Importance

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Abstract

A technique enables learning and switching of frames between line cards that are interconnected by a switch fabric of a distributed network switch. The network switch comprises a router and a plurality of forwarding engines, each having an associated forwarding table. The distributed learning and switching technique configures (i) the router to issue an extra copy of a routed frame to an ingress card having a port attached to the source of the frame; (ii) the router to ensure that the contents of a source index field of the routed frame header indicate that the frame originated from the ingress card; (iii) the router to assert a shortcut bit in the header of the routed frame; (iv) a forwarding engine on an egress card having a port attached to the destination of the frame to generate and issue a media access control notification frame to the ingress card and (v) a forwarding engine on the ingress card to mark an established entry in a layer 2 (L2) portion of its forwarding table as ineligible for normal L2 aging policies.

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First Claim