Link control method, device, equipment, medium and product

Abstract

The invention provides a link control method and device, equipment, a medium and a product, and relates to the technical field of communication. The method is applied to a management unit in the network equipment, the network equipment further comprises an interface board and a first switching network board which are both connected with the management unit, the first switching network board is connected with the interface board through first links, and the method comprises the following steps: when it is detected that the number of the first links needed by the interface board is larger than the number of the first links connected to the interface board, switching the first switching network board to the interface board; when the number of the first links opened by the first switching network board is smaller than a threshold value of the number of the first links allowed to be switched by the first switching network board, a first link switching instruction is sent to the first switching network board so that the first switching network board can open other first links based on the first link switching instruction; the other first links are first links which are not opened between the interface board and the first switching network board. According to the mode, the link utilization rate of the network equipment is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of communication technologies, and in particular, to a link control method, apparatus, device, medium, and product. Background Art

[0002] With the increasingly complex business requirements and higher bandwidth requirements in customer scenarios, network devices that support flexible pluggable cards and expansion are widely promoted and applied. The data plane of traditional network devices (such as rack-mounted switches and rack-mounted routers, etc.) is usually composed of interface boards and switching fabric boards interconnected through high-speed links. The number of interface boards and switching fabric boards can both be one or more (for example, n interface boards and m switching fabric boards, n≥1, m≥1).

[0003] In actual application scenarios, the underconfigured scenario where p (p < n) interface boards are inserted in the network device is relatively common, and the link redundancy is often relatively large when the m switching fabric boards are fully configured, resulting in a low utilization rate of the physical data links of the entire network device system. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This application provides a link control method, apparatus, device, medium, and product to solve the problem of low link utilization rate of network devices in related technologies.

[0005] According to the first aspect of this application, a link control method is provided, including:

[0006] Applied to the management unit in a network device, the network device further includes an interface board and a first switching fabric board both connected to the management unit, and the first switching fabric board is connected to the interface board through a first link. The method includes:

[0007] When it is detected that the number of first links required by the interface board is greater than the number of first links already connected to the interface board, and the number of first links already enabled on the first switching fabric board is less than the first link number threshold allowed to be switched, send a first link switching instruction to the first switching fabric board for the first switching fabric board to enable other first links based on the first link switching instruction; the other first links are the first links that are not enabled between the interface board and the first switching fabric board.

[0008] Optionally, the first switching fabric board includes a second link switching module; the sending of the first link switching instruction to the first switching fabric board includes:

[0009] In the case where the number of interface boards is multiple, determine the number of other first links corresponding to each interface board according to a preset allocation method;

[0010] Send the first link switching instruction to the first switching network board, so that the second link switching module in the first switching network board executes the first link switching instruction; wherein, the first link switching instruction includes the identifier of each interface board and the number of other first links corresponding to each interface board.

[0011] Optionally, before sending the first link switching command to the first switching network board, the method further includes:

[0012] In the case where the network device includes multiple switching boards connected to the management unit, a first switching board that meets preset conditions is selected from the multiple switching boards; the preset conditions include: the number of activated first links is less than the threshold number of first links that are allowed to be switched.

[0013] Optionally, the first switching network board includes a second link switching module; sending the first link switching command to the first switching network board includes:

[0014] When there are multiple first switching network boards, the number of other first links corresponding to each first switching network board is determined according to a preset allocation method;

[0015] A first link switching instruction is sent to each of the first switching network boards, so that the second link switching module in each of the first switching network boards executes the first link switching instruction; wherein, the first link switching instruction includes the identifier of each of the first switching network boards, the identifier of the interface board, and the number of other first links corresponding to each of the first switching network boards.

[0016] Optionally, the interface board includes a first control module, a first link switching module, and an interface processing module connected in sequence; the first switching network board is connected to the first link switching module via a first link.

[0017] After the first switching network board activates other first links based on the first link switching command, the method further includes:

[0018] Determine the first switching screen to be retained;

[0019] A second link switching command is sent to the first control module, so that the first control module can switch all the first links to the first switching board based on the second link switching command.

[0020] Optionally, after determining the first switching screen to be retained, the method further includes:

[0021] If the network device has other switching boards besides the first switching board to be retained, send a shutdown command or a hibernation command to the other switching boards.

[0022] According to a second aspect of this application, a link control device is provided, applied to a management unit in a network device. The network device further includes an interface board and a first switching board, both connected to the management unit. The first switching board is connected to the interface board via a first link. The device includes:

[0023] The sending module is configured to send a first link switching command to the first switching network board when it detects that the number of first links required by the interface board is greater than the number of first links already connected to the interface board, and the number of first links already activated by the first switching network board is less than the threshold number of first links it is allowed to switch, so that the first switching network board can activate other first links based on the first link switching command; the other first links are the first links that are not activated between the interface board and the first switching network board.

[0024] According to a third aspect of this application, a network device is provided, including a management unit for performing the link control method according to any one of the first aspects, an interface board and a first switching board, all connected to the management unit.

[0025] According to a fourth aspect of this application, a network device is provided, comprising: at least one processor and a memory;

[0026] The memory stores computer-executed instructions;

[0027] The at least one processor executes computer execution instructions stored in the memory, causing the at least one processor to perform the link control method as described in the first aspect above.

[0028] According to a fifth aspect of this application, a computer-readable storage medium is provided, wherein computer-executable instructions are stored therein, which, when executed by a processor, are used to implement the link control method described in the first aspect above.

[0029] According to a sixth aspect of this application, a computer program product is provided, including a computer program that, when executed by a processor, implements the link control method described in the first aspect.

[0030] This application provides a link control method applied to a management unit in a network device. The network device further includes an interface board and a first switching network board, both connected to the management unit. The first switching network board is connected to the interface board via a first link. The method includes: when it is detected that the number of first links required by the interface board is greater than the number of first links already connected to the interface board, and the number of first links already activated by the first switching network board is less than a threshold number of first links that it is allowed to switch, sending a first link switching command to the first switching network board, so that the first switching network board can activate other first links based on the first link switching command; the other first links are the first links that are not activated between the interface board and the first switching network board.

[0031] This embodiment enables dynamic control of the number of activated first links by activating the first switching network board on demand, thereby improving the link utilization of network devices.

