Method and apparatus for implementing packet command instructions for network processing

• US 20040221066A1
• Filed: 05/01/2003
• Published: 11/04/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/01/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Ganfield, Paul, Irish, John, Imming, Kerry, Haselhorst, Kent
• Granted Patent: US 7,617,332 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/250
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/12 Protocol engines
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

A method, apparatus and computer program product are provided for implementing packet command instructions for network processing. A set of packet commands is provided. Each packet command defines a corresponding packet operation. A command from the set of packet commands is issued to perform the defined corresponding packet operation. A packet buffer structure hardware is provided for performing one or more predefined packet manipulation functions responsive to the issued command.

Claims

1. A method for implementing packet command instructions for network processing comprising the steps of:

defining a set of packet commands, each said packet command defining a packet operation;

issuing a command from said set of packet commands to perform said defined packet operation; and

providing packet buffer structure hardware for performing one or more predefined packet manipulation functions responsive to said issued command.

2. A method for implementing packet command instructions for network processing as recited in claim 1 includes the step of providing a packet condition register for storing packet status and packet state information.

3. A method for implementing packet command instructions for network processing as recited in claim 1 includes the step of providing a packet storage interrupt status register for storing packet storage interrupt status information.

4. A method for implementing packet command instructions for network processing as recited in claim 1 wherein the step of defining said set of packet commands includes defining an allocate packet command, said allocate packet command used for allocating a storage area for packet data.

5. A method for implementing packet command instructions for network processing as recited in claim 1 wherein the step of defining said set of packet commands includes defining a split packet command, said split packet command used to split a source packet and into a pair of target packets.

6. A method for implementing packet command instructions for network processing as recited in claim 1 wherein the step of defining said set of packet commands includes defining a copy packet command, said copy packet command used to copy a source packet and into a target packet.

7. A method for implementing packet command instructions for network processing as recited in claim 1 wherein the step of defining said set of packet commands includes defining a join packets command, said join packets command used to append a source packet onto a target packet.

8. A method for implementing packet command instructions for network processing as recited in claim 1 wherein the step of defining said set of packet commands includes defining a link packets command, said link packets command used to link a target packet into a source packet at a defined byte offset.

9. A method for implementing packet command instructions for network processing as recited in claim 1 wherein the step of defining said set of packet commands includes defining a header delete command, said header delete command used to delete a defined number of bytes from a target packet.

10. A method for implementing packet command instructions for network processing as recited in claim 1 wherein the step of defining said set of packet commands includes defining an enqueue packet command, said enqueue packet command used to enqueue a source packet onto a queue.

11. A method for implementing packet command instructions for network processing as recited in claim 1 wherein the step of defining said set of packet commands includes defining an enqueue multicast packet command, said enqueue multicast packet command used to enqueue a source packet onto a queue and store a target packet for additional operations.

12. A method for implementing packet command instructions for network processing as recited in claim 1 wherein the step of defining said set of packet commands includes defining a discard packet command, said discard packet command used to discard a source packet and free each allocated buffer for said discarded source packet.

13. A method for implementing packet command instructions for network processing as recited in claim 1 wherein the step of defining said set of packet commands includes defining a packet accept command, said packet accept command used to remove a target packet from an ordering queue.

14. A method for implementing packet command instructions for network processing as recited in claim 1 wherein the step of defining said set of packet commands includes defining a dequeue packet command, said dequeue packet command used to accept a target packet at a head of a receive queue.

15. A method for implementing packet command instructions for network processing as recited in claim 1 wherein the step of defining said set of packet commands includes defining a synchronize packet command, said synchronize packet command used to ensure each interrupt from outstanding commands are recorded.

16. A method for implementing packet command instructions for network processing as recited in claim 1 includes executing processor load and store instructions using said packet buffer structure hardware for loading packet data and storing packet data.

17. A method for implementing packet command instructions for network processing as recited in claim 1 includes providing said packet buffer structure hardware for performing hardware enforced ordering of multiple issued commands;

and for performing reordering by hardware of multiple issued commands while appearance of program order is maintainied.

18. A computer program product for implementing packet command instructions for network processing in a network processor system, said computer program product including a plurality of computer executable instructions stored on a computer readable medium, wherein said instructions, when executed by the network processor system, cause the network processor system to perform the steps of:

defining a set of packet commands, each said packet command defining a packet operation;

issuing a command from said set of packet commands to perform said defined packet operation; and

providing packet buffer structure hardware for performing one or more predefined packet manipulation functions responsive to said issued command.

19. Apparatus for implementing packet command instructions for network processing in a network processor system comprising:

a set of packet commands, each said packet command defining a packet operation;

a processor for issuing a command from said set of packet commands to perform said defined packet operation; and

packet buffer structure hardware for performing one or more predefined packet manipulation functions responsive to said processor issued command.

20. Apparatus for implementing packet command instructions as recited in claim 19 wherein said processor issues said command to a packet command register.

21. Apparatus for implementing packet command instructions as recited in claim 19 wherein said packet buffer structure hardware includes a packet condition register for storing packet status and packet state information and a packet storage interrupt status register (PSISR) for storing packet storage interrupt status information.