Importance

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Abstract

A mechanism for operating a configurable switch to dynamically (i) route each of the data packets in an ordered string from a particular switch input port through a selected member output port of a hunt group; and (ii) route data packets which need not be transmitted in order from the input ports to available member output ports of the hunt group, as the members become available. A controller assigns each input port a service number, and directs member output ports to handle requests for ordered data packet transmissions from input ports with particular service numbers, such that the ordered transfers from an input port are handled by a single member of each group. The input port broadcasts, through the switch, a request to send ordered data packets through a particular hunt group and includes its service number in the request. The group member assigned to handle ordered transfers from the input port responds by identifying itself. Thereafter, the input port sends its ordered data packets to the identified member. Unordered data packets are queued and routed dynamically through the members of the group, as the members become available. In a local area network, data is sent from a source station to file servers using server group identifiers for multiple-route transfers or individual server identifiers for single-route transfers.

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First Claim