Techniques for using dual memory structures for processing failure detection protocol packets
First Claim
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1. A method performed by a network device, the method comprising:
- storing a first memory data structure, the first memory data structure storing information related to failure detection protocol packets received by the network device, wherein the information in the first memory data structure is processed by a module of the network device, the first memory data structure comprising a plurality of entries corresponding to failure detection protocol packets received by the network device and to be processed by the module, the first memory data structure enabling the failure detection protocol packets received by the network device to be processed by the module independent from processing performed by a processor of the network device, the processor configured to execute software for processing failure detection protocol packets;
storing a second memory data structure, the second memory data structure storing information related to one or more failure detection protocol packets received by the network device and that are to be processed by the processor, wherein information in the second memory data structure is processed by the processor, the second memory data structure comprising a plurality of entries corresponding to failure detection protocol packets to be processed by the processor;
storing a first failure detection protocol packet received by the network device in a buffer memory;
storing an entry in the first memory data structure for the first failure detection protocol packet, the entry storing a pointer to a location of the first failure detection protocol packet in the buffer memory;
determining by the network device, using the entry in the first memory data structure, whether the first failure detection protocol packet needs to be forwarded to the processor; and
forwarding the first failure detection protocol packet to the processor upon determining that the first failure detection protocol packet needs to be forwarded to the processor, the forwarding comprising storing, upon determining that the failure detection packet needs to be forwarded to the processor, a pointer in an entry in the second memory data structure that points to the location of the first failure detection protocol packet in the buffer memory.
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Abstract
Techniques are provided for assisting in the processing of failure detection protocol (FDP) packets. Techniques are provided that assist a CPU of a network device in processing incoming FDP packets. In one embodiment, only a subset of FDP packets received by the network device is forwarded to the CPU for processing, the other FDP packets are dropped and not forwarded to the CPU. The processing is performed using dual memory structures that enable receipt of FDP packets by the network device to be decoupled from the processing of FDP packets by the CPU of the network device.
470 Citations
17 Claims
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1. A method performed by a network device, the method comprising:
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storing a first memory data structure, the first memory data structure storing information related to failure detection protocol packets received by the network device, wherein the information in the first memory data structure is processed by a module of the network device, the first memory data structure comprising a plurality of entries corresponding to failure detection protocol packets received by the network device and to be processed by the module, the first memory data structure enabling the failure detection protocol packets received by the network device to be processed by the module independent from processing performed by a processor of the network device, the processor configured to execute software for processing failure detection protocol packets; storing a second memory data structure, the second memory data structure storing information related to one or more failure detection protocol packets received by the network device and that are to be processed by the processor, wherein information in the second memory data structure is processed by the processor, the second memory data structure comprising a plurality of entries corresponding to failure detection protocol packets to be processed by the processor; storing a first failure detection protocol packet received by the network device in a buffer memory; storing an entry in the first memory data structure for the first failure detection protocol packet, the entry storing a pointer to a location of the first failure detection protocol packet in the buffer memory; determining by the network device, using the entry in the first memory data structure, whether the first failure detection protocol packet needs to be forwarded to the processor; and forwarding the first failure detection protocol packet to the processor upon determining that the first failure detection protocol packet needs to be forwarded to the processor, the forwarding comprising storing, upon determining that the failure detection packet needs to be forwarded to the processor, a pointer in an entry in the second memory data structure that points to the location of the first failure detection protocol packet in the buffer memory. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A system comprising:
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a processor configured to execute software for processing failure detection protocol packets; a module; and a memory; wherein the memory is configured to; store a first memory data structure, the first memory data structure storing information related to failure detection protocol packets received by the system, wherein the information in the first memory data structure is processed by the module, the first memory data structure comprising a plurality of entries corresponding to failure detection protocol packets received by the network device and to be processed by the module, the first memory data structure enabling the failure detection protocol packets received by the network device to be processed by the module independent from processing performed by the processor; store a second memory data structure, the second memory data structure storing information related to one or more failure detection protocol packets received by the network device and that are to be processed by the processor, wherein information in the second memory data structure is processed by the processor, the second memory data structure comprising a plurality of entries corresponding to failure detection protocol packets to be processed by the processor; store a first failure detection protocol packet received by the system; and wherein the first memory data structure comprises an entry storing a pointer to a location of the first failure detection protocol packet in the memory; wherein the module is configured to; determine, using the entry in the first memory data structure, whether the first failure detection protocol packet needs to be forwarded to the processor; and cause the first failure detection protocol packet to be forwarded to the processor upon determining that the first failure detection protocol packet needs to be forwarded to the processor by causing a pointer in an entry in the second memory data structure to point to the location of the first failure detection protocol packet in the memory upon determining that the failure detection packet needs to be forwarded to the processor. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method performed by a network device comprising:
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providing a first memory data structure for storing information that is processed by a module of the network device, the first memory data structure comprising a plurality of entries corresponding to failure detection protocol packets received by the network device and to be processed by the module; providing a second memory data structure for storing information that is processed by a processor of the network device, the second memory data structure comprising a plurality of entries corresponding to failure detection protocol packets to be processed by the processor; storing a failure detection protocol packet received by the network device in a buffer memory; accessing, by the module, the failure detection protocol packet from the memory using information stored in an entry in the first memory data structure; determining, by the module, whether the failure detection protocol packet needs to be forwarded to the processor; and upon determining that the failure detection protocol packet needs to be forwarded to the processor, storing, in an entry in the second memory data structure, information that enables the processor to access the failure detection protocol packet from the buffer memory.
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13. A system comprising:
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a processor configured to execute software for processing failure detection protocol packets; a module; and a memory; wherein the memory is configured to; store a first memory data structure for storing information that is processed by the module, the first memory data structure comprising a plurality of entries corresponding to failure detection protocol packets received by the network device and to be processed by the module; store a second memory data structure for storing information that is processed by the processor, the second memory data structure comprising a plurality of entries corresponding to failure detection protocol packets to be processed by the processor; and store a failure detection protocol packet received by the system; wherein the module is configured to; access the failure detection protocol packet from the memory using information stored in an entry in the first memory data structure; and determine whether the failure detection protocol packet needs to be forwarded to the processor; and upon determining that the failure detection protocol packet needs to be forwarded to the processor, store, in an entry in the second memory data structure, information that enables the processor to access the failure detection protocol packet from the memory.
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14. A method comprising:
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providing, by a network device, a first memory data structure for storing information processed by a module of a network device, the first memory data structure comprising a plurality of entries corresponding to failure detection protocol packets received by the network device and to be processed by the module; providing, by the network device, a second memory data structure for storing information processed by a processor of the network device, the processor configured to execute software for processing one or more failure detection protocol packets received by the network device, the second memory data structure comprising a plurality of entries corresponding to failure detection protocol packets to be processed by the processor; storing an entry in the first memory data structure for a first failure detection protocol packet received by the network device; determining by the network device, using the entry in the first memory data structure, whether the first failure detection protocol packet needs to be forwarded to the processor; and dropping, by the network device, the first failure detection protocol packet prior to the first failure detection protocol packet being processed by the processor upon determining that the first failure detection protocol packet does not need to be forwarded to the processor. - View Dependent Claims (15)
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16. A system comprising:
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a processor configured to execute software for processing failure detection protocol packets; a module; and a memory; wherein the memory is configured to; store a first memory data structure for storing information processed by the module, the first memory data structure comprising an entry for a first failure detection protocol packet received by the system, the first memory data structure comprising a plurality of entries corresponding to failure detection protocol packets received by the network device and to be processed by the module; and store a second memory data structure for storing information processed by the processor, the second memory data structure comprising a plurality of entries corresponding to failure detection protocol packets to be processed by the processor; wherein the module is configured to; determine, using the entry in the first memory data structure, that the first failure detection protocol packet does not need to be forwarded to the processor; and cause the first failure detection protocol packet to be dropped prior to the first failure detection protocol packet being processed by the processor upon determining that the first failure detection protocol packet does not need to be forwarded to the processor. - View Dependent Claims (17)
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Specification