[0032] It should be understood that the description in this section is not intended to identify key or essential features of the embodiments of this application, nor is it intended to limit the scope of this application. Other features of this application will become readily apparent from the following description. Attached Figure Description

[0033] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and form part of this specification, illustrate embodiments consistent with this application and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of this application.

[0034] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the structure of a network device provided for related technologies;

[0035] Figure 2 This application provides a schematic diagram of the structure of a network device according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0036] Figure 3 A flowchart illustrating a link control method provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0037] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of another network device provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0038] Figure 5 A schematic diagram of the link connection of another network device before link switching, provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0039] Figure 6 A flowchart illustrating another link control method provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0040] Figure 7 This application provides a schematic diagram of the link connection of another network device after link switching.

[0041] Figure 8 A flowchart illustrating yet another link control method provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0042] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of another network device provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0043] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a link control device provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0044] Figure 11 This is an exemplary structural diagram of a network device provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0045] The accompanying drawings illustrate specific embodiments of this application, which will be described in more detail below. These drawings and descriptions are not intended to limit the scope of the concept in any way, but rather to illustrate the concept of this application to those skilled in the art through reference to particular embodiments. Detailed Implementation

[0046] Exemplary embodiments will now be described in detail, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. When the following description relates to the drawings, unless otherwise indicated, the same numbers in different drawings represent the same or similar elements. The embodiments described in the following exemplary embodiments do not represent all embodiments consistent with this application.

[0047] As customer business needs become increasingly complex and bandwidth requirements rise, network devices supporting flexible card insertion and expansion are being widely adopted. The data plane of traditional network devices (such as rack switches and rack routers) typically consists of interface boards and switching network boards interconnected via high-speed links, also known as physical links or physical data links. The number of interface boards and switching network boards can be one or more (e.g., n interface boards and m switching network boards, where n≥1, m≥1). Figure 1 As shown. The network device includes interface board 1, interface board 2, interface board 3, ..., interface board n. The network device also includes switching network board 1, ..., switching network board m.

[0048] Interface boards, also known as line cards, service boards, line processing units (LPUs), or selective forwarding units (SFUs), primarily handle data reception, processing, and transmission in the data plane. These modules include, but are not limited to, network processor (NP) chips, switching chips, physical layer (PHY) chips, and port components for various chips (e.g., providing ports with different speeds such as 1000M, 10G, 25G, and 100G). Switching network boards, also known as switching cards, fabric elements (FEs), or switch fabric units (SFUs), primarily handle data switching and forwarding in the data plane. These modules include, but are not limited to, network processor (NP) chips and switching chips. The power and clock modules of both interface boards and switching network boards provide power and a reference clock for their respective boards. The control modules of both interface boards and switching network boards (e.g., [missing information]) also contribute to this functionality. Figure 1 The first and second control modules (including, but not limited to, programmable logic devices) are used to control the behavior of various components on this board. Furthermore, as... Figure 1 As shown, the network device also includes a management unit, which is used to manage and monitor the behavior of the network device (e.g., monitoring the presence status of a specific board, link status, or managing the power-on or power-off operations of a specific board). This management unit includes, but is not limited to, at least one of a management board, a main processing unit (MPU), or a central processing unit (CPU). The aforementioned board can be an interface board or a switching board. Furthermore, the CPU can reside on a single management board or on an entire board. When located on an entire board, the CPUs on all boards together constitute the management unit.

[0049] In traditional network equipment, the physical data links allocated to each interface board slot are fixed. When all m switching boards are fully configured, the maximum number of links that each interface board can access reaches its limit, causing the bandwidth of each interface board in each slot to also reach its limit, making further expansion impossible in practical applications.

[0050] Specifically, for traditional network equipment, the following related technologies are mainly adopted:

[0051] Related technology 1: When traditional network equipment does not need to consider the redundancy of switching network boards, or the number of redundant switching network boards is ≥2, by designing an interface board including a first link switching module, it is possible to select the link between the interface board and some switching network boards from the links between the interface board and all switching network boards, and different interface boards can be centrally connected to a few switching network boards, thereby reducing the number of switching network boards used, thereby improving the link utilization of the network equipment, while reducing the power consumption and cost of the network equipment.

[0052] However, this related technology has two significant drawbacks: 1. The maximum link bandwidth of the interface board is directly proportional to the number of switching boards used. Therefore, even if a first link switching module is added to the interface board when the number of switching boards decreases, the maximum link bandwidth of that interface board cannot be increased. Furthermore, the maximum number of switching boards can be dynamically adjusted up to m, so the number of links usable by each interface board remains unchanged, making capacity expansion impossible in practical applications. 2. During the solution planning phase, the allocation and selection of links and switching boards require comprehensive consideration of multiple factors. Theoretically, centralized adjustment of links to reduce the number of switching boards is feasible. However, in practical applications, the following challenges exist: If the bandwidth requirement of the interface board is much lower than its maximum link bandwidth, then the method of reducing the number of switching boards by centralized adjustment of links may be applicable. However, in many practical application scenarios, the bandwidth requirement of the interface board may be high, or it may increase continuously with the development of services, which limits the application scenarios of this method. Therefore, it is difficult to improve the link utilization of network devices in scenarios where interface boards have high bandwidth requirements.

[0053] Related technology two involves allocating excess links from the switching network board of a network device to specific interface board slots within the network device. When high bandwidth requirements arise for the interface boards in an application, these specific slots can be used for capacity expansion. However, the main drawback of this technology is that the number and location of these specific interface boards are fixed. If these specific interface boards are not activated, the link utilization of the network device cannot be improved. Furthermore, the fixed location of these specific interface boards results in poor flexibility and a poor user experience.

[0054] The third related technology involves upgrading the switching modules of traditional network equipment's switching boards (e.g., increasing the number of main chips in the switching modules or upgrading the performance of the main chips) to increase the number of physical data links or improve their speed, thereby increasing the switching capacity of the network equipment and expanding application scenarios. However, the main drawback of this technology is that upgrading the switching boards leads to a significant increase in system cost and power consumption. Furthermore, if the number of interface boards in the application scenario is small, a large number of links may remain idle, severely reducing the link utilization rate of the network equipment.

[0055] Therefore, all three of the above related technologies face the challenge of improving the link utilization of network devices in scenarios where the interface board has high bandwidth requirements.

