Worldwide Packets, Inc.

F5 Networks, Inc.

Alcatel Internetworking, (Pe), Inc.

Packet Engines Incorporated

C Stuart Johnson

Keith Michael Bly

Kelly Donald Fromm

Kevin Q Daines

Timothy Scott Michels

Greg W Davis

Steven D Dabell

Jeffrey J Walker

Ronald Lee Steensland

Kevin Q Dianes

A network traffic management apparatus includes a first memory including a flow cache table including a plurality of entries. The network traffic management apparatus further includes configurable hardware logic coupled to the first memory and a processor, the configurable hardware logic including a valid split table including a plurality of entries, wherein each of the plurality of entries includes a validity bit. The configurable hardware logic is configured to implement periodically determining whether the validity bit of each of the valid split table entries is set. Additionally, the configurable hardware logic is further configured to implement retrieving one of the plurality of flow cache table entries corresponding to an index value associated with one of the valid split table entries, when it is determined that the validity bit of the one of the valid split table entries is set.

Methods for improving flow cache bandwidth utilization and devices thereof

A method, computer readable medium, system and apparatus that acquires data link timing includes sequentially introducing a delay and sampling data on a link after each sequentially introduced delay. A starting edge of a valid data eye and a trailing edge of the valid data eye during the sequentially introducing the delay and the sampling of the data is determined. The sequentially introduced delay when the starting edge of the valid data eye is detected and a subsequently introduced delay when the trailing edge of the valid data eye is detected are recorded. A bit sampling time that provides the timing for the sampling of data in the valid data eye between the sequentially introduced delay and the subsequently introduced delay is determined. By way of example, an optimum bit sampling time is determined as a mean from the transition of the starting edge of the valid data eye to the trailing edge of the valid data eye. The bit sampling time for the sampling of data is applied and the link is established.

Methods for acquiring hyper transport timing and devices thereof

This document describes tools useful in relaying a data stream from a data device to a network tunnel, such as by injecting in-band control messages without impacting a data rate. For example, the tools may receive data packets on a first link and then relay the data packets to a data device on a second link. While doing so, the tools may periodically free an amount of link time by reducing the length of the relayed data packets by reducing the length of a header of each data packet. The tools may then consume the freed link time by sending a control message on the second link to the data device.

Injecting in-band control messages without impacting a data rate

This document describes tools useful in relaying a data stream from a data device to a network tunnel, such as by enabling virtual switching using a provisional identifier to conceal a user identifier. These tools, for example, may use an inexpensive switch module to create virtual switch instances. To do so, the tools may assign data packets to a virtual switch instance by mapping the data packets to a particular provisional identifier and then modifying the data packets to include the provisional identifier. The switch module may then forward the data packets based on the provisional identifier rather than on the user identifier. The tools may remove the provisional identifier before forwarding the data packets to a destination.

Virtual switching using a provisional identifier to conceal a user identifier

This document describes tools useful in relaying a data stream from a data device to a network tunnel. These tools may utilize an encapsulation scheme to convert data packets from a user format to a tunnel format required by a network tunnel. Similarly, the tools may utilize a de-encapsulation scheme to convert data packets from the tunnel format to the user format required by the user. The tools may also forward the data packets from a user network to the network tunnel and vice versa, through a conventional switch module. In some embodiments, the tools do so by modifying the data packets to add a provisional identifier recognized by the switch module to map a particular data stream into a particular network tunnel.

Relaying a data stream from a data device to a network tunnel

A data traffic shaping system, comprises a plurality of burst groups, each burst group having a burst group credit allocation mechanism configured to earn credit over time; a shaping engine configured to manage incoming entries of traffic and to assign each incoming entry of traffic to a selected queue of the burst group depending on the characteristics of the entry; a plurality of queues, respective queues belonging to respective burst groups; and a bandwidth allocation table including locations identifying a queue and an amount of bandwidth credit to allocate to that queue, the shaping engine being configured to traverse the locations, to determine the bandwidth earned by the queues, such credit only being made available to the queue if its assigned burst group has at least that much credit available at that instant in time, and to process an entry in that queue only if the queue has earned a predetermined minimum amount of credit, relative to the current entry on the queue in question.

Systems and methods for grouping of bandwidth allocations

A system for shaping traffic from a plurality of data streams includes a queuing stage having a plurality of first-in, first-out shaping queues, the queuing stage being configured to classify incoming entries of traffic, and to assign an incoming element of traffic to a selected queue of the first queuing stage depending on characteristics of the element, the queuing stage further being configured to allocate bandwidth to each of the queues using time division multiplexing. A method for shaping traffic from a plurality of data streams includes providing a plurality of first-in, first-out queues; assigning traffic to the queues depending on the characteristics of the traffic; and controlling traffic flow out of the queues using a bandwidth allocation table.

Bandwidth allocation systems and methods

A system for shaping traffic from a plurality of data streams comprised of a first queuing stage configured to shape traffic from the data streams and having a plurality of shaping queues; and a second queuing stage coupled to the first queuing stage and configured to manage congestion from the first queuing stage that occurs when multiple of the shaping queues become eligible to send traffic at substantially the same time.

System and method for shaping traffic from a plurality of data streams using hierarchical queuing

A system is provided for prioritizing and queuing traffic from a plurality of data streams. The system includes a queuing structure, processing circuitry, and a search engine. The queuing structure has a plurality of queues. The search engine is implemented on the processing circuitry and is configured to search and edit the queues in order to manage traffic at a given instance in time by traversing each of the queues in a predetermined manner to identify and remove eligible entries from each queue that need to be transmitted. The traffic was previously classified as to type and traffic elements were previously loaded onto selected queues with other traffic elements having a similar traffic type. A method is also provided.

System and method for prioritizing and queuing traffic

In a switching device, a method of communicating data packets from sending ports to destination ports includes storing in a first stage queue packet-related data from a sending port; determining from the packet-related data which destination ports are to receive the packet-related data in the first stage queue; storing in a second stage queue associated with each determined destination port the packet-related data from the first stage queue; and using the packet-related data in the second stage queue to complete the communication of the data packet from the sending port to each determined destination port. Apparatus for practicing the method comprises a first stage queue storing packet-related data from a sending port; and a second stage queue associated with each of a set of destination ports storing the packet-related data from the first stage queue.

Switching device with multistage queuing scheme

Method and apparatus for detecting signal transfer errors in a digital logic system that might occur in a transfer medium between a source device and a destination device. The method includes sending a first diagnostic signal of one or more bits from the source device through the transfer medium to the destination device; comparing the first diagnostic signal received by the destination device with a second diagnostic signal within the destination device to determine if a signal transfer error has occurred; inverting the first diagnostic signal; sending the inverted first diagnostic signal from the source device through the transfer medium to the destination device; and comparing the inverted first diagnostic signal received by the destination device with the second diagnostic signal to determine if a signal transfer error has occurred. Two embodiments of the invention are disclosed. To provide near real time detection without adding signal paths, the diagnostic signals are sent along established signal paths during a diagnostic clock cycle that is added to the normal clock cycles of the digital system.

Growing community of inventors

Liberty Lake, WA, United States of America

C Stuart Johnson