Broadcom Corporation

Jeff Dull

Eric Baden

Yih-Chuan S Chen

Puneet Agarwal

Bruce Hui Kwan

Kiran Dasoju

Song-huo Yu

Methods and apparatus for swapping functionality modes of a network data link are disclosed. An example method includes, in a network device, supporting a plurality of active network data links that includes a given network data link, where the given network data link is operated in accordance with a first mode of functionality. The example method further includes, while the other network data links of the plurality remain active: (i) placing the given network data link in a quiescent state; (ii) allocating, in a data port of the given network data link, cell buffer space in accordance with a second mode of functionality; (iii) programming a memory management unit (MMU) of the network switch device in accordance with the second mode of functionality for the given network data link; (iv) allocating, in an egress port (EP) of the network switch device, cell buffer space in accordance with the second mode of functionality for the given network data link; (v) bringing the given network data link out of the quiescent state; and (vi) operating the given network data link in accordance with the second mode of functionality.

Hot-swapping network port functionality

Methods and apparatus for dual hash tables are disclosed. An example method includes logically dividing a hash table data structure into a first hash table and a second hash table, where the first hash table and the second hash table are substantially logically equivalent. The example method further includes receiving a key and a corresponding data value, applying a first hash function to the key to produce a first index to a first bucket in the first hash table, and applying a second hash function to the key to produce a second index to a second bucket in the second hash table. In the example method the key and the data value are inserted in one of the first hash table and the second hash table based on the first index and the second index.

Method and apparatus for dual-hashing tables

A method of handling datagrams in a network device is disclosed. The method includes the steps of receiving an incoming datagram at a port of the network device, determining a type for the incoming datagram based on fields in the incoming datagram and a destination address, adding a tag to the datagram to assist in routing the datagram, obtaining a multiprotocol label switching (MPLS) label when the datagram is a MPLS datagram, processing the datagram based on the MPLS label and the destination address and discarding or forwarding the datagram based upon the processing step. The tag is stripped from the datagram before it is sent from an egress port of the network switch.

Single and double tagging schemes for packet processing in a network device

Various example embodiments are disclosed. According to an example embodiment, a method may include receiving a token count units instruction, periodically increasing or decreasing a token count based at least in part on a refresh rate, and in response to receiving a packet, decreasing or increasing the token count based at least in part on a size of the packet and the instruction.

Token bucket with variable token value

A method of mediating the flow of datagrams to a destination in a network is disclosed. The method includes the steps of receiving a datagram at a port of a network device, evaluating a destination address for the datagram based on fields in the incoming packet, searching a longest prefix match (LPM) table using the destination address as a LPM key, determining an address table index and an offset based on entries found in the search of the longest prefix match table, searching an address table using the address table index and the offset as an address key to determine an egress port number of the network device and forwarding the packet based upon at least the egress port number.

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San Jose, CA, United States of America

Jeff Dull