[0056] To address the aforementioned technical problems, the overall inventive concept of this application is to provide a method for improving the link utilization of network devices in scenarios where interface boards have high bandwidth requirements, applicable to the field of communications. The overall inventive concept of this method is as follows:

[0057] In this embodiment, the management unit determines that the interface board has high bandwidth requirements by detecting that the number of first links required by the interface board is greater than the number of first links already connected to the interface board, and that the number of currently active first links cannot meet these high bandwidth requirements. The management unit also determines that the first switching board has inactive first links by determining that the number of active first links on the first switching board is less than its allowed threshold for switching first links. In this scenario, this embodiment utilizes the link switching function provided by the network device's switching board to activate previously inactive first links. Because bandwidth requirements change in real time, the switching board can adaptively increase the number of active first links based on the first link switching command sent by the management unit, thereby improving the link utilization of the network device.

[0058] The technical solution of this application and how the technical solution of this application solves the above-mentioned technical problems are described in detail below with specific embodiments. These specific embodiments can be combined with each other, and the same or similar concepts or processes may not be described again in some embodiments. The embodiments of this application will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0059] This embodiment can provide single-sided link switching functionality through the switching network board of the network device, and can also provide double-sided link switching functionality through the interface board and the switching network board. Based on the differences between single-sided and double-sided switching, as well as the differences in link design, this embodiment provides four application scenarios. It should be understood that the specific structure or connection method of the network device will differ in different application scenarios.

[0060] Example application scenario 1:

[0061] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a network device provided in an embodiment of this application. Figure 2 As shown, the management unit is used for managing and monitoring the behavior of network devices. The data plane of the network devices consists of n interface boards and m switching boards interconnected. A second link switching module is added to the switching board. The switching module is connected to the link switching module through link segment number ①, and the second link switching module can dynamically switch and adjust the open or closed state of link segment number ②. The behavior of network devices is explained using switching board 1 as an example.

[0062] It should be understood that the link segment, in this embodiment, may be simply referred to as a link.

[0063] For switching board 1, the first link that has been activated includes the link segment that has been activated between the interface board and the second link switching module (e.g., the link segment numbered ② between the interface board 1 and the second link switching module of switching board 1, the link segment numbered ② between the interface board 2 and the second link switching module of switching board 1, etc.) and the link segment between the second link switching module and the switching module (e.g., the link segment numbered ① between the second link switching module of switching board 1 and the switching module of switching board 1).

[0064] The unopened first link, also known as the closed first link, includes the unopened link segment between the interface board and the second link switching module (e.g., the link segment numbered ③ between the interface board 3 and the second link switching module of the switching network board 1, the link segment numbered ③ between the interface board 4 and the second link switching module of the switching network board 1, etc.) and the link segment between the second link switching module and the switching module (e.g., the link segment numbered ① between the second link switching module of the switching network board 1 and the switching module of the switching network board 1).

[0065] In one optional embodiment, the link segment between the second link switching module and the switching module is typically an enabled link segment. In another optional embodiment, the second link switching module can provide dual-sided switching functionality, meaning that in scenarios where the interface board does not have high bandwidth requirements, the link segment between the second link switching module and the switching module can be an disabled link segment.

[0066] In one alternative embodiment, each link segment, or link, includes, but is not limited to, optical fibers, serializer deserializers (SerDes), etc.

[0067] In this application scenario 1, the link control method is applied to the management unit of the network device. The network device also includes interface boards and a first switching network board, both connected to the management unit. The first switching network board is connected to the interface boards via a first link, such as... Figure 3 As shown, the method includes:

[0068] S300: When it is detected that the number of first links required by the interface board is greater than the number of first links already connected to the interface board, and the number of first links already activated by the first switching network board is less than the threshold number of first links that it is allowed to switch, a first link switching command is sent to the first switching network board so that the first switching network board can activate other first links based on the first link switching command; the other first links are the first links that are not activated between the interface board and the first switching network board.

[0069] It should be understood that, such as Figure 2As shown, in the same switching network board, the first switching network board includes a second control module, a second link switching module, and a switching module. The second link switching module, first link switching module, etc., refer to link switching modules located in different positions. Link switching modules, also known as link switches, include, but are not limited to, electronic switches, multiplexers (MUX), field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), optical switching switches, optical matrix switches, and switching chips.

[0070] In one optional implementation, the management unit sends a first link switching command to the first switching network board. Specifically, the management unit sends the first link switching command to the second control module, and the second control module sends the first link switching command to the second link switching module so that the second link switching module can execute the first link switching command.

[0071] For example, the first switching board includes switching board 1. The number of first links required by interface board 1 is 16, the number of first links already connected between interface board 1 and switching board 1 is 10, and the number of first links already connected between interface board 1 and switching board 2 is 2. 16 is greater than 12. The number of first links that switching board 1 has activated is 20 (for example, the number of first links already connected between interface board 1 and switching board 1 is 10, and the number of first links already connected between interface board 2 and switching board 1 is 10). The threshold for the number of first links that switching board 1 is allowed to switch is 64. 64 is greater than 20, so it meets the condition for the second control module to send a first link switching instruction to the second link switching module. The first link switching instruction can be used to instruct the allocation of 4 first links to interface board 1, realizing dynamic control of the number of first links.

[0072] Therefore, this embodiment enables dynamic control of the number of activated first links by activating the first link on demand through the first switching network board, thereby improving the link utilization of network devices.

[0073] In an optional embodiment, the first switching network board includes a second link switching module; in S300, sending a first link switching command to the first switching network board includes:

[0074] Step 301: When there are multiple interface boards, determine the number of other first links corresponding to each interface board according to the preset allocation method.

[0075] Step 302: Send a first link switching instruction to the first switching network board so that the second link switching module in the first switching network board executes the first link switching instruction; wherein, the first link switching instruction includes the identifier of each interface board and the number of other first links corresponding to each interface board.

[0076] The preset allocation methods include average allocation and on-demand allocation.

[0077] For example, if the number of first links required by interface board 1 is 4, the number of first links required by interface board 2 is 6, the threshold for the number of first links that can be switched by switching board 1 is 30, and the number of first links that have been activated by switching board 1 is 18, then this embodiment of the application can determine the number of other first links corresponding to interface board 1 as 6 and the number of other first links corresponding to interface board 2 as 6 according to the average allocation method. Alternatively, this embodiment of the application can determine the number of other first links corresponding to interface board 1 as 4 and the number of other first links corresponding to interface board 2 as 6 according to the on-demand allocation method.

