Load-balanced forwarding of network packets generated by a networking device
First Claim
1. A networking device, comprising:
- a plurality of physical network interfaces; and
a packet processor, comprising a destination resolution pipeline for processing received network packets and a different destination resolution pipeline for processing generated network packets;
wherein the packet processor is configured to;
receive different network packets via the physical network interfaces from different sources;
process, by the destination resolution pipeline, the different network packets to determine respective forwarding decisions for the different network packets;
based on the different network packets, generate a plurality of additional network packets that originate from the packet processor instead of being received via the physical network interfaces;
process, by the different destination resolution pipeline, the additional network packets to determine respective forwarding decisions for the additional network packets; and
forward the different network packets and the additional network packets via the physical network interfaces according to the respective forwarding decisions.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Forwarding of network packets generated by a networking device may be load-balanced. Network packets may be generated by a networking device, such as a packet processor, that also processes and forwards received network packets. Forwarding decisions for the generated network packets may be made according to a load balancing scheme among possible forwarding routes from the networking device. In at least some embodiments, a destination resolution pipeline for determining forwarding decisions for generated network packets may be implemented separate from a destination resolution pipeline for determining forwarding decisions for received network packets in order to determine different forwarding decisions for the generated network packets. The generated network packets may then be forwarded according to the determined forwarding decisions.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A networking device, comprising:
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a plurality of physical network interfaces; and a packet processor, comprising a destination resolution pipeline for processing received network packets and a different destination resolution pipeline for processing generated network packets; wherein the packet processor is configured to; receive different network packets via the physical network interfaces from different sources; process, by the destination resolution pipeline, the different network packets to determine respective forwarding decisions for the different network packets; based on the different network packets, generate a plurality of additional network packets that originate from the packet processor instead of being received via the physical network interfaces; process, by the different destination resolution pipeline, the additional network packets to determine respective forwarding decisions for the additional network packets; and forward the different network packets and the additional network packets via the physical network interfaces according to the respective forwarding decisions. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A method, comprising:
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generating, by a packet processor, a plurality of network packets that originate from the packet processor instead of being received at the packet processor, wherein the plurality of network packets are generated in addition to different network packets received via respective network connections from different sources at the packet processor for processing; determining, by the packet processor, respective forwarding decisions for the plurality of network packets according to a load balancing scheme amongst a plurality of possible forwarding routes from the packet processor; and forwarding, by the packet processor, the plurality of network packets via different ones of the possible forwarding routes according to the respective forwarding decisions. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A system, comprising:
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a device configured to perform packet processing, the device comprising; a plurality of network interfaces configured to transmit and receive packets via a network connection to the device; and a packet processing pipeline that processes different network packets received from different sources via the network interfaces and forwards the different network packets according to forwarding decisions determined for the different network packets by the packet processing pipeline, wherein the packet processing pipeline is configured to; generate a plurality of network packets that originate from the device instead of being received at the device via the plurality of network interfaces in addition to the different network packets; apply a load balancing scheme amongst a plurality of possible forwarding routes via the network interfaces from the device to determine respective forwarding decisions for the generated network packets; and send the generated network packets via different ones of the possible forwarding routes according to the respective forwarding decisions. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification