System and method for hierarchical metering in a virtual router based network switch
First Claim
1. A method of metering packet flows in a virtual routing engine comprising:
- performing a first level of metering on packets of a first packet flow using a first metering control block (MCB), the first level of metering being one level of metering in a hierarchy of metering levels;
performing a second level of metering on the packets of the first packet flow and packets do second packet flow using a second MCB, the second level of metering being another level of metering in the hierarchy, the first and second MCBs being data structures stored in a shared memory of the virtual routing engine;
identifying packets of the first packet how, the first packet flow having the first MCB associated therewith stored in a cache memory;
placing a cache-lock on the first MCB prior to performing the first level of metering;
placing a cache-lock on the second MCB prior to performing the second level of metering of packets of either the first or second packet flow using the second MCB;
releasing the cache-lock on the first MCB after performing the first level of metering on the first packet flow using the first MCB; and
releasing the cache-lock on the second MCB after performing the second level of metering on either the first or second packet flows using the second MCB.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A virtual routing platform includes a line interface a plurality of virtual routing engines (VREs) to identify packets of different packet flows and perform a hierarchy of metering including at least first and second levels of metering on the packet flows. A first level of metering may be performed on packets of a first packet flow using a first metering control block (MCB). The first level of metering may be one level of metering in a hierarchy of metering levels. A second level of metering on the packets of the first packet flow and packets of a second flow using a second MCB. The second level of metering may be another level of metering in the hierarchy. A cache-lock may be placed on the appropriate MCB prior to performing the level of metering. The first and second MCBs may be data structures stored in a shared memory of the virtual routing platform. The cache-lock may be released after performing the level of metering using the MCB. The cache-lock may comprise setting a lock-bit of a cache line index in a cache tag store, which may identify a MCB in the cache memory. The virtual routing platform may be a multiprocessor system utilizing a shared memory having a first and second processors to perform levels of metering in parallel. In one embodiment, a virtual routing engine may be shared by a plurality of virtual router contexts running in a memory system of a CPU of the virtual routing engine. In this embodiment, the first packet flow may be associated with one virtual router context and the second packet flow is associated with a second virtual router context. The first and second routing contexts may be of a plurality of virtual router contexts resident in the virtual routing engine.
255 Citations
97 Claims
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1. A method of metering packet flows in a virtual routing engine comprising:
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performing a first level of metering on packets of a first packet flow using a first metering control block (MCB), the first level of metering being one level of metering in a hierarchy of metering levels; performing a second level of metering on the packets of the first packet flow and packets do second packet flow using a second MCB, the second level of metering being another level of metering in the hierarchy, the first and second MCBs being data structures stored in a shared memory of the virtual routing engine; identifying packets of the first packet how, the first packet flow having the first MCB associated therewith stored in a cache memory; placing a cache-lock on the first MCB prior to performing the first level of metering; placing a cache-lock on the second MCB prior to performing the second level of metering of packets of either the first or second packet flow using the second MCB; releasing the cache-lock on the first MCB after performing the first level of metering on the first packet flow using the first MCB; and releasing the cache-lock on the second MCB after performing the second level of metering on either the first or second packet flows using the second MCB. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method of metering packet flows in a virtual routing engine comprising;
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performing a first level of metering on packets of a first packet flow using a first metering control block (MCB), the first level of metering being one level of metering in a hierarchy of metering levels; performing a second level of metering on the packets of the first packet flow and packets of a second packet flow using a second MCB, the second level of meeting being another level of metering in the hierarchy; performing a first keel of metering on packets of the second packet flow using a third MCB prior to performing the second level of metering on packets of the second packet flow, the third MCB being associated with the first level of metering in the hierarchy; placing a cache-lock on the third MCB prior to performing the first level of metering on the packets of the second packet flow using the third MCB; retrieving the first MCB from memory prior to placing the cache-lock on the first MCB; retrieving the second MCB from memory prior to placing the cache-lock on the second MCB; retrieving the third MCB from memory prior to placing the cache-lock on the third MCB; and releasing the cache-lock on the third MCB after performing the first level of metering on packets of the second packet flow using the third MCB. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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16. The method of claim further comprising:
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releasing the cache-lock on the first MCB after performing the first level of metering on the first packet flow using the first MCB; and releasing the cache-lock on the second MCB after performing the second level of metering on either the first or second packet flows using the second MCB.