[0078] The embodiments of this application increase the flexibility of the first link control by using different allocation methods such as average allocation method and on-demand allocation method.

[0079] In an optional embodiment, before sending the first link switching command to the first switching network board, the method further includes:

[0080] Step 303: When the network device includes multiple switching network boards connected to the management unit, select the first switching network board that meets the preset conditions from the multiple switching network boards; the preset conditions include: the number of the first links that have been opened is less than the threshold number of the first links that are allowed to be switched.

[0081] Accordingly, in S300, a first link switching command is sent to the first switching network board, including:

[0082] Step 304: If there are multiple first switching network boards, determine the number of other first links corresponding to each first switching network board according to a preset allocation method. Optionally, the first switching network board includes a second link switching module.

[0083] Step 305: Send a first link switching instruction to each first switching network board, so that the second link switching module in each first switching network board executes the first link switching instruction; wherein, the first link switching instruction includes the identifier of each first switching network board, the identifier of the interface board, and the number of other first links corresponding to each first switching network board.

[0084] The preset allocation methods include average allocation and on-demand allocation.

[0085] For example, if the number of first links required by interface board 1 is 8, the threshold number of first links allowed to be switched by switching board 1 is 30, the number of first links already enabled by switching board 1 is 20, the threshold number of first links allowed to be switched by switching board 2 is 30, and the number of first links already enabled by switching board 2 is 12, then in this embodiment, the number of other first links allocated from switching board 1 to interface board 1 can be determined by an average allocation method as 4, and the number of other first links allocated from switching board 2 to interface board 1 can be determined by an on-demand allocation method as 2, and the number of other first links allocated from switching board 2 to interface board 1 can be determined by an on-demand allocation method as 6.

[0086] Accordingly, the embodiments of this application increase the flexibility of controlling the first links related to different first switching network boards by using different allocation methods such as average allocation method and on-demand allocation method.

[0087] In application scenario 1, this embodiment improves the link utilization of network devices through the link switching function of the switching board. At the same time, since no upgrades to the switching board are required, the system power consumption and cost of the network devices are reduced.

[0088] Example application scenario 2:

[0089] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of another network device provided in an embodiment of this application. (See attached diagram.) Figure 4 As shown, the management unit is used for managing and monitoring the behavior of network devices. The data plane of the network devices consists of n interface boards and m switching boards interconnected. A second link switching module is added to the switching board. The switching module is connected to the second link switching module through link segment number ①, and the second link switching module can dynamically switch the open or closed state of link segment number ②. Link segment number ④ is fixedly connected to each interface board. The behavior of network devices is explained using switching board 1 as an example.

[0090] In application scenario 2, for switching board 1, there are three links: the first link that is already enabled, the second link that is not enabled, and the third link that is disabled. The explanations for the enabled and disabled links are as described above and will not be repeated here. The second link will be explained below.

[0091] For the switching network board 1, the second link includes link segment numbered ④ between interface board 1 and the switching module of the switching network board 1, the second link includes link segment numbered ④ between interface board 2 and the switching module of the switching network board 1, the second link includes link segment numbered ④ between interface board 3 and the switching module of the switching network board 1, ..., the second link includes link segment numbered ④ between interface board n and the switching module of the switching network board 1.

[0092] In this application scenario 2, the description of the link control method is similar to that in application scenario 1. This embodiment provides the following exemplary description:

[0093] When the management unit detects high bandwidth requirements from interface boards 1 and 2, it uses the second control module and second link switching module of switching board 1 to open as many link segments as possible between interface board 1 and the second link switching module, and between interface board 2 and the second link switching module, according to an average allocation method or an on-demand allocation method. Simultaneously, it closes the link segments between interface board 3, ..., interface board n and the second link switching module, thus achieving link segment switching and ultimately switching of the second link. After this link switching, the number of links accessed by interface boards 1 and 2 increases to the sum of the number of link segments numbered ④ and ②, thereby increasing the link bandwidth limit of each interface board. Figure 4 The solid lines represent active link segments, and the dashed lines represent inactive link segments. Different line thicknesses represent different numbers of link segments; thicker lines indicate a larger number of segments, and thinner lines indicate a smaller number of segments. For example, a thicker solid line represents a larger number of link segments than a thinner solid line (as described above). Figure 2 The following Figure 5 , Figure 7 as well as Figure 9 The descriptions involving thick and thin lines are similar and will not be repeated below. Each second link switching module has a constraint on the number of open link segments. This constraint is ∑②≤①. That is to say, the number of link segments numbered ② that each second link switching module can adjust cannot exceed the number of link segments numbered ① that it has accessed.

[0094] In the above embodiments, the link switching behavior of each switching board can be inconsistent according to the high bandwidth requirements of each interface board (for example, switching board 1 controls the number of open link segments between itself and interface board 1 to be 10, while switching board 2 controls the number of open link segments between itself and interface board 1 to be 6). Simultaneously, through the dynamic switching adjustment of the second link switching module of each switching board, the number of first links of any interface board can be increased as needed, thereby increasing the upper limit of the link bandwidth of the interface board. The network device supports dynamic adjustment and flexible configuration.

[0095] Furthermore, application scenario 1 is a special case of application scenario 2. In other words, the switching board can also select more links for adjustment. That is, in this embodiment, all link segments numbered ④ can be connected to the second link switching module, and all unactivated link segments on the same interface board can be switched to the interface board with high bandwidth requirements. This maximizes the number of available first links and the upper limit of link bandwidth on the interface board side, improves the link utilization of network devices, and enables flexible expansion of network devices.

[0096] In other words, in application scenario 2, a second link switching module is added to the switching board of the network device. The management unit controls the opening or closing status of the link segment between the interface board and the second link switching module. On the one hand, this enables dynamic adjustment of the number of the first link between the interface board and the switching board, thereby adjusting the sum of the number of the first link and the number of the second link, thus improving the link utilization of the network device. On the other hand, when the network device supports n interface boards, the first link of the remaining n-1 interface boards can be switched to one interface board. Therefore, the maximum number of links of the interface board can be increased from m to n×m, thus increasing the upper limit of the link bandwidth of the interface board and realizing flexible expansion of the network device.

