value.

Claim 10

The method of claim 7 wherein the step of negotiating includes the step of: transmitting additional hello request packets with a modified dead count parameter value until a hello response packet is received with an equal dead count parameter value.

Claim 11

The method of claim 2 wherein said hello request packets include a source MAC address value identifying the transmitting switch and identifying the port of the transmitting switch from which the hello request packet is transmitted and wherein the method further comprises the step of: identifying an illegal configuration of network devices associated with a switch which received an illegal hello request packet.

Claim 12

The method of claim 10 wherein the step of identifying an illegal configuration includes the step of: detecting reception of multiple hello request packets on a port of a switch where each of said multiple hello requests identifies a different source MAC address.

Claim 13

The method of claim 10 wherein the step of identifying an illegal configuration includes the step of: detecting reception of multiple hello request packets on multiple ports of a switch where each of said multiple hello requests identifies an identical source MAC address.

Claim 14

A network switch including a computer readable storage medium tangibly embodying a method operable within said network switch for exchanging information among a plurality of network switches within a load balance domain, said method comprising the steps of: a) exchanging hello packets between corresponding ports on a first switch of said plurality of network switches and a second switch of said plurality of network switches in order to identify switches within the load balance domain and switches outside the load balance domain, said hello packets include identification information identifying a particular port in a switch that generates a hello packet; b) identifying if said corresponding ports are within said load balance domain in accordance with the exchanged hello packets; and repeating steps a) and b) for each port on switches of said plurality of switches.

Claim 15

A network switch including a computer readable storage medium tangibly embodying a method operable within said network switch for exchanging information among a plurality of network switches within a load balance domain, said method comprising the steps of: a) exchanging hello packets between corresponding ports on a first switch of said plurality of network switches and a second switch of said plurality of network switches in order to identify switches within the load balance domain and switches outside the load balance domain, said hello packets include identification information identifying a particular port in a switch that generates a hello packet; b) identifying if said corresponding ports are within said load balance domain in accordance with the exchanged hello packets; and repeating steps a) and b) for each port on switches of said plurality of switches.

Claim 16

The switch of claim 13 wherein said hello packets include hello request packets and hello response packets and wherein the method step of exchanging includes the steps of: transmitting a hello request packet from said first switch to said second switch; and receiving, in said first switch, a hello response packet transmitted from said second switch to said first switch in response to transmission of said hello request packet.

Claim 17

The switch of claim 14 wherein the method step of identifying includes the step of: identifying the corresponding port on said first switch as within said load balance domain in response to receipt of said hello response packet.

Claim 18

The switch of claim 14 wherein the method further comprises the step of: identifying the corresponding port of said first switch as outside said load balance domain in response to failure to receive said hello response packet in response to transmission of said hello request packet from said first switch to said second switch.

Claim 19

The switch of claim 16 wherein the method step of transmitting hello request packets comprises the step of: periodically transmitting said hello request packet from said first switch to said second switch, and wherein the method further comprises the step of: identifying a dead port within said load balance domain in accordance with said hello request packets.

Claim 20

The switch of claim 17 wherein said hello request packets include a hello time parameter value and include a dead count parameter value and wherein the method step of identifying a dead port includes the steps of: first detecting, in said second switch, the expiration of a dead period of time equal to said hello time parameter value during which no hello request packet is received from said first switch; detecting, in response to the step of first detecting, a consecutive number of dead periods during where said consecutive number is equal to said dead count parameter value; and identifying said corresponding port of said second switch as a dead port in response to the detection of said consecutive dead periods.

Claim 21

The switch of claim 14 wherein said hello request packets include a hello time parameter value and include a dead count parameter value and wherein the method step of exchanging further comprises the steps of: negotiating said hello time value and said dead count parameter between said first switch and said second switch.

Claim 22

The switch of claim 19 wherein the method step of negotiating includes the step of: transmitting additional hello request packets with a modified hello time parameter value until a hello response packet is received with an equal hello time parameter value. transmitting additional hello request packets with a modified dead count parameter value until a hello response packet is received with an equal dead count parameter value.

Claim 23

The switch of claim 19 wherein the method step of negotiating includes the step of: transmitting additional hello request packets with a modified dead count parameter value until a hello response packet is received with an equal dead count parameter value.

Claim 24

The switch of claim 14 wherein said hello request packets include a source MAC address value identifying the transmitting switch and identifying the port of the transmitting switch from which the hello request packet is transmitted and wherein the method further comprises the step of: identifying an illegal configuration of network devices associated with a switch which received an illegal hello request packet.

Claim 25

The switch of claim 22 wherein the method step of identifying an illegal configuration includes the step of: detecting reception of multiple hello request packets on a port of a switch where each of said multiple hello requests identifies a different source MAC address.

Claim 26

The switch of claim 22 wherein the method step of identifying an illegal configuration includes the step of: detecting reception of multiple hello request packets on multiple ports of a switch where each of said multiple hello requests identifies an identical source MAC address.

Claim 31

The method of claim 26 wherein the step of identifying an illegal configuration includes the step of: detecting reception of multiple hello request packets on a port of a switch where each of said multiple hello requests identifies a different source MAC address.

Claim 32

The method of claim 26 wherein the step of identifying an illegal configuration includes the step of: detecting reception of multiple hello request packets on multiple ports of a switch where each of said multiple hello requests identifies an identical source MAC address.

