Management of entries in a network element forwarding memory
First Claim
1. In a network element having a forwarding memory for storing a plurality of entries used for forwarding received packets, a method of managing the storage of the entries comprising the steps of:
- making a first entry in the forwarding memory based upon a header of a first received packet; and
one ofmarking the first entry for removal if a second packet having a header matching the first entry is not received before a first time has elapsed, andwaiting a second time not equal to the first time before marking the first entry for removal if the second packet having the header matching the first entry is received before the first time has elapsed.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The invention generally provides for a network element and methods in the network element for allowing a matching entry in a forwarding memory to be found in a single search of the memory, for determining when an entry should be placed in the memory, and for determining when an entry should be removed from the memory, in order to make more efficient use of the fixed space available in the memory. The invention is particularly useful in making more efficient use of a Content Addressable Memory (CAM) for storing flow entries, and configuring the CAM to index an associated memory that stores forwarding and quality of service information for each CAM entry.
148 Citations
36 Claims
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1. In a network element having a forwarding memory for storing a plurality of entries used for forwarding received packets, a method of managing the storage of the entries comprising the steps of:
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making a first entry in the forwarding memory based upon a header of a first received packet; and
one ofmarking the first entry for removal if a second packet having a header matching the first entry is not received before a first time has elapsed, and waiting a second time not equal to the first time before marking the first entry for removal if the second packet having the header matching the first entry is received before the first time has elapsed. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. In a network element having an address table for storing a plurality of entries used for forwarding received packets, and a timer associated with each entry, a method of managing the entries in the address table comprising the steps of:
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receiving a first packet; making a first entry in the address table based upon a header of the first packet; setting a first timer to a first time; and setting a second timer to a second time not equal to the first time if a second packet matching the first entry is received before the first time has elapsed. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A network element for managing a plurality of entries in a forwarding memory, comprising:
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means for initiating a search of the forwarding memory for an entry matching a portion of a first header of a received first packet; means for making a first entry in the forwarding memory in response to finding no entry matching the portion of the first header of the received first packet, the first entry having an activity field indicating whether the first entry has matched a received second packet; means for setting a first timer to a first time; means for checking the activity field in response to the first timer running out; and means for setting a second timer to a second time not equal to the first time in response to the activity field indicating that the first entry has matched the received second packet. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
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Specification