Network device architecture for centralized packet processing
First Claim
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1. An apparatus comprising:
- a lower-layer network device comprising a plurality of ports, wherein,the lower-layer network device is configured to prevent a packet received via a first port of the plurality of ports from being transferred from the first port to a second port of the plurality of ports without first being sent from the lower-layer network device to an upper-layer network device via an uplink transmit unit and subsequently received at the lower-layer network device from the upper-layer network device via an uplink receive unit,the lower-layer network device comprises the first port and the second port,the lower-layer network device comprises an upstream drop decision unit and an upstream queue controller coupled to the upstream drop decision unit,the lower-layer network device comprise a lower-layer controller configured to transfer configuration information to the upper-layer network device, whereinthe lower-layer controller is further configured to receive new configuration information from the upper-layer network device,the lower-layer network device comprises a packet processing unit, whereinthe lower-layer network device is configured to perform a first subset of a plurality of local processing tasks,the packet processing unit comprises a queue management module,the queue management module is coupled to a downstream queue controller, andthe downstream queue controller is configured to control buffering of the packet prior to the packet being provided to the second port of the plurality of ports, andthe lower-layer network device comprises an interface controller, whereinthe interface controller comprises local targeting logic, andthe local targeting logic is configured to identify the second port of the plurality of ports based on a logical port index.
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Abstract
A method and system for centralized packet processing is disclosed. The method includes transferring a packet received at a port interface of a network device to an uplink interface of the network device, and sending the packet to an uplink from the uplink interface. The transferring and the sending are performed irrespective of a destination of the packet.
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Citations
15 Claims
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1. An apparatus comprising:
a lower-layer network device comprising a plurality of ports, wherein, the lower-layer network device is configured to prevent a packet received via a first port of the plurality of ports from being transferred from the first port to a second port of the plurality of ports without first being sent from the lower-layer network device to an upper-layer network device via an uplink transmit unit and subsequently received at the lower-layer network device from the upper-layer network device via an uplink receive unit, the lower-layer network device comprises the first port and the second port, the lower-layer network device comprises an upstream drop decision unit and an upstream queue controller coupled to the upstream drop decision unit, the lower-layer network device comprise a lower-layer controller configured to transfer configuration information to the upper-layer network device, wherein the lower-layer controller is further configured to receive new configuration information from the upper-layer network device, the lower-layer network device comprises a packet processing unit, wherein the lower-layer network device is configured to perform a first subset of a plurality of local processing tasks, the packet processing unit comprises a queue management module, the queue management module is coupled to a downstream queue controller, and the downstream queue controller is configured to control buffering of the packet prior to the packet being provided to the second port of the plurality of ports, and the lower-layer network device comprises an interface controller, wherein the interface controller comprises local targeting logic, and the local targeting logic is configured to identify the second port of the plurality of ports based on a logical port index. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 13, 14, 15)
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5. A method comprising:
transferring a packet received via a first port of a plurality of ports of a lower-layer network device to an upper-layer network device via an uplink transmit unit of said lower-layer network device, wherein the lower-layer network device is configured to prevent a packet received via a first port of the plurality of ports from being transferred from the first port to a second port of the plurality of ports without first being sent from the lower-layer network device to an upper-layer network device via an uplink transmit unit and subsequently received at the lower-layer network device from the upper-layer network device via an uplink receive unit, the lower-layer network device comprises the first port and the second port, the lower-layer network device comprises an upstream drop decision unit and an upstream queue controller coupled to the upstream drop decision unit, the lower-layer network device comprise a lower-layer controller configured to transfer configuration information to the upper-layer network device, wherein the lower-layer controller is further configured to receive new configuration information from the upper-layer network device, the lower-layer network device comprises a packet processing unit, wherein the lower-layer network device is configured to perform a first subset of a plurality of local processing tasks, the packet processing unit comprises a queue management module, the queue management module is coupled to a downstream queue controller, and the downstream queue controller is configured to control buffering of the packet prior to the packet being provided to the second port of the plurality of ports, and the lower-layer network device comprises an interface controller, wherein the interface controller comprises local targeting logic, and the local targeting logic is configured to identify the second port of the plurality of ports based on a logical port index. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8)
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9. A lower-layer network device comprising:
means for transferring a packet received via a first port of a plurality of ports of a lower-layer network device to an upper-layer network device via an uplink transmit unit of said lower-layer network device, wherein the lower-layer network device is configured to prevent a packet received via a first port of the plurality of ports from being transferred from the first port to a second port of the plurality of ports without first being sent from the lower-layer network device to an upper-layer network device via an uplink transmit unit and subsequently received at the lower-layer network device from the upper-layer network device via an uplink receive unit, the lower-layer network device comprises the first port and the second port, the lower-layer network device comprises an upstream drop decision unit and an upstream queue controller coupled to the upstream drop decision unit, the lower-layer network device comprise a lower-layer controller configured to transfer configuration information to the upper-layer network device, wherein the lower-layer controller is further configured to receive new configuration information from the upper-layer network device, the lower-layer network device comprises a packet processing unit, wherein the lower-layer network device is configured to perform a first subset of a plurality of local processing tasks, the packet processing unit comprises a queue management module, the queue management module is coupled to a downstream queue controller, and the downstream queue controller is configured to control buffering of the packet prior to the packet being provided to the second port of the plurality of ports, and the lower-layer network device comprises an interface controller, wherein the interface controller comprises local targeting logic, and the local targeting logic is configured to identify the second port of the plurality of ports based on a logical port index. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12)
Specification
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Current AssigneeCisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
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Original AssigneeCisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
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InventorsJoly, Christophe
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Primary Examiner(s)Scheibel, Robert C
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Assistant Examiner(s)RAHGOZAR, OMEED DANIEL
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Application NumberUS12/911,254Time in Patent Office1,534 DaysField of Search370389-392, 370/401, 370/466US Class Current370/229CPC Class CodesH04L 45/245 Link aggregation, e.g. trun...H04L 47/24 Traffic characterised by sp...H04L 47/32 by discarding or delaying d...H04L 49/602 Multilayer or multiprotocol...H04L 49/90 Buffering arrangementsH04L 49/901 using storage descriptor, e...H04L 49/9031 Wraparound memory, e.g. ove...Y02D 30/50 in wire-line communication ...
