System, method, and computer program product for IP flow routing

• US 20070171825A1
• Filed: 01/20/2006
• Published: 07/26/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/20/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Anagran, Inc. (Saisei Networks Pte Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Anagran, Inc. (Saisei Networks Pte Ltd.)
• Inventors: Roberts, Lawrence, Henderson, Alex
• Application Number:
  US11/335,969
• Publication Number:
  US 20070171825A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/235
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/00 Routing or path finding of packets in data switching networks routing or path finding in wireless networks H04W40/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/30 Routing of multiclass traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/60 Router architectures
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/25 Routing or path finding in a switch fabric
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/3009 Header conversion, routing tables or routing tags

Abstract

A router system, method and computer program product are provided. In use, it is determined whether a flow associated with a received packet is new. If it is determined that the flow associated with the packet is new, at least a portion of the packet is routed utilizing a first module. If, on the other hand, it is determined that the flow associated with the packet is not new, at least a portion of the packet is routed or switched utilizing a second module that costs at least 10 times less than the first module.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving a packet;

determining whether a flow associated with the packet is new;

if it is determined that the flow associated with the packet is new, routing at least a portion of the packet utilizing a first module; and

if it is determined that the flow associated with the packet is not new, routing or switching at least a portion of the packet utilizing a second module that costs at least 10 times less than the first module.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first module includes a network processing unit (NPU).

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the second module includes hardware.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the second module includes software.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the second module includes hardware and software.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the second module includes a switching integrated circuit.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the routing or switching includes routing.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the routing or switching includes switching.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein, if it is determined that the flow associated with the packet is not new, use of the first module is substantially avoided during the routing or switching of the packet.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein, if it is determined that the flow associated with the packet is not new, use of the first module is avoided during the routing or switching of the packet.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the second module costs at least 50 times less than the first module.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the second module costs at least 100 times less than the first module.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the second module costs at least 200 times less than the first module.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining includes extracting a header from the packet.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the determining includes creating a hash utilizing the header.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the determining includes looking up a flow record utilizing the hash.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the flow is determined to be new if a flow record matching the hash is found.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the routing includes routing only a header of the packet utilizing the first module.

19. A computer program product embodied on a computer readable medium, comprising:

computer code for receiving a packet;

computer code for determining whether a flow associated with the packet is new;

computer code for routing at least a portion of the packet utilizing a first module, if it is determined that the flow associated with the packet is new; and

computer code for routing or switching at least a portion of the packet utilizing a second module that costs at least 10 times less than the first module, if it is determined that the flow associated with the packet is not new.

20. A router comprising:

a flow manager for determining whether a flow associated with a packet is new;

a first module in communication with the flow manager, the first module for routing at least a portion of the packet, if it is determined that the flow associated with the packet is new; and

a second module in communication with the flow manager, the second module for routing or switching at least a portion of the packet utilizing a second module that costs at least 10 times less than the first module, if it is determined that the flow associated with the packet is not new.

21. A computer program product embodied on a computer readable medium, comprising:

computer code for receiving a packet;

computer code for determining whether a flow associated with the packet is new;

computer code for routing at least a portion of the packet utilizing a network processing unit (NPU), if it is determined that the flow associated with the packet is new; and

computer code for switching at least a portion of the packet utilizing only switching circuitry, if it is determined that the flow associated with the packet is not new.

22. A method, comprising:

receiving a packet;

determining whether a flow associated with the packet is new;

routing at least a portion of the packet utilizing a network processing unit (NPU), if it is determined that the flow associated with the packet is new; and

switching at least a portion of the packet utilizing only switching circuitry, if it is determined that the flow associated with the packet is not new.

23. A computer program product embodied on a computer readable medium, comprising:

computer code for receiving a packet;

computer code for determining whether a flow associated with the packet is new;

computer code for routing at least a portion of the packet utilizing a network processing unit (NPU), if it is determined that the flow associated with the packet is new; and

computer code for routing or switching at least a portion of the packet utilizing a switching integrated circuit other than the NPU, if it is determined that the flow associated with the packet is not new.

24. A method, comprising:

receiving a packet;

determining whether a flow associated with the packet is new;

routing at least a portion of the packet utilizing a network processing unit (NPU), if it is determined that the flow associated with the packet is new; and

routing or switching at least a portion of the packet utilizing a switching integrated circuit other than the NPU, if it is determined that the flow associated with the packet is not new.