Computer network method and device using link aggregation

1. A hardware control unit comprising:

a detection unit to receive detected conditions of data traffic across a link aggregation formed of a plurality of data links, wherein each data link of the plurality of data links is connected to a corresponding data port such that the data traffic across the link aggregation is distributed across the plurality of data links by the corresponding plurality of data ports, wherein a backup data port is assigned to each data port of said corresponding plurality of data ports, each said backup data port being a data port selected from the corresponding plurality of data ports other than the data port to be assigned a backup port;

a selection unit to select a backup data port upon detection that a data port originally scheduled to forward data is connected to a data link that is not capable of data traffic; and

a forwarding unit to cause diversion of the data originally scheduled for forwarding by the scheduled data port to be forwarded by the selected backup data port assigned to the scheduled data port.

2. The hardware control unit of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of data ports is in one of a selected state and an un-selected state, wherein in the selected state, the data port has normal message forwarding ability and in the un-selected state, the data port does not have normal message forwarding ability, and wherein the selection unit is to forward data by the backup data port assigned to said scheduled data port upon a detection that a failed data link is connected to said scheduled data port when said scheduled data port is in the selected state.

3. The hardware control unit of claim 2 , further comprising:

a management unit to configure the scheduled data port into the un-selected state after data have been caused to be forwarded by the assigned backup data port; and

an update unit to remove the scheduled data port from said link aggregation.

4. The hardware control unit of claim 3 , wherein the management unit is further to reassign a backup data port to each data port remaining in the link aggregation after the scheduled data port has been removed from the link aggregation and to restore a removed data port into a data port of the link aggregation and reassign backup data ports when the removed data port is changed from an un-selected state to a selected state.

5. The hardware control unit of claim 3 , wherein the management unit is further to reassign backup data ports upon a detection that a data port in the link aggregation is connected to a failed or disabled data link.

6. The hardware control unit of claim 5 , wherein the management unit is further to remove the data port as being a backup data port upon a detection that said data port is connected to a failed or disabled data link.

7. The hardware control unit of claim 1 , wherein the control unit is an application specific integrated circuit.

8. The hardware control unit of claim 1 , wherein the forwarding unit is further to forward data originally scheduled for forwarding by said scheduled data port by the backup data port until the scheduled data port is in the un-selected state.

9. The hardware control unit of claim 1 , wherein the detection unit is to detect conditions of the data links of the link aggregation and wherein the selection unit is to select the backup data port upon detection that the data port is connected to a failed or disabled data link.

10. A method comprising:

receiving, by a hardware control unit, conditions of data traffic across a link aggregation formed of a plurality of data links, wherein each data link of the plurality of data links is connected to a corresponding data port such that the data traffic across the link aggregation is distributed across the plurality of data links by the corresponding plurality of data ports, wherein a backup data port is assigned to each data port of said corresponding plurality of data ports, each said backup data port being a data port selected from the corresponding plurality of data ports other than the data port to be assigned a backup port;

detecting, by the hardware control unit, that a data port scheduled to forward data is not capable of data traffic;

selecting, by the hardware control unit, a backup data port corresponding to the scheduled data port; and

causing, by the hardware control unit, diversion of the data originally scheduled for forwarding by the scheduled data port to be forwarded by the selected backup data port assigned to the scheduled data port.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein each of the plurality of data ports is in one of a selected state and an un-selected state, wherein in the selected state, the data port has normal message forwarding ability and in the un-selected state, the data port does not have normal message forwarding ability, and wherein the hardware control unit is to forward data by the backup data port assigned to said scheduled data port upon a detection that a failed data link is connected to said scheduled data port when said scheduled data port is in the selected state.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:

configuring the scheduled data port into the un-selected state after causing data to be forwarded by the backup data port; and

removing the scheduled data port from said link aggregation.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:

reassigning a backup data port to each data port remaining in the link aggregation after the scheduled data port has been removed from the link aggregation;

restoring a removed data port into a data port of the link aggregation; and

reassigning backup data ports when the removed data port is changed from an un-selected state to a selected state.

14. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:

reassigning backup data ports upon a detection that a data port in the link aggregation is connected to a failed or disabled data link.

15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising:

removing the data port as being a backup data port upon a detection that said data port is connected to a failed or disabled data link.