Synchronizing multiple instances of a forwarding information base (FIB) using sequence numbers

1. A method for synchronizing multiple instances of a forwarding information base (FIB) in a network node that has a distributed processing architecture comprising:

establishing FIB entries in a main FIB;

associating a sequence number with each of said FIB entries in said main FIB;

communicating said FIB entries and their associated sequence numbers from said main FIB to line card FIBs; and

using said sequence numbers that are associated with said FIB entries to determine the most current FIB entry among a plurality of FIB entries;

wherein said sequence numbers are used to determine the most current FIB entry among two FIB entries that have matching IP addresses and masks.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein using said sequence numbers that are associated with said FIB entries to determine the most current FIB entry involves sending current state messages between said main FIB and one of said line card FIBs to determine how to synchronize said main FIB with said one line card FIB, said current state messages including FIB entry segments, each FIB entry segment having a unique sequence number that is associated with the respective FIB entry segment.

3. The method of claim 2 further including using the sequence numbers of an FIB entry segment and an FIR entry to determine which of the two associated FIB entries is the most current FIB entry.

4. The method of claim 3 further including sending an FIB entry from said main FIB to one of said Line card FIBs if the sequence number of an FIB entry from said main FIB is higher than the sequence number of an FIB entry from said one line card FIB.

5. The method of claim 2 wherein said FIB entry segments include a destination IP field, a mask field, and a sequence number field.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein using said sequence numbers that are associated with said FIB entries to determine the most current FIB entry includes using said sequence numbers to identify a line card FIB, amongst a plurality of line card FIBs, which has the most current FIB entry.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the line card FIB that has an FIB entry with the highest associated sequence number is identified as the line card FIB with the most current FIB entry.

8. The method of claim 6 further including using the FIB from the line card with the most current FIB entry to update another FIB.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein said FIB from the line card with the most current FIB entry is used to update either said main FIB or a backup FIB.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein said main FIB is stored at a control module of said network node and wherein said line card FIBs are stored at line cards of said network node, said line cards including ports for connecting to other network nodes.

11. A system for synchronizing multiple instances of a forwarding information base (FIB) in a network node that has a protocol processor for establishing FIB entries in a main FIB and a plurality of line card FIBs, said system comprising:

a sequence number generator for providing sequence numbers that are associated with FIB entries; and

an update engine for:

communicating said FIB entries and their associated sequence numbers from a main FIB to multiple line card FIBs; and

using said sequence numbers that are associated with said FIB entries to determine the most current FIB entry among a plurality of FIB entries;

wherein said sequence numbers are used to determine the most current FIB entry among two FIB entries that have matching IP addresses and masks.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein said update engine initiates sending current state messages between said main FIB and one of said line card FIBs to determine how to synchronize said main FIB with said one line card FIB, said current state messages including FIB entry segments, each FIB entry segment having a unique sequence number that is associated with the respective FIB entry segment.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein the sequence numbers of an FIB entry segment and an FIB entry are used to determine which of the two associated FIB entries is the most current FTB entry.

14. The system of claim 12 wherein an FIB entry from said main FIB is sent to one of said line card FIBs if the sequence number of an FIB entry from said main FIB is higher than the sequence number of an FIB entry from said one line card FIB.

15. The system of claim 12 wherein said FIB entry segments include a destination IP field, a mask field, and a sequence number field.

16. The system of claim 11 wherein using said sequence numbers that are associated with said FIB entries to determine the most current FIB entry includes using said sequence numbers to identify a line card FIB, amongst a plurality of line card FIBs, which has the most current FIB entry.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein the line card FIB that has an FIB entry with the highest associated sequence number is identified as the line card FIB with the most current FIB entry.

18. The system of claim 11 further including a control module for storing said main FIB and multiple line cards for storing said line card FIBs.

19. A method for synchronizing multiple instances of a forwarding information base (FIB) in a network node that has a distributed processing architecture comprising:

establishing FIB entries in a main FIB;

associating a sequence number with each of said FIB entries in said main FIB;

communicating said FIB entries and their associated sequence numbers from said main FIB to line card FIBs; and

using said sequence numbers that are associated with said FIB entries to manage FIB updates between said main FIB and said line card FIBs, including using said sequence numbers that are associated with said FIB entries to determine the most current FIB entry among a plurality of FIB entries;

wherein using said sequence numbers that are associated with said FIB entries to determine the most current FIB entry includes using said sequence numbers to identify a line card FIB, amongst a plurality of line card FIBs, which that has the most current FIB entry.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the line card FIB that has an FIB entry with the highest associated sequence number is identified as the line card FIB with the most current FIB entry.

21. The method of claim 19 further including using the FIB from the line card with the mast current FIB entry to update either said main FIB or a backup FIB.