Systems for statistics gathering and sampling in a packet processing system
First Claim
1. A packet processing system comprising:
- a receive side packet bus to receive a plurality of packets for processing by the packet processing system, wherein a population of network traffic undergoing packet processing by the packet processing system is represented by the plurality of packets;
statistical sampling logic to generate a statistically accurate representation of the population of network traffic undergoing processing by the packet processing system based on sampling a statistically significant subset of the plurality of packets received by the packet processing system, in which the sampled statistically significant subset of the plurality of packets corresponds to less than a whole of the population of network traffic;
a Linear Feedback Shift Register (LFSR) to identify the sampling of the statistically significant subset of the plurality of packets received based on an LFSR threshold, wherein the LFSR threshold corresponds to a percentage of the plurality of packets to be sampled in a pseudo-random fashion via the LFSR based on an expected variance among the plurality of packets, the LFSR threshold corresponding to a relatively higher percentage when the expected variance among the plurality of packets is expected to be substantial and the LFSR threshold corresponding to a relatively lower percentage when the expected variance among the plurality of packets is expected to not vary substantially; and
statistics compiling logic to maintain statistics of the plurality of packets received by the packet processing system based on the generated statistically accurate representation of the population of network traffic derived from the subset.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system for statistically sampling packets is described. In this system, upon or after the occurrence of a predefined statistical event in relation to a packet, a pseudo-random value is obtained and compared to a predetermined threshold. Responsive to this comparison, the system selectively arranges to have the packet statistically sampled. A system for compiling statistics for packets undergoing processing by a packet processing system is described. In this system, upon or after the occurrence of a predefined statistical event in relation to a packet, a cumulative index for the packet is updated to reflect the current processing cycle for the packet. Upon or after completion of processing of the packet, whereupon the cumulative index may reflect more than one processing cycle, packet statistics are updated responsive to the cumulative index for the packet. A second system for compiling statistics for packets undergoing processing by a packet processing system is described. In this system, upon or after a predefined statistical event in relation to a packet, a partial statistics update request is queued. A statistics processor monitors the update requests in the queue for completion. Upon or after completion of a statistics update request, the statistics processor updates packet statistics responsive to the completed update request.
56 Citations
17 Claims
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1. A packet processing system comprising:
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a receive side packet bus to receive a plurality of packets for processing by the packet processing system, wherein a population of network traffic undergoing packet processing by the packet processing system is represented by the plurality of packets; statistical sampling logic to generate a statistically accurate representation of the population of network traffic undergoing processing by the packet processing system based on sampling a statistically significant subset of the plurality of packets received by the packet processing system, in which the sampled statistically significant subset of the plurality of packets corresponds to less than a whole of the population of network traffic; a Linear Feedback Shift Register (LFSR) to identify the sampling of the statistically significant subset of the plurality of packets received based on an LFSR threshold, wherein the LFSR threshold corresponds to a percentage of the plurality of packets to be sampled in a pseudo-random fashion via the LFSR based on an expected variance among the plurality of packets, the LFSR threshold corresponding to a relatively higher percentage when the expected variance among the plurality of packets is expected to be substantial and the LFSR threshold corresponding to a relatively lower percentage when the expected variance among the plurality of packets is expected to not vary substantially; and statistics compiling logic to maintain statistics of the plurality of packets received by the packet processing system based on the generated statistically accurate representation of the population of network traffic derived from the subset. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. In a packet processing system a method comprising:
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receiving, via a receive side packet bus of the packet processing system, a plurality of packets for processing by the packet processing system, wherein a population of network traffic undergoing packet processing by the packet processing system is represented by the plurality of packets; generating, via statistical sampling logic of the packet processing system, a statistically accurate representation of the population of network traffic undergoing processing by the packet processing system based on sampling a statistically significant subset of the plurality of packets received by the packet processing system, in which the sampled statistically significant subset of the plurality of packets corresponds to less than a whole of the population of network traffic; identifying, via a Linear Feedback Shift Register (LFSR) of the packet processing system, the sampling of the statistically significant subset of the plurality of packets received based on an LFSR threshold, wherein the LFSR threshold corresponds to a percentage of the plurality of packets to be sampled in a pseudo-random fashion via the LFSR based on an expected variance among the plurality of packets, the LFSR threshold corresponding to a relatively higher percentage when the expected variance among the plurality of packets is expected to be substantial and the LFSR threshold corresponding to a relatively lower percentage when the expected variance among the plurality of packets is ex ectecl to not vary substantially; and maintaining, via statistics compiling logic of the packet processing system, statistics of the plurality of packets received by the packet processing system based on the generated statistically accurate representation of the population of network traffic derived from the subset. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by a processor of a packet processing system, the instructions cause the packet processing system to perform a method comprising:
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receiving a plurality of packets for processing by the packet processing system, wherein a population of network traffic undergoing packet processing by the packet processing system is represented by the plurality of packets; generating a statistically accurate representation of the population of network traffic undergoing processing by the packet processing system based on sampling a statistically significant subset of the plurality of packets received by the packet processing system, in which the sampled statistically significant subset of the plurality of packets corresponds to less than a whole of the population of network traffic; identifying, via a Linear Feedback Shift Register (LFSR) of the packet processing system, the sampling of the statistically significant subset of the plurality of packets received based on an LFSR threshold, wherein the LFSR threshold corresponds to a percentage of the plurality of packets to be sampled in a pseudo-random fashion via the LFSR based on an expected variance among the plurality of packets, the LFSR threshold corresponding to a relatively higher percentage when the expected variance among the plurality of packets is expected to be substantial and the LFSR threshold corresponding to a relatively lower percentage when the expected variance among the plurality of packets is expected to not vary substantially; and maintaining statistics of the plurality of packets received by the packet processing system based on the generated statistically accurate representation of the population of network traffic derived from the subset. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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Specification