Method and apparatus for flexible high speed communication

• US 7,082,468 B1
• Filed: 06/30/2000
• Issued: 07/25/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Michaelsen, Aly Aarestrup
• Primary Examiner(s): Etienne, Arid
• Assistant Examiner(s): BURGESS, BARBARA N
• Application Number:
  US09/608,988
• Time in Patent Office: 2,216 Days
• Field of Search: 709/230, 709/231, 709/232, 709/239
• US Class Current: 709/230
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/12 Protocol engines
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/18 Multiprotocol handlers, e.g. single devices capable of handling multiple protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

Two data communication platforms are operating as a combination. In one embodiment, a data signal formatted according to a data communication protocol is received at a first data communication platform. The first data communication platform operates to determine if the data communication protocol is supported by the first data communication platform. If it is determined that the data communication protocol is supported by the first data communication platform, the first data communication platform indicates to a second data communication platform to receive the data signal at a by-pass path of a filter engine. As a result, fast data signal communication capabilities of protocols developed and implemented as ASICs are combined with the flexibility in developing and adding new protocols implemented as software needed by more complex networked computer devices. In one embodiment, a second data signal formatted according to a second data communication protocol is received at the first data communication platform. The first data communication platform operates to determine if the second data communication protocol is supported by the second data communication platform. If it is determined that the data communication protocol is supported by the second data communication platform, the first data communication platform indicates to the second communication platform to receive the data signal at a filter engine path of the filter engine.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving a data signal formatted according to a data communication protocol at a software data communication platform, the software data communication platform to support one or more data communication protocols;

determining if the data communication protocol of the data signal is supported by a hardware data communication platform, the hardware data communication platform to support a data communication protocol not supported by the software data communication platform, the hardware data communication platform having a filter engine with a filter path to process a data signal for routing and a by-pass path to route the data signal through the filter engine without processing the data signal by the filter engine; and

if the data communication protocol of the data signal is supported by the hardware data communication platform, indicating to the hardware data communication platform to receive the data signal at the filter path to process the data signal with the hardware data communication platform, or else to receive the data signal at the by-pass path to process the data signal with the software data communication platform.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the hardware communication protocol includes one or more application specific integrated circuits (ASICs).

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein determining if the data communication protocol of the data signal is supported by the hardware data communication platform comprises comparing the data communication protocol of the data signal to a data communication protocol included in a lookup table indicating the data communication protocols supported by the hardware data communication platform.

4. A method according to claim 3, wherein the lookup table is stored on the hardware data communication platform.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein indicating to the hardware data communication platform to receive the data signal at the filter path or the by-pass path comprises tagging header information to the data signal to indicate the path.

6. An article of manufacture comprising:

a storage medium having stored therein a plurality of machine-executable instructions, which when executed, cause a machine to perform operations including;

receiving a data signal formatted according to a data communication protocol at a software data communication platform, the software data communication platform to support one or more data communication protocols;

determining if the data communication protocol of the data signal is supported by a hardware data communication platform, the hardware data communication platform to support a data communication protocol not supported by the software data communication platform, the hardware data communication platform having a filter engine with a filter path to process a data signal for routing and a by-pass path to route the data signal through the filter engine without processing the data signal by the filter engine; and

if the data communication protocol of the data signal is supported by the hardware data communication platform, indicating to the hardware data communication platform to receive the data signal at the filter path to process the data signal with the hardware data communication platform, or else to receive the data signal at the by-pass path to process the data signal with the software data communication platform.

7. An article of manufacture according to claim 6, wherein the hardware communication protocol includes one or more application specific integrated circuits (ASICs).

8. An article of manufacture according to claim 6, wherein the instructions to cause determining if the data communication protocol of the data signal is supported by the hardware data communication platform comprises instructions to cause comparing the data communication protocol of the data signal to a data communication protocol included in a lookup table indicating the data communication protocols supported by the hardware data communication platform.

9. An article of manufacture according to claim 8, wherein the lookup table is stored on the hardware data communication platform.

10. An article of manufacture according to claim 6, wherein the instructions to cause indicating to the hardware data communication platform to receive the data signal at the filter path or the by-pass path comprises instructions to cause tagging header information to the data signal to indicate the path.

11. An apparatus comprising:

a network processor to execute a software data communication platform, the software data communication platform to support one or more data communication protocols, the software data communication platform to receive a data signal formatted according to a data communication protocol, and determine if the data communication protocol of the data signal is supported by a hardware data communication platform; and

a network switch circuit coupled to the network processor to include an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) to execute a hardware data communication platform, the hardware data communication platform to support a data communication protocol not supported by the software data communication platform, the hardware data communication platform having a filter engine with a filter path to process a data signal for routing and a by-pass path to route the data signal through the filter engine without processing the data signal by the filter engine, the network switch circuit to receive the data signal at the filter path to process the data signal with the hardware data communication platform if the network processor indicates the data communication protocol of the data signal is supported by the hardware data communication platform, or else to receive the data signal at the by-pass path to process the data signal with the software data communication platform if the network processor indicates the data communication protocol of the data signal is

not supported by the hardware data communication platform.

12. An apparatus according to claim 11, the network processor to determine if the data communication protocol of the data signal is supported by the hardware data communication platform comprises the network processor to compare the data communication protocol of the data signal to a data communication protocol included in a lookup table indicating the data communication protocols supported by the hardware data communication platform.

13. An apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the lookup table is stored on the ASIC.

14. An apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the instructions to cause indicating to the hardware data communication platform to receive the data signal at the filter path or the by-pass path comprises instructions to cause tagging header information to the data signal to indicate the path.