Link integrating apparatus and method

Abstract

The present invention relates to a link aggregation apparatus and method for aggregating multiple physical interface ports into a single logical link and using the aggregated logical links. The link aggregation means aggregates a plurality of physical interface ports into a logical link and utilizes the logical link in the main processing board connected to a plurality of line cards each having a plurality of physical interface ports. The link aggregation device includes a system management unit, a mapping table, an IPC message control unit, and at least one application. A system management unit is provided with a plurality of virtual interfaces to which ports of the physical interface are to be allocated, and manages the interfaces while managing setting information and failure information of the virtual interfaces. A mapping table is used to assign at least two of the plurality of physical interface ports to at least one of the plurality of virtual interfaces. An IPC message control unit sends IPC messages between the line card and the main processor board using a mapping table. The application performs a specified unique function in response to IPC messages sent to the virtual interface.

Description

technical field [0001] The present invention generally relates to a method of managing a plurality of physical interface ports in a communication device communicating with an external communication device through a line card, wherein each line card has a plurality of physical interface ports, and more particularly to a link aggregation device and method, It is capable of grouping multiple physical interface ports into a single logical link and using that grouped logical link. Background technique [0002] In general, link aggregation refers to a function of making a plurality of physical ports with low capacities logically regarded as a single port and making the capacity of the single logical port the sum of the capacities of the plurality of physical ports. Such a link aggregation function has the following advantages. First, from the point of view of the communication device user, the advantage is that when a higher capacity line is required without changing the cost per...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

However, in this patent, a single port handles multiple ports, but the target of this patent is limited to ATM equipment and Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN)

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