Method for Traffic Management, Traffic Prioritization, Access Control, and Packet Forwarding in a Datagram Computer Network

• US 20090046734A1
• Filed: 09/25/2008
• Published: 02/19/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/1995
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Cheriton, David R., Bechtolsheim, Andreas V.
• Granted Patent: US 8,401,027 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/412
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4608 LAN interconnection over ATM networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4645 Details on frame tagging routing of packets H04L45/00; support for virtual LAN H04L49/354

Abstract

The invention provides an enhanced datagram packet switched computer network. The invention processes network datagram packets in network devices as separate flows, based on the source-destination address pair in the datagram packet. As a result, the network can control and manage each flow of datagrams in a segregated fashion. The processing steps that can be specified for each flow include traffic management, flow control, packet forwarding, access control, and other network management functions. The ability to control network traffic on a per flow basis allows for the efficient handling of a wide range and a large variety of network traffic, as is typical in large-scale computer networks, including video and multimedia traffic. The amount of buffer resources and bandwidth resources assigned to each flow can be individually controlled by network management. In the dynamic operation of the network, these resources can be varied—based on actual network traffic loading and congestion encountered. The invention also teaches an enhanced datagram packet switched computer network which can selectively control flows of datagram packets entering the network and traveling between network nodes. This new network access control method also interoperates with existing media access control protocols, such as used in the Ethernet or 802.3 local area network. An aspect of the invention is that it does not require any changes to existing network protocols or network applications.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving a plurality of flows, each flow comprising a plurality of packets; and

performing the following for each flow;

identifying a virtual path of a plurality of virtual paths for the each flow, each virtual path having a corresponding path record;

accessing the path record corresponding to the virtual path; and

allocating one or more packet buffers to the each flow according to the corresponding path record.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a next packet;

identifying a next virtual path of a plurality of virtual paths for the next packet; and

buffering the next packet in the one or more packet buffers allocated to the next virtual path.

3. The method of claim 1, the performing the following for each flow further comprising:

allocating bandwidth to the each flow according to the path record.

4. The method of claim 1, the performing the following for each flow further comprising:

controlling access of the each flow to a network node according to the path record.

5. The method of claim 1, the performing the following for each flow further comprising:

selecting a multicast mode for the each flow according to the path record.

6. The method of claim 1, the performing the following for each flow further comprising:

selecting a snoop mode for the each flow according to the path record.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a packet of a flow;

determining from the path record of the virtual path of the flow that the virtual path is in a snoop mode; and

sending a copy of the packet to a CPU for processing.

8. The method of claim 1, the performing the following for each flow further comprising:

selecting a priority for the each flow according to the path record.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a plurality of first packets of a first flow;

receiving a plurality of second packets of a second flow;

determining, from the path record of the virtual path of the first flow, the specific number of packets to send from the virtual path of the first flow before sending any packets from another virtual path; and

sending the specific number of first packets before sending any of the second packets.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a next packet;

determining that the next packet is not associated with a virtual path; and

creating a new virtual path to process the next packet.

11. An apparatus comprising:

one or more ports configured to receive a plurality of flows, each flow comprising a plurality of packets; and

switch hardware configured to perform the following for each flow;

identify a virtual path of a plurality of virtual paths for the each flow, each virtual path having a corresponding path record;

access the path record corresponding to the virtual path; and

allocate one or more packet buffers to the each flow according to the corresponding path record.

12. The apparatus of claim 11:

the one or more ports configured to;

receive a next packet; and

the switch hardware configured to;

identify a next virtual path of a plurality of virtual paths for the next packet; and

buffer the next packet in the one or more packet buffers allocated to the next virtual path.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, the switch hardware configured to perform the following for each flow:

allocate bandwidth to the each flow according to the path record.

14. The apparatus of claim 11, the switch hardware configured to perform the following for each flow:

control access of the each flow to a network node according to the path record.

15. The apparatus of claim 11, the switch hardware configured to perform the following for each flow:

select a multicast mode for the each flow according to the path record.

16. The apparatus of claim 11, the switch hardware configured to perform the following for each flow:

select a snoop mode for the each flow according to the path record.

17. The apparatus of claim 11:

the one or more ports configured to;

receive a packet of a flow; and

the switch hardware configured to;

determine from the path record of the virtual path of the flow that the virtual path is in a snoop mode; and

send a copy of the packet to a CPU for processing.

18. The apparatus of claim 11, the switch hardware configured to perform the following for each flow:

select a priority for the each flow according to the path record.

19. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising:

the one or more ports configured to;

receive a plurality of first packets of a first flow; and

receive a plurality of second packets of a second flow; and

the switch hardware configured to;

determine, from the path record of the virtual path of the first flow, the specific number of packets to send from the virtual path of the first flow before sending any packets from another virtual path; and

send the specific number of first packets before sending any of the second packets.

20. The apparatus of claim 11:

the one or more ports configured to;

receive a next packet; and

further comprising a controller CPU configured to;

determine that the next packet is not associated with a virtual path; and

create a new virtual path to process the next packet.