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25. A method of metering packet flows in a virtual routing engine comprising:
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performing a first level of metering on packets of a first packet flow using a first metering control block (MCB), the first level of metering being one level of metering in a hierarchy of metering levels; performing a second level of metering on the packets of the first packet flow and packets of a second packet flow using a second MCB, the second level of metering being another level of metering in the hierarchy; measuring a packet rate of the first packet flow against a first set of rate parameters established for the first packet flow and stored in the first MCB; and marking packets of the first packet flow in accordance with a result of the measuring, and wherein performing the second level of meeting comprises; measuring packet rates of both the first and second packet flows against a second set of rate parameters established for the second level of metering and stored in the second MCB; dropping packets of both the first and second packet flows when packets of the first or second packet flows together exceed at least one of the parameters of the second set; and refraining from dropping packets of the first packet flow when packets of the first packet flow exceed rate parameters of the fast set and when packets of the first or second packet flows together do not exceed the at least one of the parameters of the seemed set. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
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38. A virtual routing engine comprising:
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a plurality of multiprocessor systems; a line interface to receive packets of a plurality of packet flows; and a switching fabric coupling the plurality of multiprocessor systems and the line interface, wherein the line interface selects one of the multiprocessor systems for a first packet flow and directs packets through the switching fabric to the selected multiprocessor system, the selected multiprocessor system performs a first level of metering on packets of the first packet flow using a first metering control block (MCB), the first level of metering being one level of metering in a hierarchy of metering levels, and performs a second level of metering on the packets of the first packet flow and packets of a second packet flow using a second MCB, the second level of metering being another level of metering in the hierarchy, the selected multiprocessor system performs a first level of metering on packets of the second packet flow using a third MCB prior to performing the second level of metering on packets of the second packet flow, the third MCB being associated with the first level of metering in the hierarchy, the first and second MCBs are data structures stored in a shared memory of the selected multiprocessor system, and the selected multiprocessor system places a cache-lock on the first MCB prior to performing the first level of metering, places a cache-lock on the second MCB prior to performing the second level of metering of packets of either the first or second flow using the second MCB, releases the cache-lock on the first MCB after performing the first level of metering on the first packet flow using the first MCB, and releases the cache-lock on the second MCB after performing the second level of metering on either the first or second packet flows using the second MCB. - View Dependent Claims (39, 40)
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41. A virtual routing engine comprising:
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a plurality of multiprocessor systems; a line interface to receive packets of a plurality of packet flows; and a switching fabric coupling the plurality of multiprocessor systems and the line interface, wherein the line interface selects one of the multiprocessor systems for a first packet flow and directs packets through the switching fabric to the selected multiprocessor system, the selected multiprocessor system performs a first level of metering on packets of the first packet flow using a first metering control block (MCB), the first level of metering being one level of metering in a hierarchy of metering levels, and performs a second level of metering on the packets of the fist packet flow and packets of a second packet flow using a second MCB, the second level of metering being another level of metering in the hierarchy, the selected multiprocessor system performs a first level of metering on packets of the second packet flow using a third MCB prior to performing the second level of metering on packets of the second packet flow, the third MCB being associated with the first level of metering in the hierarchy, a first processor performs the first level of metering of the first packet flow and a second processor performs a first level of metering on the second packet flow, wherein the first level of metering for the first packet now is performed concurrently with the first level of metering for second packet flow as part of a parallel processing operation, and the virtual routing engine is shared by a plurality of virtual router contents running in a memory system of a central processing unit (CPU) of the virtual routing engine, and wherein the first packet flow is associated with one virtual router context and the second packet flow is associated with a second virtual router context, the first and second routing contexts being of a plurality of virtual router contexts resident in the virtual routing engine. - View Dependent Claims (42, 43)
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44. A method of metering packets in a virtual routing engine comprising:
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performing a first level of metering for packets of a first packet flow; performing a different first level of metering for packets of a second packet flow; performing a second level of metering for packets of the first and second packet flows, the second level of metering applying to both the first and second packet flows; identifying the first and second packet flows for received packets; performing ingress metering on the packets based on a virtual interface from where the packets are received; transforming a header of the packets; performing egress metering on the packets subsequent to transforming the header, wherein the egress metering comprises performing the first and second levels of metering; and wherein the virtual routing engine comprises a multiprocessor system utilizing a shared memory, and wherein a first processor performs the first level of metering for the first packet flow and a second processor performs a that level of metering for the second packet flow, the first and second MCBs being stored in a memory shared by the first and second processors, and wherein the virtual routing engine is shared by a plurality of virtual router contexts running in a memory system of a central processing unit (CPU) of the virtual touting engine, and wherein the first packet flow is associated with one virtual router context and the second packet flow is associated with a second virtual context, the first and second routing contexts being of a plurality of virtual muter contexts resident in the virtual routing engine. - View Dependent Claims (45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51)
