Cavium, Inc.

Cisco Technology, Inc.

Karen A Szypulski

Rajan Goyal

Gregg Alan Bouchard

Troy S Dahlmann

Jeffrey Richard Hardesty

Jeffrey Alan Pangborn

Najeeb Imran Ansari

Nathan Allen Mitchell

Stephen Charles Hilla

Rafael Mantilla Montalvo

Charles D Spackman

Jorge Manuel Gonzalez

Timothy F Masterson

Theodore H Holler

A packet processor provides for rule matching of packets in a network architecture. The packet processor includes a lookup cluster complex having a number of lookup engines and respective on-chip memory units. The on-chip memory stores rules for matching against packet data. A lookup front-end receives lookup requests from multiple hosts, manages traffic among the hosts, and processes these lookup requests to generate key requests for forwarding to the lookup engines. As a result of the rule matching, the lookup engine returns a response message indicating whether a match is found. The lookup front-end further processes the response message and provides a corresponding response to the host.

Multi-host processing

A packet processor provides for rule matching of packets in a network architecture. The packet processor includes a lookup cluster complex having a number of lookup engines and respective on-chip memory units. The on-chip memory stores rules for matching against packet data. A lookup front-end receives lookup requests from a host, and processes these lookup requests to generate key requests for forwarding to the lookup engines. As a result of the rule matching, the lookup engine returns a response message indicating whether a match is found. The lookup front-end further processes the response message and provides a corresponding response to the host.

Lookup front end packet output processor

A packet processor provides for rule matching of packets in a network architecture. The packet processor includes a lookup cluster complex having a number of lookup engines and respective on-chip memory units. The on-chip memory stores rules for matching against packet data. A lookup front-end receives lookup requests from a host, and processes these lookup requests to generate key requests for forwarding to the lookup engines. Based on information in the packet, the lookup front-end can optimize start times for sending key requests as a continuous stream with minimal delay. As a result of the rule matching, the lookup engine returns a response message indicating whether a match is found.

Packet extraction optimization in a network processor

In an embodiment, a method of handling data packets within a processor includes intercepting, by a hardware packet integrity checking module, one or more data fields associated with a current segment of a data packet being forwarded from a first hardware entity operating in a cut-through mode to one or more processing clusters, where at least one data field of the one or more data fields is indicative of an operation associated with the data packet. At the hardware error detection module, integrity of the current segment of the data packet is checked based on the one or more data fields and parameters corresponding to the operation associated with the data packet. At least one data field of the one or more data fields is modified upon detecting an integrity error. The data fields are forwarded to the one or more processing clusters.

Method and apparatus for data packet integrity checking in a processor

Controlling a transmission rate of packet traffic includes receiving packets from a network processor. The packets are stored in a buffer associated with a processor. If an occupancy level of the buffer is greater than a predetermined threshold, it is determined that the processor is congested. A message is transmitted to the network processor indicating the processor is congested.

Controlling a transmission rate of packet traffic

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Cary, NC, United States of America

Karen A Szypulski