International Business Machines Corporation

James A Steenburgh

John David Irish

Jason Andrew Thompson

Ibrahim Abdel-Rahman Ouda

Sandra S Woodward

John Michael Borkenhagen

Duane Arlyn Averill

A method and apparatus are provided for implementing frame alteration commands in a communications network processor. A set of frame alteration instruction templates is defined. A frame alteration instruction template is identified based upon the packet type recognition result of a received packet. A frame alteration instruction stream is generated utilizing the frame alteration instruction template. Each of the frame alteration instruction templates includes different frame alteration commands to be performed on a packet. Pointers to indirect data bytes to be inserted in a packet are stored in the frame alteration instruction templates. The generated frame alteration instruction stream is used by hardware to provide frame alterations.

Method and hardware apparatus for implementing frame alteration commands

In a first aspect, a first method is provided that includes the steps of (1) providing a pointer that includes a first keytype field and a second keytype field; and (2) assigning a value to the second keytype field of the pointer based on a tabletype field of an updated table. The updated table is an updated version of a first table written in a memory, and the first keytype field of the pointer has a value assigned based on a tabletype field of the first table. The first method further includes the step of employing the second keytype field of the pointer to point to the updated table. Numerous other aspects are provided.

Methods and apparatus for routing packets

A method and apparatus are provided for implementing predefined actions based upon packet classification and lookup results in a communications network processor. A plurality of sets of rules is defined. Each rule set includes at least one rule and each rule has a set of masked compares for comparing results of hits and misses of table lookups. Each masked compare set has an associated field for selecting an action. The action defines a set of one or more commands and each command defines a processing operation. One rule set is identified based upon the packet classification result for a received packet. When one of the rules is identified having a match of the masked compares, then the action of associated with the identified rule is selected. Otherwise a default action is provided responsive to no rule of the identified rule set having a match of the masked compares.

Method for implementing actions based on packet classification and lookup results

A method and apparatus are provided for detecting virtual address parity error for a translation lookaside buffer in a computer system. The computer system includes a processor unit, a cache coupled to the processor unit, a main memory, and a storage control unit including a translation lookaside buffer (TLB) and a segment lookaside buffer (SLB). A virtual address parity (VAP) is generated for each entry written in the segment lookaside buffer (SLB). A virtual address parity (VAP) is generated for each virtual address entry written in the translation lookaside buffer (TLB). The SLB virtual address parity (VAP) and the TLB virtual address parity (VAP) are utilized for identifying a translation miss condition.

Method and apparatus for detecting virtual address parity error for a

A method and apparatus are provided for communicating translation command information in a multithreaded environment in a computer system. The computer system includes a processor unit, an instruction unit coupled to the processor unit, a cache coupled to the processor unit, a main memory, and a storage control unit including a dataflow control partition, a cache control partition, a translation control partition. A translation miss signal is sent from the dataflow control partition to the translation control partition, responsive to detecting a translation miss condition. A translation command next signal is sent from the translation control partition to the cache control partition responsive to the translation miss signal. Then a translation command signal is sent from the translation control partition to the cache control partition. Responsive to the translation miss signal, a steal command signal is applied to the instruction unit for providing the translation command priority over execution of another thread. A series of the translation command signals are sent from the translation control partition to the cache control partition, and in one control cycle, the translation control partition can receive a translation command taken signal from the cache control partition for a translation command signal and can receive a translation data valid signal from the cache control partition for another translation command signal.

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Rochester, MN, United States of America

James A Steenburgh