IP Library › Granted Patent US 8,472,618
Granted Patent B2
US 8,472,618 · App. 13/149,029 · Granted Jun 25, 2013

Network switching device

Inventors: Masayuki Shinohara (Kawasaki, JP); Nobuhito Matsuyama (Hadano, JP); Takayuki Muranaka (Kawasaki, JP); Isao Kimura (Yokohama, JP); Shinichi Akahane (Hachioji, JP)
Assignee: ALAXALA Networks Corporation
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,472,618
App. No.
13/149,029
Granted
Jun 25, 2013
Kind
B2
Abstract

Network switching arrangements including: setting an operation mode of a target switching block to a operation mode that is different from an operation mode of a first switching block while the first switching block is handling a switching process, the target switching block being one switching block selected from second switching blocks; performing a switchover process including starting the switching process using the target switching block instead of the first switching block, after completion of setting the operation mode of the target switching block; and copying the switching information held by the first switching block to the target switching block, prior to starting the switching process using the target switching block, after completion of setting the operation mode of the target switching block.

Claims (46)

1. A method of controlling a network switching device, wherein

the network switching device comprises:

an interface block that sends and receives packets;

a first switching block that holds switching information and performs, based on the switching information, switching process of packets sent or received by the interface block; and

one or more second switching blocks capable of performing the switching process instead of the first switching block, wherein

the first switching block and the second switching block are each provided with a plurality of operation modes, and wherein

the method comprises:

(A) setting the operation mode of a target switching block to a operation mode that is different from the operation mode of the first switching block while the first switching block is handling the switching process, the target switching block being one switching block selected from the second switching blocks;

(B) performing a switchover process including starting the switching process using the target switching block instead of the first switching block, after completion of setting the operation mode of the target switching block; and

(C) copying the switching information held by the first switching block to the target switching block, prior to starting the switching process using the target switching block, after completion of setting the operation mode of the target switching block.

2. A method as set forth in claim 1 , wherein

the one or more second switching blocks include at least one standby switching block that has been started up in a same operation mode as the first switching block, and that is not performing the switching process, the standby switching block is configured to perform the switching process in place of the first switching block when a problem occurs with the first switching block.

3. A method as set forth in claim 2 , wherein

the standby switching block is used as the target switching block.

4. A method as set forth in claim 2 , wherein

the second switching blocks further include at least one spare switching block whose operation mode is set to a operation mode with even less power consumption than the operation mode of the standby switching block, and

the spare switching block is used as the target switching block.

5. A method as set forth in claim 1 , wherein

the process of setting the operation mode of the target switching block is followed by resetting the target switching block.

6. A method as set forth in claim 1 , further including

(D) performing a process of switching the operation mode of the first switching block to the same operation mode as the target switching block after completion of the switchover process.

7. A method as set forth in claim 1 , wherein

the interface block is provided with a plurality of switchable forwarding-operation modes as operation modes of sending and receiving the packets, the plurality of forwarding-operation modes including a first forwarding-operation mode and a second forwarding-operation mode with less power consumption than the first forwarding-operation mode.

8. A network switching device comprising:

an interface block that sends and receives packets;

a first switching block that holds switching information and performs, based on the switching information, switching process of packets sent or received by the interface block;

one or more second switching blocks capable of performing the switching process instead of the first switching block; and

a system control block configured to control operation of each of the blocks, wherein

the first switching block and the second switching block are each provided with a plurality of operation modes, and wherein

the system control block performs:

(A) setting the operation mode of a target switching block to a operation mode that is different from the operation mode of the first switching block while the first switching block is handling the switching process, the target switching block being one switching block selected from the second switching blocks;

(B) a switchover process including starting the switching process using the target switching block instead of the first switching block, after completion of setting the operation mode of the target switching block; and

(C) copying the switching information held by the first switching block to the target switching block, prior to starting the switching process using the target switching block, after completion of setting the operation mode of the target switching block.

9. A network switching device as set forth in claim 8 , wherein:

the one or more second switching blocks include at least one standby switching block that has been started up in a same operation mode as the first switching block, and that is not performing the switching process, the standby switching block is configured to perform the switching process in place of the first switching block when a problem occurs with the first switching block.

10. A network switching device as set forth in claim 9 , wherein

the standby switching block is used as the target switching block.

11. A network switching device as set forth in claim 9 , wherein

the second switching blocks further include at least one spare switching block whose operation mode is set to a operation mode with even less power consumption than the operation mode of the standby switching block, and

the spare switching block is used as the target switching block.

12. A network switching device as set forth in claim 8 , wherein

the process of setting the operation mode of the target switching block is followed by resetting the target switching block.

13. A network switching device as set forth in claim 8 , wherein

the system control block performs a process of switching the operation mode of the first switching block to the same operation mode as the target switching block after completion of the switchover process.

14. A network switching device as set forth in claim 8 , wherein

the interface block is provided with a plurality of switchable forwarding-operation modes as operation modes of sending and receiving the packets, the plurality of forwarding-operation modes including a first forwarding-operation mode and a second forwarding-operation mode with less power consumption than the first forwarding-operation mode.

Priority Claims (1)
JP 2006-049955 · Feb 27, 2006 · national
Continuity (2)
Continuation 11487992 · Jul 18, 2006
Related Publication 20110228792A1 · Sep 22, 2011