[0097] Example application scenario 3:

[0098] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the link connection of another network device provided in an embodiment of this application before link switching. Figure 5 As shown, both the switching network board and the interface board have link switching capabilities. Figure 5 As shown, the interface board includes a first link switching module, and the switching network board includes a second link switching module. In order to achieve maximum link adjustment, this embodiment connects all link segments between the interface board and the switching network board to the first link switching module and the second link switching module.

[0099] In one specific implementation, the threshold number of first links that the first link switching module and the second link switching module are allowed to switch can be different (for example, the first link switching module can switch 32 links and the second link switching module can switch 64 links). The threshold number of first links that the first link switching module of different interface boards is allowed to switch can be different, or the threshold number of first links that the second link switching module of different switching network boards is allowed to switch can be different.

[0100] In application scenario 3, the description of the link control method is similar to that in application scenario 1. In application scenario 3, the interface board includes a first control module, a first link switching module, and an interface processing module connected in sequence; the first switching network board is connected to the first link switching module through the first link.

[0101] After the first switching network board activates other first links based on the first link switching command, the method further includes:

[0102] Step 400: The management unit determines the first switching network board to be retained.

[0103] Step 500: The management unit sends a second link switching command to the first control module, so that the first control module can switch all first links to the first switching board based on the second link switching command.

[0104] Specifically, Figure 6 This is a flowchart illustrating another link control method provided in an embodiment of this application. The method includes the following steps:

[0105] S601, the management unit monitors the working status of the first link between each interface board and each switching network board.

[0106] The working status refers to whether it is on or off.

[0107] S602. The management unit determines whether there is an unactivated first link on the interface board based on the working status of each first link.

[0108] For example, such as Figure 5 As shown, the management board unit monitors the working status of the first link between each interface board and each switching network board in the network device. It detects that only interface board 1 and interface board 2 are working in this network device, while interface board 3 to interface board n are idle or not inserted.

[0109] If there is an unactivated first link, it indicates that the interface board is an idle interface board, and S603 is executed. If there is no unactivated first link, S601 to S602 are executed repeatedly.

[0110] S603, The management unit issues the first link switching command to the second control module.

[0111] S604, the second control module operates the second link switching module to switch the unactivated first link to the interface board that needs link expansion.

[0112] Among them, the interface boards that require link expansion are those with high bandwidth requirements.

[0113] For example, such as Figure 5As shown, the management unit, through the second control module of each switching network board, can switch all link segments numbered ① in switching network boards 1, 2, ..., m to interface boards 1 and 2 that require link expansion, according to an average allocation method or an on-demand allocation method. This increases the number of first links between interface board 1 and the switching network board, and the number of first links between interface board 2 and the switching network board. Furthermore, each second link switching module has a constraint on the number of open link segments: ∑②≤①. That is, the number of link segments numbered ② that each second link switching module can adjust cannot exceed the number of link segments numbered ① that it accesses. Simultaneously, the number of first links previously allocated to interface boards 3 to n is reduced to 0, so that all link segments between interface board 3 and each switching network board are closed. Through this link switching adjustment, the maximum number of links for interface boards 1 and 2 is increased.

[0114] S605. The management unit determines the minimum number of switching boards required for all interface boards to function properly.

[0115] Among them, the first switching network board to be retained is the switching network board required for the normal operation of the interface board.

[0116] like Figure 5 As shown, the first switching network board includes switching network board 1, switching network board 2, ..., switching network board m. After the link switching adjustment on the switching network board side, the management unit determines that interface board 1 and interface board 2 are working normally, requiring only two switching network boards to meet service requirements. For example... Figure 7 As shown, if the switching network board with the smaller number is selected first, the first switching network board to be retained includes switching network board 1 and switching network board 2. Alternatively, in this embodiment, any two switching network boards can be selected.

[0117] S606, The management unit issues a second link switching command to the first control module.

[0118] S607. The first control module operates the first link switching module to switch all first links to the first switching network board to be retained.

[0119] S608, the management unit controls all unnecessary secondary switching boards to shut down or go into hibernation.

[0120] For example, such as Figure 7As shown, the management unit, through the first control modules of interface boards 1 and 2, can switch all the other side of the active link segments allocated to interface board 1 to switching network boards 1 and 2 according to an average allocation method or an on-demand allocation method. Furthermore, each first link switching module has a constraint on the adjustment of the number of active link segments: ∑②≤①. That is, the number of link segments numbered ② that each first link switching module can adjust cannot exceed the number of link segments numbered ① that it accesses. Simultaneously, the number of first links previously allocated to switching network boards 3 to 1 is reduced to 0, so that all active link segments from switching network boards 3 to 1 are shut down.

[0121] S609, The management unit determines whether the working status of each first link has changed.

[0122] If yes, then repeat steps S601 to S609; otherwise, end.

[0123] In this embodiment, after the management unit determines that the link switching adjustment on the interface board side is complete, it shuts down or puts all idle switching network boards 3 to m into sleep mode to reduce the power consumption of the network devices. If the working state of the first link changes, it jumps back to step S601 to start a new round of link switching adjustment until the management unit detects that the working state of the first link has not changed.

[0124] This embodiment uses the first link switching module of the interface board and the second link switching module of the switching network board to dynamically switch the first link on both sides, which can maximize the link utilization of the network device, increase the upper limit of the link bandwidth of the interface board, and reduce the consumption of the switching network board, thus effectively realizing energy saving and cost reduction of the network device.

[0125] In the implementation of the above scheme, switching the first link on the switching board side first, and then switching the first link on the interface board side, ensures that each board undergoes only one switching operation, resulting in optimal system performance of the network device. If the link on the interface board side is switched first, and then the link on the switching board side is switched, it may not be possible to achieve the optimal component ratio (i.e., the ratio of working interface boards to working switching boards) in one switch, requiring another link switching adjustment on the interface board side, which can still achieve the same implementation effect. Therefore, in application scenario 3, Figure 8 This is a flowchart illustrating another link control method provided in an embodiment of this application. Figure 8 As shown, the link control method includes the following steps:

[0126] S801, the management unit monitors the working status of the first link between each interface board and each switching network board.

[0127] The description of this step is similar to that of S601, and will not be repeated here.

[0128] S802. The management unit determines whether the first link of the switching network board is redundant based on the working status of the first link between each interface board and each switching network board.

