Classifying and distributing traffic at a network node
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method for classifying traffic at a network node comprising:
- programming a content addressable memory (CAM) array with multiple class-specific entries, wherein each of said class-specific entries has an associated traffic class;
obtaining a protocol-independent key field from an incoming packet, wherein said protocol-independent key field is a continuous portion of said incoming packet;
offsetting said protocol-independent key field by a predefined number of bits for every packet that comes into the network node; and
searching said programmed CAM array with said protocol-independent key field for a class-specific entry that matches said protocol-independent key field to identify an associated traffic class of said incoming packet.
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Abstract
A technique for classifying traffic at a network node involves programming a content addressable memory (CAM) array with multiple class-specific entries, where each of the class-specific entries has an associated traffic class, obtaining a protocol-independent key field from an incoming packet, and searching the programmed CAM array with the protocol-independent key field to identify an associated traffic class of the incoming packet. In another embodiment, each of the class-specific entries has an associated traffic distribution policy, which may be applied to an incoming packet.
70 Citations
41 Claims
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1. A method for classifying traffic at a network node comprising:
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programming a content addressable memory (CAM) array with multiple class-specific entries, wherein each of said class-specific entries has an associated traffic class; obtaining a protocol-independent key field from an incoming packet, wherein said protocol-independent key field is a continuous portion of said incoming packet; offsetting said protocol-independent key field by a predefined number of bits for every packet that comes into the network node; and searching said programmed CAM array with said protocol-independent key field for a class-specific entry that matches said protocol-independent key field to identify an associated traffic class of said incoming packet. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method for distributing traffic at a network mode comprising:
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programming a content addressable memory (CAM) array with multiple class-specific entries, wherein each of said class-specific entries has an associated traffic distribution policy; obtaining a protocol-independent key field from an incoming packet, wherein said protocol-independent key field is a continuous portion of said incoming packet; offsetting said protocol-independent key field by a predefined number of hits for every packet that comes into the network node; searching said programmed CAM array with said protocol-independent key field for a class-specific entry that matches said protocol-independent key field to identify an associated traffic distribution policy for said incoming packet; and applying said identified traffic distribution policy to said incoming packet. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. A method for classifying traffic at a network node comprising:
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programming a content addressable memory (CAM) array with multiple class-specific entries, said class-specific entries being programmed with fields in the same sequence that said fields exist in an assembled packet, wherein each of said class-specific entries has an associated traffic class; identifying a key field from an incoming packet, wherein said key field is a continuous portion of said incoming packet; offsetting said key field by a predefined number of bits for every packet that comes into the network node; and searching said programmed CAM array with said key field for a class-specific entry that matches the key field to identify an associated traffic class of said incoming packet. - View Dependent Claims (31)
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32. A method for distributing traffic at a network node comprising:
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programming a content addressable memory (CAM) array with multiple class-specific entries, said class-specific entries being programmed with fields in the same sequence that said fields exist in an assembled packet, wherein each of said class-specific entries has an associated traffic distribution policy; identifying a key field from an incoming packet, wherein said key field is a continuous portion of said incoming packet; offsetting said key field by a predefined number of bits for every packet that comes into the network node; searching said programmed CAM array with said key field for a class-specific entry that matches the key field to identify an associated traffic distribution policy for said incoming packet; and applying said identified traffic distribution policy to said incoming packet. - View Dependent Claims (33)
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34. A method for classifying traffic at a network node comprising:
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programming a content addressable memory (CAM) array with multiple class-specific entries, said class-specific entries being programmed with fields in the same sequence that said fields exist in an assembled packet, wherein each of said class-specific entries has an associated traffic class; obtaining a protocol-independent key field from an incoming packet wherein said protocol-independent key field is a continuous portion of said incoming packet; offsetting said protocol-independent key field by a predefined number of bits for every packet that comes into the network node; and searching said programmed CAM array with said protocol-independent key field for a class-specific entry that matches said protocol-independent key field to identify an associated traffic class of said incoming packet.
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35. A method for distributing traffic at a network node comprising:
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programming a content addressable memory (CAM) array with multiple class-specific entries, said class-specific entries being programmed with fields in the same sequence that said fields exist in an assembled packet, wherein each of said class-specific entries has an associated traffic distribution policy; obtaining a protocol-independent key field from an incoming packet, wherein said protocol-independent key field is a continuous motion of said incoming packet; offsetting said protocol-independent key field by a predefined number of bits for every packet that comes into the network node; searching said programmed CAM array with said protocol-independent key field for a class-specific entry that matches said protocol-independent key field to identify an associated traffic distribution policy for said incoming packet; and applying said identified traffic distribution policy to said incoming packet.
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36. A method for classifying traffic at a network node comprising:
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programming a content addressable memory (CAM) array with multiple class-specific entries, said class-specific entries being programmed with fields in the same sequence that said fields exist in an assembled packet wherein each of said class-specific entries has an associated traffic class; obtaining a protocol-independent key field from an incoming packet wherein said protocol-independent key field is a continuous portion of said incoming packet; offsetting said protocol-independent key field by a predefined number of bits for every packet that comes into the network node.
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37. A method for classifying traffic at a network node comprising:
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programming a content addressable memory (CAM) array with multiple class-specific entries, said class-specific entries being programmed with fields in the same sequence that said fields exist in an assembled packet, wherein each of said class-specific entries has an associated traffic distribution policy; performing protocol-independent key field extraction to identify a protocol-independent key field from an incoming packet, wherein said protocol-independent key field is a continuous portion of said incoming packet; offsetting said protocol-independent key field by a predefined number of bits for every packet that comes into the network node; and searching said programmed CAM array with said protocol-independent key field for a class-specific entry that matches said protocol-independent key field to identify an associated traffic distribution policy for said incoming packet.
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38. A system for classifying traffic at a network node comprising:
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a content addressable memory (CAM) array configured to be programmed with multiple class-specific entries, wherein each of said class-specific entries has an associated traffic class; a key field extraction engine configured to obtain a protocol-independent key field from an incoming packet and to offset said protocol-independent key field by a predefined number of bits for every packet that comes into the network node, wherein said protocol-independent key field is a continuous portion of said incoming packet; and a traffic classification module configured to search said programmed CAM array with said protocol-independent key field for a class-specific entry that matches said protocol-independent key field to identify an associated traffic class of said incoming packet. - View Dependent Claims (39)
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40. A system for distributing traffic at a network node comprising:
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a content addressable memory (CAM) array configured to be programmed with multiple class-specific entries, wherein each of said class-specific entries has an associated traffic distribution policy; a key field extraction engine configured to obtain a protocol-independent key field from an incoming packet and to offset said protocol-independent key field by a predefined number of bits for every packet that comes into the network node, wherein said protocol-independent key field is a continuous of said incoming packet; a traffic classification module configured to search said programmed CAM array with said protocol-independent key field for a class-specific entry that matches said protocol-independent key field to identify an associated traffic distribution policy for said incoming packet; and a traffic distribution engine configured to apply said identified traffic distribution policy to said incoming packet. - View Dependent Claims (41)
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Specification