Dynamic fabric system

Abstract

Dynamic fabric systems and methods are disclosed for providing connections between endpoints of a communication network. An exemplary dynamic fabric system can include backplane lanes, a dynamic fabric device, and a control device. The dynamic fabric device can include local fabric lanes and a network interface device configurable to communicatively connect the local fabric lanes to a network. The dynamic fabric device can also include a local switch configurable forward messages to backplane lanes and an interconnect configurable to statically connect local fabric lanes and corresponding backplane lanes. The dynamic fabric device can also include a controller configurable to create or break these static connections. The control device can provide instructions to the dynamic fabric device to create or break the static connections based on changes in the number of active dynamic fabric devices installed in the dynamic fabric system.

1 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A Clos switching system comprising:
 a backplane including backplane lanes;   at least two dynamic fabric devices, each of the at least two dynamic fabric devices including connections configurable as interconnect connections and local switch connections, and   wherein, for each of the local switch connections of each of the at least two dynamic fabric devices, each local switch connection is connected through one of the backplane lanes to one of the interconnect connections of another one of the at least two dynamic fabric devices.   
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein:
 the system is configurable to create a communication path:
 from a network connection of a first one of the at least two dynamic fabric devices to a local switch connection of the first one of the at least two dynamic fabric devices; 
 from the local switch connection of the first one of the at least two dynamic fabric devices to an interconnect connection of a second one of the at least two dynamic fabric devices; and 
 from the interconnect connection of the second one of the at least two dynamic fabric devices to a network connection of the second one of the at least two dynamic fabric devices. 
   
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 21 , further comprising:
 a controller configurable to, in response to addition, or activation, of a dynamic fabric device to, or in, the at least two dynamic fabric devices, reconfigure the connections of the at least two dynamic fabric devices to:
 increase a number of the interconnect connections for each of the at least two dynamic fabric devices; and 
 decrease a number of the local switch connections for each of the at least two dynamic fabric devices. 
   
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein:
 each of the interconnect connections is formed using a re-timer.   
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein:
 each of the at least two dynamic fabric devices further includes a cell-based self-routing fabric element and at least one of: a fabric interface, a traffic manager, or a packet processor.   
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein:
 the system further includes:
 a signal backplane device, the signal backplane device connected to the at least two dynamic fabric devices and configured to implement the backplane; and 
 a control backplane device connected to the at least two dynamic fabric devices and at least one control device, the control backplane device configured to enable communication between the at least one control device and each of the at least two dynamic fabric devices. 
   
     
     
         27 . The system of  claim 26 , wherein:
 the at least one control device is configured to:
 receive an automatic or manual indication of insertion or extraction of a new dynamic fabric device into the system; and 
 provide configuration instructions to the at least two dynamic fabric devices in response to the automatic or manual indication. 
   
     
     
         28 . The system of  claim 26 , wherein:
 the at least two dynamic fabric devices include a first dynamic fabric device and a second dynamic fabric device;   at least one of the first dynamic fabric device or the second dynamic fabric device is configured to provide an automatic failure indication concerning the second dynamic fabric device to the at least one control device; and   the at least one control device is configured to:
 receive the automatic failure indication; and 
 provide configuration instructions to the first dynamic fabric device to:
 increase a number of interconnect connections of the first dynamic fabric device; and 
 decrease a number of the local switch connections of the first dynamic fabric device. 
 
   
     
     
         29 . A method of Clos switching comprising:
 adding, or activating, a first dynamic fabric device to, or in, a Clos switch comprising:
 at least one second dynamic fabric device; and 
 at least one backplane including backplane lanes; 
   configuring local switch connections of the first dynamic fabric device to connect through ones of the backplane lanes to interconnect connections of the at least one second dynamic fabric device; and   configuring interconnect connections of the first dynamic fabric device to connect through ones of the backplane lanes to local switch connections of the at least one second dynamic fabric device.   
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 29 , further comprising:
 creating a communication path:
 from a network connection of the first dynamic fabric device to a local switch connection of the first dynamic fabric device; 
 from the local switch connection of the first dynamic fabric device to an interconnect connection of a one of the at least one second dynamic fabric device; and 
 from the interconnect connection of the one of the at least one second dynamic fabric device to a network connection of the one of the at least one second dynamic fabric device. 
   
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein:
 configuring the local switch connections of the first dynamic fabric device comprises:
 detecting, by a local switch of the first dynamic fabric device, network interface devices in the at least one second dynamic fabric device through the backplane lanes. 
   
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 29 , further comprising:
 in response to a manual or automatic notification of the addition or activation of the first dynamic fabric device:
 increasing a number of the interconnect connections for each of the at least one second dynamic fabric device; and 
 decreasing a number of the local switch connections for each of the at least one second dynamic fabric device. 
   
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 29 , further comprising:
 in response to a notification of a failure of one of the at least one second dynamic fabric device:
 decreasing a number of the interconnect connections for the first dynamic fabric device; and 
 increasing a number of the local switch connections for the first dynamic fabric device. 
   
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein:
 the notification is received from the one of the at least one second dynamic fabric device.   
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein:
 the notification is received from the first dynamic fabric device.   
     
     
         36 . At least one non-transitory, computer-readable medium comprising:
 instructions executable by a Clos switch to perform switching operations using the Clos switch, the Clos switch including a first dynamic fabric device; at least one second dynamic fabric device; and a backplane including backplane lanes, the switching operations comprising:
 configuring, in response to activation of the first dynamic fabric device, local switch connections of the first dynamic fabric device to connect through ones of the backplane lanes to interconnect connections of the at least one second dynamic fabric device; and 
 configuring, in response to activation of the first dynamic fabric device, local interconnect connections of the first dynamic fabric device to connect through ones of the backplane lanes to local switch connections of the at least one second dynamic fabric device. 
   
     
     
         37 . The at least one non-transitory, computer-readable medium of  claim 36 , the switching operations further comprising:
 creating a communication path:
 from a network connection of the first dynamic fabric device to a local switch connection of the first dynamic fabric device; 
 from the local switch connection of the first dynamic fabric device to an interconnect connection of a one of the at least one second dynamic fabric device; and 
 from the interconnect connection of the one of the at least one second dynamic fabric device to a network connection of the one of the at least one second dynamic fabric device. 
   
     
     
         38 . The at least one non-transitory, computer-readable medium of  claim 36 , wherein:
 the switching operations further comprise, in response to a manual or automatic notification of the addition or activation of the first dynamic fabric device:
 increasing a number of the interconnect connections for each of the at least one second dynamic fabric device; and 
 decreasing a number of the local switch connections for each of the at least one second dynamic fabric device. 
   
     
     
         39 . The at least one non-transitory, computer-readable medium of  claim 36 , wherein:
 the switching operations further comprise, in response to a notification of a failure of one of the at least one second dynamic fabric device:
 decreasing a number of the interconnect connections for the first dynamic fabric device; and 
 increasing a number of the local switch connections for the first dynamic fabric device. 
   
     
     
         40 . The at least one non-transitory, computer-readable medium of  claim 39 , wherein:
 the notification is received from the one of the at least one second dynamic fabric device, or the first dynamic fabric device.