[0129] If so, execute S803; otherwise, repeat S801 to S802.

[0130] S803, the management unit issues a second link switching command to the first control module in operation.

[0131] Among them, the first control module in operation is the first control module of the interface board in operation.

[0132] S804. During operation, the first control module operates the first link switching module to centrally switch the redundant first links provided to the switching network board to several specific switching network boards.

[0133] For example, the management unit, through the first control module in operation, centrally switches the redundant first links in the first link switching module of the interface board to a few specific switching boards, such as prioritizing switching to the switching board with the smaller number (e.g., switching board 1).

[0134] In practice, the number of specific switching network boards is equal to the sum of the number of the first switching network boards and the number of redundant switching network boards. The number of the first switching network boards is the required number of switching network boards, and the number of redundant switching network boards can be 1, 2, 3, etc.

[0135] S805, the management unit determines whether there is a switching board with all first links idle.

[0136] If yes, then execute S806; otherwise, execute S807.

[0137] S806, the management unit shuts down or puts to sleep all idle switching boards on the first link.

[0138] In this embodiment, after the management unit determines that the link switching adjustment on the interface board side is complete, it checks whether there is a switching network board where all first links are idle. If so, it directly shuts down or puts the board into hibernation, which can reduce the power consumption of the network device, and then executes the following steps S807 to S814. If not, and the status of the first link of the network device changes, it jumps back to step S801 to start a new round of link switching adjustment.

[0139] S807 The management unit determines whether there is an unactivated first link on the interface board based on the working status of each first link.

[0140] S808, the management unit issues the first link switching command to the second control module.

[0141] S809, the second control module operates the second link switching module to switch the unactivated first link to the interface board that needs link expansion.

[0142] S810, the management unit determines the minimum number of switching boards required for all interface boards to function properly.

[0143] S811, The management unit issues a second link switching command to the first control module.

[0144] S812, The first control module operates the first link switching module to switch all first links to the first switching network board to be retained.

[0145] S813, the management unit controls all unnecessary secondary switching boards to be shut down or put into hibernation.

[0146] S814, The management unit determines whether the working status of each first link has changed.

[0147] If yes, then repeat steps S801 to S814; otherwise, end the process.

[0148] It should be understood that the descriptions of S807 to S814 are similar to those of S602 to S609, and will not be repeated here.

[0149] In application scenario 3, this embodiment sets up a first link switching module on the interface board and a second link switching module on the switching network board. The management unit controls the interface board and the switching network board to switch the on or off state of the link segment between the first link switching module and the second link switching module, thereby dynamically adjusting the number of first links between the interface board and the switching network board, and thus improving the link utilization of the network device. On the other hand, when the network device supports n interface boards, the first links of the remaining n-1 interface boards can be switched to one interface board. Therefore, the maximum number of links of the interface board can be increased from m to n×m, which increases the upper limit of the link bandwidth of the interface board, thereby realizing flexible expansion of the network device, while reducing the overall number, power consumption and cost of the switching network boards.

[0150] Example application scenario 4:

[0151] In this embodiment, the number of interface boards and switching network boards can also be reduced according to actual needs. Figure 5 and Figure 7The number of link segments numbered ① is used to directly and permanently interconnect some of the operable link segments between the interface processing module and the switching module of the switching network board, between the interface processing module and the second link switching module, and / or between the first link switching module and the switching module. Since some link segments do not pass through the first link switching module and the second link switching module, the overall capacity of the first link switching module and the second link switching module can be reduced.

[0152] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of another network device provided in an embodiment of this application. Figure 9 As shown, this embodiment involves a first link and a second link. The first link includes link segment ① between the interface processing module and the first link switching module, link segment ② between the interface board and the switching network board, and link segment ① between the second link switching module and the switching module. The second link is link segment ④ between the interface processing module and the switching module. See [link to previous section]. Figure 9 The diagram shows the second link for interface board 1. It should be noted that the second links for interface board 2 and interface board 3 are respectively connected to... Figure 9 The second link corresponding to interface board 1 shown is similar and will not be described again here.

[0153] In application scenario 4, this embodiment improves the link utilization of network devices through the link switching function of the switching board. Simultaneously, since no upgrades to the switching board are required, the system power consumption and cost of the network devices are reduced. Furthermore, this embodiment enhances the scalability and configuration flexibility of network devices.

[0154] This embodiment can also provide other application scenarios:

[0155] For example, in Figure 5 Based on this, an interface board is added to connect to the link of the switching module in the switching network board through the first link switching module.

[0156] For example, in Figure 5 Based on this, an interface board is added to connect to the second link switching module in the switching network board through the interface processing module.

[0157] This embodiment is not limited to traditional network devices; it can also be implemented when other network devices have similar link switching requirements (such as service port link switching requirements of box switches or router devices).

[0158] In summary, this embodiment has the following advantages over related technical solutions.

[0159] (1) This embodiment improves the link resource utilization of network devices and makes full use of unopened link segments;

[0160] (2) This embodiment improves the expansion capability of network devices. By superimposing unactivated link segments, the upper limit of the link bandwidth of network devices is increased, which can more flexibly meet the expansion needs of different scenarios.

[0161] (3) This embodiment reduces the power consumption and cost of network devices. By dynamically switching and adjusting the number of first links, the optimal component ratio is achieved for different application scenarios, reducing redundant waste in energy consumption and cost.

[0162] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of a link control device provided in an embodiment of this application. The device in this embodiment can be in the form of software and / or hardware. Figure 10 As shown, the link control device provided in this embodiment is applied to the management unit in a network device. The network device also includes an interface board and a first switching board, both connected to the management unit. The first switching board is connected to the interface board via a first link. The device includes:

[0163] The sending module 101 is used to send a first link switching command to the first switching network board when it detects that the number of first links required by the interface board is greater than the number of first links already connected to the interface board, and the number of first links already activated by the first switching network board is less than the threshold number of first links that it is allowed to switch, so that the first switching network board can activate other first links based on the first link switching command; the other first links are the first links that are not activated between the interface board and the first switching network board.

[0164] In one possible implementation, the first switching network board includes a second link switching module; the sending module 101, when executing the first link switching command to the first switching network board, specifically performs the following:

[0165] When there are multiple interface boards, the number of other first links corresponding to each interface board is determined according to the preset allocation method.