Claim 33

A network switch including a computer readable storage medium tangibly embodying a method operable within said network switch for exchanging information among a plurality of network switches within a load balance domain, said method comprising the steps of: a) exchanging hello packets between corresponding ports on a first switch of said plurality of network switches and a second switch of said plurality of network switches; b) identifying said corresponding ports as within said load balance domain in accordance with the exchanged hello packets; and repeating steps a) and b) for each port on switches of said plurality of switches; wherein said hello packets include hello request packets and hello response packets and wherein the method step of exchanging includes the steps of: transmitting a hello request packet from said first switch to said second switch; and receiving, in said first switch, a hello response packet transmitted from said second switch to said first switch in response to transmission of said hello request packet; wherein the method step further comprises the step of identifying the corresponding port of said first switch as outside said load balance domain in response to failure to receive said hello response packet in response to transmission of said hello request packet from said first switch to said second switch; wherein the method step of transmitting hello request packets comprises the step of: periodically transmitting said hello request packet from said first switch to said second switch; and wherein the method further comprises the step of: identifying a dead port within said load balance domain in accordance with said hello request packets; wherein said hello request packets include a hello time parameter value and include a dead count parameter value and wherein the method step of identifying a dead port includes the steps of: first detecting, in said second switch, the expiration of a dead period of time equal to said hello time parameter value during which no hello request packet is received from said first switch; detecting, in response to the step of first detecting, a consecutive number of dead periods during where said consecutive number is equal to said dead count parameter value; and identifying said corresponding port of said second switch as a dead port in response to the detection of said consecutive dead periods.

Claim 34

A network switch including a computer readable storage medium tangibly embodying a method operable within said network switch for exchanging information among a plurality of network switches within a load balance domain, said method comprising the steps of: a) exchanging hello packets between corresponding ports on a first switch of said plurality of network switches and a second switch of said plurality of network switches; b) identifying said corresponding ports as within said load balance domain in accordance with the exchanged hello packets; and repeating steps a) and b) for each port on switches of said plurality of switches; wherein said hello packets include hello request packets and hello response packets and wherein the method step of exchanging includes the steps of: transmitting a hello request packet from said first switch to said second switch; and receiving, in said first switch, a hello response packet transmitted from said second switch to said first switch in response to transmission of said hello request packet; wherein the method step further comprises the step of identifying the corresponding port of said first switch as outside said load balance domain in response to failure to receive said hello response packet in response to transmission of said hello request packet from said first switch to said second switch; wherein the method step of transmitting hello request packets comprises the step of: periodically transmitting said hello request packet from said first switch to said second switch; and wherein the method further comprises the step of: identifying a dead port within said load balance domain in accordance with said hello request packets; wherein said hello request packets include a hello time parameter value and include a dead count parameter value and wherein the method step of identifying a dead port includes the steps of: first detecting, in said second switch, the expiration of a dead period of time equal to said hello time parameter value during which no hello request packet is received from said first switch; detecting, in response to the step of first detecting, a consecutive number of dead periods during where said consecutive number is equal to said dead count parameter value; and identifying said corresponding port of said second switch as a dead port in response to the detection of said consecutive dead periods.

Claim 35

A network switch including a computer readable storage medium tangibly embodying a method operable within said network switch for exchanging information among a plurality of network switches within a load balance domain, said method comprising the steps of: a) exchanging hello packets between corresponding ports on a first switch of said plurality of network switches and a second switch of said plurality of network switches; b) identifying said corresponding ports as within said load balance domain in accordance with the exchanged hello packets; and repeating steps a) and b) for each port on switches of said plurality of switches; wherein said hello packets include hello request packets and hello response packets and wherein the step of exchanging includes the steps of: transmitting a hello request packet from said first switch to said second switch; and receiving, in said first switch, a hello response packet transmitted from said second switch to said first switch in response to transmission of said hello request packet; wherein said hello request packets include a source MAC address value identifying the transmitting switch and identifying the port of the transmitting switch from which the hello request packet is transmitted and wherein the method further comprises the step of: identifying an illegal configuration of network devices associated with a switch which received an illegal hello request packet.

Claim 36

A network switch including a computer readable storage medium tangibly embodying a method operable within said network switch for exchanging information among a plurality of network switches within a load balance domain, said method comprising the steps of: a) exchanging hello packets between corresponding ports on a first switch of said plurality of network switches and a second switch of said plurality of network switches; b) identifying said corresponding ports as within said load balance domain in accordance with the exchanged hello packets; and repeating steps a) and b) for each port on switches of said plurality of switches; wherein said hello packets include hello request packets and hello response packets and wherein the step of exchanging includes the steps of: transmitting a hello request packet from said first switch to said second switch; and receiving, in said first switch, a hello response packet transmitted from said second switch to said first switch in response to transmission of said hello request packet; wherein said hello request packets include a source MAC address value identifying the transmitting switch and identifying the port of the transmitting switch from which the hello request packet is transmitted and wherein the method further comprises the step of: identifying an illegal configuration of network devices associated with a switch which received an illegal hello request packet.

Claim 37

The switch of claim 30 wherein the method step of identifying an illegal configuration includes the step of: detecting reception of multiple hello request packets on a port of a switch where each of said multiple hello requests identifies a different source MAC address.

Claim 38

The switch of claim 30 wherein the method step of identifying an illegal configuration includes the step of: detecting reception of multiple hello request packets on multiple ports of a switch where each of said multiple hello requests identifies an identical source MAC address.