ENHANCED LOAD DISTRIBUTION OF NON-UNICAST TRAFFIC TO MULTI-HOMED NODES IN A PORT EXTENDER ENVIRONMENT
Aspects of the present invention include multi-homed node in a port extender environment. In embodiments of the present invention, each port extender can communicate data traffic to the multi-homed node thereby increasing the number of available links to the multi-homed node. The communication with the multi-homed node is based on an identification associated with the data traffic.
1 . A multi-homed node information handling system in a port extender environment, comprising:
a multi-homed node, configurable to connect to at least one port extender environment;
a plurality of port extenders, coupled to the multi-homed node, each configurable to forward data traffic to the multi-homed node;
a controlling bridge, coupled to the plurality of port extenders, that processes data traffic and receives data from and sends data to at least one of the plurality of port extenders; and
at least one hash flow module that uses a hashing system to assign an identification to the data traffic.
2 . The multi-homed node information handling system of claim 1 wherein the identification is an E-Channel Identifier (ECID).
3 . The multi-homed node information handling system of claim 2 wherein the ECID determines which of the plurality of port extenders forwards the data traffic.
4 . The multi-homed node information handling system of claim 1 wherein each of the plurality of port extenders is configurable to forward data traffic.
5 . The multi-homed node information handling system of claim 1 wherein the hash flow module uses a hashing algorithm to assign the identification.
6 . The multi-homed node information handling system of claim 1 wherein the information handling system is a non-unicast system.
7 . A method for distribution of non-unicast data traffic to a multi-homed node in a port extender environment, comprising:
using a controlling bridge to connect a plurality of port extenders and to forward data traffic to at least one of the plurality of port extenders;
assigning an identification to the data traffic using a hash flow algorithm and
selecting the port extender to be used to forward the data traffic based on the identification assigned.
8 . The method of claim 7 wherein the data traffic flow forms a plurality of trees.
9 . The method of claim 8 wherein the hash flow algorithm uses hash flow modulo n, where n is the number of trees.
10 . The method of claim 7 wherein the identification assigned is an E-Channel Identifier (ECID).
11 . The method of claim 7 wherein each of the plurality of port extenders can be used to forward data traffic.
12 . The method of claim 7 further comprising forwarding data traffic from at least one of the plurality of port extenders to a multi-homed node.
13 . The method of claim 12 wherein the multi-homed node is configurable to receive data traffic from each of the plurality of port extenders.
14 . A multi-homed node comprising:
an ingress port configurable to receive data traffic forwarded by one of a plurality of port extenders, the port extender selected based on an identification associated with the data traffic; and
an egress port configurable to forward data traffic to one of a plurality of port extenders.
15 . The multi-homed node of claim 14 wherein the identification is an E-Channel Identifier (ECID).
16 . The multi-homed node of claim 15 wherein the ECID determines which of the plurality of port extenders forwards the data traffic.
17 . The multi-homed node of claim 14 wherein the identification is assigned using a hash flow algorithm.
18 . The multi-homed node of claim 17 wherein the hash flow algorithm us modulo n, where n is the number of port extenders.
19 . The multi-homed node of claim 14 wherein the ingress port receives non-unicast data traffic from the plurality of port extenders.
20 . The multi-homed node of claim 14 wherein the ingress port receives data traffic from each of the plurality of port extenders.