[0166] A first link switching instruction is sent to the first switching network board, so that the second link switching module in the first switching network board executes the first link switching instruction; wherein, the first link switching instruction includes the identifier of each interface board and the number of other first links corresponding to each interface board.

[0167] In one possible implementation, before sending the first link switching command to the first switching network board, the device is further configured to:

[0168] In the case where the network device includes multiple switching boards connected to the management unit, a first switching board that meets preset conditions is selected from the multiple switching boards; the preset conditions include: the number of first links that have been activated is less than the threshold number of first links that are allowed to be switched.

[0169] In one possible implementation, the first switching network board includes a second link switching module; the sending module 101, when executing the first link switching command to the first switching network board, specifically performs the following:

[0170] When there are multiple first switching network boards, the number of other first links corresponding to each first switching network board is determined according to a preset allocation method.

[0171] A first link switching instruction is sent to each first switching network board, so that the second link switching module in each first switching network board executes the first link switching instruction; wherein, the first link switching instruction includes the identifier of each first switching network board, the identifier of the interface board, and the number of other first links corresponding to each first switching network board.

[0172] In one possible implementation, the interface board includes a first control module, a first link switching module, and an interface processing module connected in sequence; the first switching network board is connected to the first link switching module via a first link.

[0173] After the first switching network board activates other first links based on the first link switching command, the device is also used for:

[0174] Determine the first exchange screen to be retained.

[0175] Send a second link switching command to the first control module so that the first control module can switch all first links to the first switching board based on the second link switching command.

[0176] In one possible implementation, after determining the first switching screen to be retained, the device is further used to:

[0177] If there are other switching boards in the network device besides the first switching board that needs to be retained, send shutdown or hibernation commands to the other switching boards.

[0178] The link control device provided in this embodiment can be used to execute the link control method provided in any of the above method embodiments. Its implementation principle and technical effect are similar, and will not be described in detail here.

[0179] According to embodiments of this application, this application also provides a network device, a readable storage medium, and a computer program product.

[0180] Figure 11This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a network device provided in an embodiment of this application. The network device includes a receiver 110, a transmitter 111, at least one processor 112, and a memory 113. The network device composed of the above components can be used to implement the above-described specific embodiments of this application, which will not be described in detail here.

[0181] This application also provides a computer-readable storage medium storing computer-executable instructions, which, when executed by a processor, implement the steps of the methods described above.

[0182] This application also provides a computer program product, including a computer program that, when executed by a processor, implements the various steps in the methods described above.

[0183] The various embodiments described above in this application can be implemented in digital electronic circuit systems, integrated circuit systems, field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), application-specific standard parts (ASSPs), systems on chips (SOCs), complex programmable logic devices (CPLDs), computer hardware, firmware, software, and / or combinations thereof. These various embodiments may include implementations in one or more computer programs that can be executed and / or interpreted on a programmable system including at least one programmable processor, which may be a dedicated or general-purpose programmable processor, capable of receiving data and instructions from a storage system, at least one input device, and at least one output device, and transmitting data and instructions to the storage system, the at least one input device, and the at least one output device.

[0184] The program code used to implement the methods of this application may be written in any combination of one or more programming languages. This program code may be provided to a processor or controller of a general-purpose computer, special-purpose computer, or other programmable data processing device, such that when executed by the processor or controller, the functions / operations specified in the flowcharts and / or block diagrams are implemented. The program code may be executed entirely on a machine, partially on a machine, as a standalone software package partially on a machine and partially on a remote machine, or entirely on a remote machine or electronic device.

[0185] In the context of this application, a computer-readable storage medium can be a tangible medium that may contain or store a program for use by or in conjunction with an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device. A computer-readable storage medium can be a machine-readable signal medium or a machine-readable storage medium. A computer-readable storage medium can be, but is not limited to, electronic, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor systems, apparatus, or devices, or any suitable combination of the foregoing. More specific examples of computer-readable storage media include electrical connections based on one or more wires, portable computer disks, hard disks, random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), optical fibers, compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), optical storage devices, magnetic storage devices, or any suitable combination of the foregoing. Alternatively, computer-readable storage media may include: resistive random access memory (RRAM), dynamic random access memory (DRAM), static random access memory (SRAM), enhanced dynamic random access memory (EDRAM), high-bandwidth memory (HBM), hybrid memory cube (HMC), and so on.

[0186] To provide interaction with a user, the systems and techniques described herein can be implemented on a computer having: a display device (e.g., a cathode ray tube (CRT) or liquid crystal display (LCD) monitor) for displaying information to the user; and a keyboard and pointing device (e.g., a mouse or trackball) through which the user provides input to the computer. Other types of devices can also be used to provide interaction with the user; for example, feedback provided to the user can be any form of sensory feedback (e.g., visual feedback, auditory feedback, or tactile feedback); and input from the user can be received in any form (including: sound input, voice input, or tactile input).

[0187] The systems and technologies described herein can be implemented in computing systems that include back-end components (e.g., as data electronic devices), or computing systems that include middleware components (e.g., application electronic devices), or computing systems that include front-end components (e.g., a user computer with a graphical user interface or web browser through which a user can interact with implementations of the systems and technologies described herein), or any combination of such back-end, middleware, or front-end components. The components of the system can be interconnected via digital data communication (e.g., a communication network) of any form or medium. Examples of communication networks include local area networks (LANs), wide area networks (WANs), and the Internet.

[0188] It should be noted that, for the sake of simplicity, the foregoing method embodiments are all described as a series of actions. However, those skilled in the art should understand that this application is not limited to the described order of actions, as some steps can be performed in other orders or simultaneously according to this application. Secondly, those skilled in the art should also understand that the embodiments described in the specification are all optional embodiments, and the actions and modules involved are not necessarily essential to this application. In other words, the various forms of processes shown above can be used, with steps reordered, added, or deleted. For example, the steps disclosed in this application can be executed in parallel, sequentially, or in different orders, as long as the desired result of the technical solution disclosed in this application can be achieved, and this is not limited herein.