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52. A method of metering packets in a virtual routing engine comprising:
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performing a first level of metering for packets of a first packet flow; performing a different first level of metering for packets of a second packet flow; performing a second level of metering for packets of the first and second packet flows, the second level of metering applying to both the first and second packet flows; dropping packets of the first packet flow when one or more of the individual level traffic parameters of the first set is exceeded and when one or more of the group level traffic parameters is exceeded; dropping packets of the second packet flow when one or more of the individual level traffic parameters of the second set is exceeded and when one or more of the group level traffic parameters is exceeded; and refraining from dropping packets of the first and second packet flows when none of the group level traffic parameters are exceeded; and
whereinthe first level of metering includes applying a first set of individual level traffic parameters for the first packet now to determine when the first packet flow exceeds a first profile, the different first level of metering includes applying a second set of individual level traffic parameters for the second packet flow to determine when the second packet flow exceeds a second profile, the second level of metering includes applying a set of group level traffic parameters for at least both the first and second packet flows to determine when the first and second packet flaws together exceed a group profile, and the individual level traffic parameters of the first and second sets and the group level traffic parameters are comprised of a peak information rate (PIR) and a committed information rate (CIR). - View Dependent Claims (53, 54, 55, 56, 57)
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58. The method of clams 56, wherein the virtual routing engine is a multiprocessor system utilizing a shared memory, and wherein a first processor performs the first level of metering for the first packet flow and a second processor performs a first level of metering for the second packet flow, the first and second MCBs being stored in a memory shared by the first and second processors,
and wherein the virtual routing engine is shared by a plurality of virtual router contexts running in a memory system of a central processing unit (CPU) of the virtual routing engine, and wherein the first packet flow is associated with one virtual router context and the second packet flow is associated with a second virtual context, the first and second routing contexts being of a plurality of virtual router contexts resident in the virtual routing engine.
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59. A method of metering packets in a virtual routing engine comprising:
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performing a first level of metering for packets of a first packet flow, the first level of metering including applying a first set of individual level traffic parameters for the first packet flew to determine when the first packet flow exceeds a first profile; performing a different first level of metering for packets of a second packet flow, the different first level of metering including applying a second set of individual level traffic parameters for the second packet flow to determine when the second packet flow exceeds a second profile; performing a second level of metering for packets of the first and second packet flows, the wend level of metering applying to both the first and second packet flow, the second level of metering including applying a set of group level traffic parameters for at least both the first and second packet flows to determine when the first and second packet flows together exceed a group profile; and
whereina packet of the first packet flow has a first number of bytes, and wherein applying the first Set of individual level traffic parameters includes subtracting the first number of bytes from a token bucket maintained for the first packet flow, a packet of the second packet flow has a second number of bytes, applying the first set of individual level traffic parameters includes marking a field in a packet header of packets of the first packet flow to indicate whether either a peak information rate (PIR) or a committed information rate (CIR) associated with the first profile is exceeded, applying the first set of individual level traffic parameters includes marking a field in a packet header of packets of the second packet flow to indicate whether either the PRI or CIR for the second profile is exceeded and subtracting the second number of bytes from a token bucket maintained for the second packet flow, and applying the group level traffic parameter includes marking a field in a packet header of packets of the first and second packet flows to indicate whether either the PIR or CIR for the group profile is exceeded and subtracting a sum of the first and second number of bytes from a token bucket maintained for the group profile. - View Dependent Claims (60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66)
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67. A routing system comprising:
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a line interface to receive packets of first and second packet flows; a virtual routing engine (VRE) to perform metering on packets of the first and second packet flows, and to transform headers of the packets, the VRE performing a first level of metering for packets of the first packet flow, a different first level of, metering for packets of a second packet flow, and a second level of metering far packets of the first and second flows, the second level of metering applying to both the first and second packet flows; and
