A method of sending data to a switch fabric includes assigning a destination port of an output module to a data packet based on at least one field in a first header of the data packet. A module associated with a first stage of the switch fabric is selected based on at least one field in the first header. A second header is appended to the data packet. The second header includes an identifier associated with the destination port of the output module. The data packet is sent to the module associated with the first stage. The module associated with the first stage is configured to send the data packet to a module associated with a second stage of the switch fabric based on the second header.

In some embodiments, a network segment within a switch fabric system includes a layer-2 flood route database and a layer-3 switch interface operatively coupled to the flood route database. The flood route database is configured to store layer-2 flood route information associated with the network segment and contains information such as a set of port identifiers and a set of status indicators. Each port identifier identifies a particular port within the network segment and each status indicator is uniquely associated with a particular port identifier. The layer-3 switch interface associated with the network segment is automatically activated when the flood route database contains at least one valid port identifier and the status indicator associated with at least one port identifier is active. This can allow data traffic to flow between separate network segments within the switch fabric system.

Various example embodiments for supporting communication of inter-card control messages in a router chassis are presented herein. The communication of an inter-card control message in a router chassis may be performed using a data packet sent over a switch fabric of the router chassis. The data packet may include a payload and a data packet header, where the payload includes the inter-card control message and the data packet header includes an indication that the data packet includes the inter-card control message. The inter-card control message may be sent over the switch fabric indirectly using a data packet protocol header encapsulating the payload and a switch fabric header encapsulating the data packet protocol header. The inter-card control message may be sent over the switch fabric directly using a switch fabric header encapsulating the payload.