[0189] It should be further noted that although the steps in the flowchart are shown sequentially according to the arrows, these steps are not necessarily executed in the order indicated by the arrows. Unless explicitly stated herein, there is no strict order restriction on the execution of these steps, and they can be executed in other orders. Moreover, at least some steps in the flowchart may include multiple sub-steps or multiple stages. These sub-steps or stages are not necessarily completed at the same time, but can be executed at different times. The execution order of these sub-steps or stages is not necessarily sequential, but can be performed alternately or in turn with other steps or at least some of the sub-steps or stages of other steps.

[0190] It should be understood that the above-described device embodiments are merely illustrative, and the device of this application can also be implemented in other ways. For example, the division of units / modules in the above embodiments is only a logical functional division, and there may be other division methods in actual implementation. For example, multiple units, modules, or components may be combined, or integrated into another system, or some features may be ignored or not executed.

[0191] Furthermore, unless otherwise specified, the functional units / modules in the various embodiments of this application can be integrated into one unit / module, or each unit / module can exist physically separately, or two or more units / modules can be integrated together. The integrated units / modules described above can be implemented in hardware or in the form of software program modules.

[0192] When an integrated unit / module is implemented in hardware, the hardware can be digital circuits, analog circuits, etc. The physical implementation of the hardware structure includes, but is not limited to, transistors, memristors, etc. Unless otherwise specified, the processor can be any suitable hardware processor, such as a Central Processing Unit (CPU), Graphics Processing Unit (GPU), FPGA, Digital Signal Processor (DSP), and ASIC, etc.

[0193] If the integrated unit / module is implemented as a software program module and sold or used as an independent product, it can be stored in a computer-readable storage device (CMD). Based on this understanding, the technical solution of this application, in essence, or the part that contributes to related technologies, or all or part of the technical solution, can be embodied in the form of a software product. This computer software product is stored in a memory and includes several instructions to cause a computer device (which may be a personal computer, server, or network device, etc.) to execute all or part of the steps of the methods of the various embodiments of this application. The aforementioned memory includes various media capable of storing computer-executable instructions, such as USB flash drives, read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), portable hard drives, magnetic disks, or optical disks.

[0194] In the above embodiments, the descriptions of each embodiment have their own emphasis. For parts not described in detail in a certain embodiment, please refer to the relevant descriptions of other embodiments. The technical features of the above embodiments can be combined arbitrarily. For the sake of brevity, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above embodiments are described. However, as long as the combination of these technical features does not contradict each other, it should be considered within the scope of this specification.

[0195] Other embodiments of this application will readily occur to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the specification and practice of the invention disclosed herein. This application is intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of this application that follow the general principles of this application and include common knowledge or customary techniques in the art not disclosed herein. The specification and examples are to be considered exemplary only.

[0196] It should be understood that this application is not limited to the precise structure described above and shown in the accompanying drawings, and various modifications and changes can be made without departing from its scope. Therefore, the specific embodiments described above do not constitute a limitation on the scope of protection of this application. Those skilled in the art should understand that various modifications, combinations, sub-combinations, and substitutions can be made according to design requirements and other factors. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, and improvements made within the principles of this application should be included within the scope of protection of this application.

Claims

1. A link control method, characterized in that, A management unit applied in a network device, the network device further comprising an interface board and a first switching board both connected to the management unit, the first switching board being connected to the interface board via a first link, the method comprising: When it is detected that the number of first links required by the interface board is greater than the number of first links already connected to the interface board, and the number of first links already activated by the first switching network board is less than the threshold number of first links that it is allowed to switch, a first link switching command is sent to the first switching network board so that the first switching network board can activate other first links based on the first link switching command; the other first links are the first links that are not activated between the interface board and the first switching network board.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein, The first switching network board includes a second link switching module; sending the first link switching command to the first switching network board includes: When there are multiple interface boards, the number of other first links corresponding to each interface board is determined according to a preset allocation method. Send the first link switching instruction to the first switching network board so that the second link switching module in the first switching network board executes the first link switching instruction; wherein, the first link switching instruction includes the identifier of each interface board and the number of other first links corresponding to each interface board.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein, Before sending the first link switching command to the first switching network board, the method further includes: In the case where the network device includes multiple switching boards connected to the management unit, a first switching board that meets preset conditions is selected from the multiple switching boards; the preset conditions include: the number of activated first links is less than the threshold number of first links that are allowed to be switched.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein, The first switching network board includes a second link switching module; sending the first link switching command to the first switching network board includes: When there are multiple first switching network boards, the number of other first links corresponding to each first switching network board is determined according to a preset allocation method; A first link switching instruction is sent to each of the first switching network boards, so that the second link switching module in each of the first switching network boards executes the first link switching instruction; wherein, the first link switching instruction includes the identifier of each of the first switching network boards, the identifier of the interface board, and the number of other first links corresponding to each of the first switching network boards.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein, The interface board includes a first control module, a first link switching module, and an interface processing module connected in sequence; the first switching network board is connected to the first link switching module via a first link. After the first switching network board activates other first links based on the first link switching command, the method further includes: Determine the first switching screen to be retained; A second link switching command is sent to the first control module, so that the first control module can switch all the first links to the first switching board based on the second link switching command.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein, After determining the first switching network board to be retained, the method further includes: If the network device has other switching boards besides the first switching board to be retained, send a shutdown command or a hibernation command to the other switching boards.

7. A link control apparatus characterized by comprising: A management unit applied in a network device, the network device further comprising an interface board and a first switching board both connected to the management unit, the first switching board being connected to the interface board via a first link, the device comprising: The sending module is configured to send a first link switching command to the first switching network board when it detects that the number of first links required by the interface board is greater than the number of first links already connected to the interface board, and the number of first links already activated by the first switching network board is less than the threshold number of first links it is allowed to switch, so that the first switching network board can activate other first links based on the first link switching command; the other first links are the first links that are not activated between the interface board and the first switching network board.

8. A network device, comprising: It includes a management unit for performing the link control method as described in any one of claims 1 to 6, an interface board and a first switching board, all connected to the management unit.

9. A network device, comprising: include: At least one processor and memory; The memory stores computer-executed instructions; The at least one processor executes computer execution instructions stored in the memory, causing the at least one processor to perform the link control method as described in any one of claims 1 to 6.

10. A computer readable storage medium characterized by, The computer-readable storage medium stores computer-executable instructions, which, when executed by a processor, are used to implement the link control method as described in any one of claims 1 to 6.

11. A computer program product, characterised in that, Includes a computer program that, when executed by a processor, implements the link control method according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

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