whereinthe VRE being one of a plurality of VREs, and the routing system including a switching fabric coupling the line interface and the plurality of VREs, the line interface identifying one of the VREs to process packets of the first packet flow based on a physical interface and virtual channel from which the packets of the first packet flow were received, the identified VRE to perform metering, and header transformation for packets of the first and second packet flows. - View Dependent Claims (68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77)
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78. A routing system comprising:
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a line interface to receive packets of first and second packet flows; a virtual routing engine (VRE) to perform metering on packets of the first and second packet flows, and to transform headers of the packets, the VRE performing a first level of metering for packets of the first packet flow, a different that level of metering for packets of a second packet flow, and a second level of metering for packets of the first and second packet flows, the second level of metering applying to both the first and second packet flows; and
whereinfor the first level of metering, the VRE applies a first set of individual level traffic parameters for the first packet flow to determine when the first packet flow exceeds a first profile, for the different first level of metering, the VRE applies a second set of individual level traffic parameters for the second packet flow to determine when the second packet flow exceeds a second profile, for the set and level of metering, the VRE applies a set of group level traffic parameters for at least both the first and second packet flows to determine when the first and second packet flows together exceed a group profile, and the VRE drops packets of the first packet flow when one or more of the individual level traffic parameters of the first set is exceeded and when one of the group level traffic parameters is exceeded, drops packets of the second packet flow when one or more of the individual level traffic parameters of tie second set is exceeded and when or more of the group level traffic parameters is exceeded, and refrains from dropping packets of the first and second packet flows when none of the group level traffic parameters are exceeded. - View Dependent Claims (79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87)
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88. A routing system comprising:
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a line interface to receive packets of first and second packet flows; a virtual routing engine (VRE) to perform metering on packets of the first and second packet flows, and to transform headers of the packets, the VRE performing a first level of metering for packets of the first packet flow, a different first level of metering for packets of a second packet flow, and a second level of metering for packets of the first and second packet flows, the second level of metering applying to both the firm and second packet flows; and
whereinfor the first level of metering, the VRE applies a first set of individual level traffic parameters for the first packet flow to determine when the first packet flow exceeds a first profile, for the different first level of metering, the VRE applies a second set of individual level traffic parameters for the second packet flow to determine when the second packet flow exceeds a second profile, for the second level of metering, the VRE applies a set of group level traffic parameters for at least both the first and second packet flows to determine when the first and second packet flows together exceed a group profile, the VRE marks a field in a packet header of packets of the first packet flow to indicate whether either a peak information rate (PIR) or a committed information rate (CIR) associated with first profile is exceeded, the VRE marks a filed in a packet header of packets of the second packet flow to indicate whether either the PIR or CIR associated with the second profile is exceeded, the VRE marks a field in a packet header of packers of the first and second packet flows to indicate whether either the PIR or CIR associated with the group profile is exceeded, a packet of the first packet flow has a first number of bytes, and wherein the VRE subtracts the first number of bytes from a token bucket maintained for the first packet flow, a packet of the second packet flow has a second number of bytes, and wherein the VRE subtracts the second number of bytes from a token bucket maintained for the second packet flow, and the VRE subtracts a sum of the first and second number of bytes from a token bucket maintained for the group profile. - View Dependent Claims (89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96)
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97. A program on a computer readable medium having stored thereon instructions, which when executed by a computing platform result in;
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performing a first level of metering for packets of a first packet flow; performing a different first level of metering for packets of a second packet flow; performing a second level of metering for packets of the first and second packet flows, the second level of metering applying to both the first and second packet flows; and
whereinthe first level of metering includes applying a first set of individual level traffic parameters for the first packet flow to determine when the first packet flow exceeds a first profile, the different first level of metering includes applying a second set of individual level traffic parameters for the second packet flows to determine when the second packet flow exceeds a second profile, the second level of metering includes applying a set of group level traffic parameters for at least both the first and second packet flows to determine when the first and second packet flows together exceed a group profile, the individual level traffic parameters of the first and second sets and the group level traffic parameters are comprised of a peak information rate (PIR) and a committed information rate (CIR), and the instructions further result in; dropping packets of the first packet flow when one or more of the individual level traffic parameters of the fast set is exceeded and when one or more of the group level traffic parameters is exceeded; dropping packets of the second packet flow when one or more of the individual level traffic parameters of the second set is exceeded and when one or more of the group level traffic parameters is exceeded; and refraining from dropping packets of the first and second packet flows when none of the group level traffic parameters are exceeded.
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Specification