ROUTE/SERVICE PROCESSOR SCALABILITY VIA FLOW-BASED DISTRIBUTION OF TRAFFIC

• US 20020097736A1
• Filed: 04/01/1998
• Published: 07/25/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: COHEN, EARL
• Granted Patent: US 6,853,638 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/419
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/10 Flow control; Congestion control
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/2441 relying on flow classification, e.g. using integrated services [IntServ]

Abstract

The invention provides a router architecture that is scalable, that is, as more processing power is desired, more individual processors can be added. The data flow from each line can be distributed among all of the processors in the system. As desired services are added, increasing the amount of “touch” or processing performed on the packets in the system, more processors can be added to carry the increased load. The router architecture is also able to distribute the high interface rate of an uplink connection in the same manner. Packets are allocated to processors in a manner that allows the original order of data packets within the same flow to be maintained. The system uses a hash function to distribute the flows, making sure that packets within the same flow are sent to the same processor so that the original packet order in each flow is maintained. Different flows may be sent to different processors.

Claims

1. A scalable routing system for distributing packets in a network, including

a plurality of data compilers;

a plurality of port adapters connected to said data compilers;

a plurality of route processing engines; and

at least one structure connecting said plurality of route processing engines to said data compilers.

2. The scalable routing system of claim 1, including at least one uplink connection to an external network connected to said at least one structure.

3. The scalable routing system of claim 1, wherein said at least one structure includes a crossbar.

4. The scalable routing system of claim 1, wherein said at least one structure includes a bus.

5. The scalable routing system of claim 1, wherein said plurality of data compilers use a hashing function to distribute packet flows among said plurality of route processing engines.

6. The scalable routing system of claim 2, wherein both said plurality of data compilers and said at least one uplink connection to an external network use a hashing function to distribute packet flows among said plurality of route processing engines.

7. The scalable routing system of claim 6, wherein said hashing function is designed to maintain the original order of packets in the same flow while allowing packets in different flows to be processed out of order.

8. The scalable routing system of claim 6, wherein said hashing function is designed to maintain the original order of packets in the same flow while allowing packets in different flows to be processed out of order.

9. The scalable routing system of claim 8, whereby processing power of said system can be scaled by adding additional route processing engines to said plurality of route processing engines.

10. The scalable routing system of claim 8, whereby the processing power of said system can be scaled by adding additional route processing engines to said plurality of route processing engines.

11. A scalable routing system for distributing packets in a network, including

a plurality of network interfaces;

a plurality of route processing engines;

a fabric interconnecting said plurality of network interfaces and said plurality of route processing engines;

wherein each of said plurality of network interfaces uses a hashing function to distribute packet flows among said plurality of route processing engines; and

wherein the processing power of the scalable routing system can be scaled by adding additional route processing engines to said plurality of route processing engines.

12. The scalable routing system of claim 11, wherein said fabric includes a crossbar.

13. The scalable routing system of claim 11, wherein said fabric includes a bus.

14. The scalable routing system of claim 11, wherein said hashing function is designed to maintain the original order of packets in the same flow, while allowing packets in different flows to be processed out of order.

15. The scalable routing system of claim 11, wherein said network interfaces include data compilers and port adapters.

16. The scalable routing system of claim 15, wherein said network interfaces include at least one uplink connection to an external network.