Cisco Technology, Inc.

Vijay Rangarajan

William Norman Eatherton

Shyamsundar Nandkishor Maniyar

Dalit Sagi

Clarence Filsfils

Dinesh Ganapathy Dutt

Sanjay Sane

Subbarao Arumilli

Pirabhu Raman

Mahesh Srinivasa Maddury

John Bettink

Ray Kloth

In one embodiment, a method includes receiving a multi-destination packet at a switch in communication with a plurality of servers through a network device, identifying a port receiving the multi-destination packet at the switch or a forwarding topology for the multi-destination packet, selecting a bit value based on the identified port or forwarding topology, inserting the bit value into a field in a virtual network tag in the multi-destination packet, and forwarding the multi-destination packet with the virtual network tag to the network device. The network device is configured to forward the multi-destination packet to one or more of the servers based on the bit value in the multi-destination packet. An apparatus for forwarding multi-destination packets is also disclosed.

Forwarding multi-destination packets in a network with virtual port channels

Methods and apparatus are disclosed for generating and using an enhanced tree bitmap data structure in determining a longest prefix match, such as in a router, packet switching system. One implementation organizes the tree bitmap to minimize the number of internal nodes that must be accessed during a lookup operation. A pointer is included in each of the trie or search nodes to the best match so far entry in the leaf or results array which allows direct access to this result without having to parse a corresponding internal node. Moreover, one implementation stores the internal node for a particular level as a first element in its child array. Additionally, one implementation uses a general purpose lookup engine that can traverse multiple tree bitmaps or other data structures simultaneously, and perform complete searches, partial searches, and resume partial searches such as after receiving additional data on which to search.

Method and apparatus for generating and using enhanced tree bitmap data structures in determining a longest prefix match

Methods and apparatus are disclosed for storing tree data structures among and within multiple memory channels, which may be of particular use with, but not limited to tree bitmap data structures. A subtree (or entire tree) typically includes one or more leaf arrays and multiple tree arrays. One or more leaf arrays are typically stored in a first set of memory channels of N+1 sets of memory channels, the N+1 sets of memory channels including N sets of memory channels plus the first set of memory channels. Each of N contiguous levels of the multiple tree arrays are stored in a different one of said N sets of memory channels, wherein each of the multiple tree arrays at a same level of said N contiguous levels is stored in the same memory channel set of said N sets of memory channels. A memory channel for storing a particular level is typically assigned based on one or more current occupancy levels of the memory channels.

Method and apparatus for storing tree data structures among and within multiple memory channels

A method, performed in a network packet routing element, comprises establishing a forwarding information base (FIB) lacking a hierarchical data structure but in which one or more dependent FIB entries are associated with a parent FIB entry; establishing a plurality of strict priority queues, each having an associated priority; receiving a change to the parent FIB entry; for each of the dependent FIB entries, selecting one of the queues and enqueuing the dependent FIB entries in the selected queues for re-resolution; dequeuing the dependent FIB entries for re-resolution, according to a priority order of the queues.

Method and apparatus providing prioritized recursion resolution of border gateway protocol forwarding information bases

Tree data structures are stored among and within multiple memory channels, which may be of particular use with, but not limited to tree bitmap data structures. A subtree (or entire tree) typically includes one or more leaf arrays and multiple tree arrays. One or more leaf arrays are typically stored in a first set of memory channels of N+1 sets of memory channels, the N+1 sets of memory channels including N sets of memory channels plus the first set of memory channels. Paths of the multiple tree arrays are typically stored in said N memory channels, wherein each tree array of the multiple tree arrays associated with one of said paths is stored in a different one of said N sets of memory channels.

Growing community of inventors

Sunnyvale, CA, United States of America

Vijay Rangarajan