System and method for repurposing layer 2 switch as a layer 1 switch
A computer-implemented method for repurposing one or more software configurable layer 2 switches in an IP (Internet Protocal) computer network to function as a layer 1 switch. Ternary Content-Addressable Memory (TCAM) is reconfigured in each of the one or more layer 2 switches and one or more pipeline engines are routed to emulate layer 1 switching functionality in each of the one or more layer 2 switches.
1. A computer-implemented method for repurposing one or more software configurable layer 2 switches in an IP (Internet Protocol) computer network to function as a layer 1 switch comprising:
reconfiguring Ternary Content-Addressable Memory (TCAM) in each of the one or more layer 2 switches;
routing one or more pipeline engines to emulate layer 1 switching functionality in each of the one or more layer 2 switches;
disabling forwarding functionality to decrease latency in each of the one or more layer 2 switches;
enabling Small Form-Factor Pluggable Ports (SFPs) for Transmission (TX) and Reception (RX) in each of the one or more layer 2 switches;
creating a multicast group such that a Port.2 is added to the created multicast group in each of the one or more layer 2 switches; and
providing an Access Control List (ACL) rule wherein when a condition is input Port.1 an action is to redirect to the created multicast group in each of the one or more layer 2 switches.
2. The computer-implemented method as recited in claim 1 , wherein at least one of the one or more layer 2 switches are “bare metal” switches.
3. The computer-implemented method as recited in claim 1 , further including disabling learning and routing functions in each of the one or more layer 2 switches.
4. The computer-implemented method as recited in claim 1 , further including provide a lowest precedence ACL rule whereby condition is ALL PORTS and action is DENY ALL in each of the one or more layer 2 switches.
5. The computer-implemented method as recited in claim 1 , further including preventing VLAN filtering in each of the one or more layer 2 switches.
6. The computer-implemented method as recited in claim 1 , further including preventing packet dropping in each of the one or more layer 2 switches.
7. A computer-implemented method for repurposing one or more software configurable layer 2 switches in an IP (Internet Protocol) computer network to function as a layer 1 switch comprising:
reconfiguring Ternary Content-Addressable Memory (TCAM) in each of the one or more layer 2 switches;
routing one or more pipeline engines to emulate layer 1 switching functionality in each of the one or more layer 2 switches;
enabling Small Form-Factor Pluggable Ports (SFPs) for Transmission (TX) and Reception (RX) in each of the one or more layer 2 switches;
creating a multicast group such that a Port.2 is added to the created multicast group in each of the one or more layer 2 switches; and
providing an Access Control List (ACL) rule wherein when a condition is input Port.1 an action is to redirect to the created multicast group in each of the one or more layer 2 switches.
8. The computer-implemented method as recited in claim 7 , wherein at least one of the one or more layer 2 switches are “bare metal” switches.
9. The computer-implemented method as recited in claim 7 , further including disabling learning and routing functions in each of the one or more layer 2 switches.
10. The computer-implemented method as recited in claim 6 , further including disabling forwarding functionality to decrease latency in each of the one or more layer 2 switches.
11. The computer-implemented method as recited in claim 7 , further including provide a lowest precedence ACL rule whereby condition is ALL PORTS and action is DENY ALL in each of the one or more layer 2 switches.
12. The computer-implemented method as recited in claim 7 , further including preventing VLAN filtering in each of the one or more layer 2 switches.
13. The computer-implemented method as recited in claim 7 , further including preventing packet dropping in each of the one or more layer 2 switches.
14. A computer-implemented method for repurposing one or more software configurable layer 2 switches in an IP (Internet Protocol) computer network to function as a layer 1 switch comprising:
reconfiguring Ternary Content-Addressable Memory (TCAM) in each of the one or more layer 2 switches;
routing one or more pipeline engines to emulate layer 1 switching functionality in each of the one or more layer 2 switches;
creating a multicast group such that a Port.2 is added to the created multicast group in each of the one or more layer 2 switches; and
providing an Access Control List (ACL) rule wherein when a condition is input Port.1 an action is to redirect to the created multicast group in each of the one or more layer 2 switches.
15. The computer-implemented method as recited in claim 14 , wherein at least one of the one or more layer 2 switches are “bare metal” switches.
16. The computer-implemented method as recited in claim 14 , further including disabling learning and routing functions in each of the one or more layer 2 switches.
17. The computer-implemented method as recited in claim 16 , further including disabling forwarding functionality to decrease latency in each of the one or more layer 2 switches.
18. The computer-implemented method as recited in claim 17 , further including enabling Small Form-Factor Pluggable Ports (SFPs) for Transmission (TX) and Reception (RX) in each of the one or more layer 2 switches.
19. The computer-implemented method as recited in claim 14 , further including provide a lowest precedence ACL rule whereby condition is ALL PORTS and action is DENY ALL in each of the one or more layer 2 switches.
20. The computer-implemented method as recited in claim 14 , further including:
preventing VLAN filtering in each of the one or more layer 2 switches; and
preventing packet dropping in each of the one or more layer 2 switches.