Virtual Switch Tag Format Translation for Network Ports
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional network switches are unable to efficiently handle and forward data packets with different tag formats on a single port, leading to inefficiencies and increased costs due to the need for multiple ports and links, and information loss during tag translations.
Innovation Solution
The development of tools that enable the forwarding of data packets with tags conforming to various formats by using virtual switches and logical ports to segregate and multiplex data packets, allowing them to be transmitted on a single port without altering the tags, thereby accommodating multiple tag formats without dedicating separate ports for each format.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If tag translation is used to support multiple tag types on a single port, then multiple tag types can be accommodated, but information loss occurs during translation
Solution Approach 1:
The network switch is divided into multiple virtual switches, each handling a specific tag type. This segmentation allows each virtual switch to process packets with its native tag format without translation, preserving information while still enabling multi-tag-type support at the physical port level.
Solution Approach 2:
Virtual switches act as intermediaries between the physical port and the tagging system. They receive packets with different tag types, internally route them to appropriate processing queues, and transmit them without translation, thus preserving tag information while enabling multi-format support.
2Reliability
If separate ports are dedicated to each tag type, then tag type separation is achieved, but network complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
A single physical port is made universal by implementing multiple virtual switches within it, allowing the port to handle multiple tag types simultaneously. This eliminates the need for separate physical ports for each tag type, reducing network complexity and cost while maintaining reliable tag type separation through virtualization.
Solution Approach 2:
The solution moves from physical port separation (spatial dimension) to virtual switch separation (logical dimension). By introducing the virtualization layer, multiple tag types can be separated and managed within the same physical port without requiring additional physical infrastructure.
3Ease of manufacture
If conventional switches are used, then simple hardware is required, but multiple ports and links are needed to support different tag types
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple logical ports for different tag types are merged into a single physical port through virtual switching. This combining approach maintains the simplicity of conventional switch hardware while reducing the quantity of physical ports and links needed, as one physical port now serves multiple logical functions.
Data Source
AI summary
This document describes tools that forward data packets having tags conforming to different formats. In one embodiment, the tools receive a data packet on each of a plurality of ports, each data packet comprising a tag conforming to a different format. The tools relay the data packets to a port capable of transmitting tags conforming to a plurality of formats. In another embodiment, the tools receive a plurality of data packets on a source port comprising a plurality of logical source ports, each of which is associated with a unique tag. At least one data packet is received on each logical source port. Each data packet includes the tag associated with the logical source port on which the data packet is received. The tools map each data packet to one of a plurality of virtual switches based on the logical source port on which the data packet is received.