Methods and apparatus for processing packets including distributing packets across multiple packet processing engines and gathering the processed packets from the processing engines

Abstract

Methods and apparatus are disclosed for processing packets, for example, using a high performance massively parallel packet processing architecture, distributing packets or subsets thereof to individual packet processors and gathering the processed packet or subsets and forwarding the resultant modified or otherwise processed packets, accessing packet processing resources across a shared resource network, accessing packet processing resources using direct memory access techniques, and/or storing one overlapping portion of a packet in a global packet memory while providing a second overlapping portion to a packet processor. In one implementation, a packet of multiple streams of packets is received. A subset of bytes of the packet are distributed to the next packet processor determined based on a distribution pattern. The subset of the packet is processed to generate a modified subset, which is gathered in turn based on the distribution pattern; and a modified packet including the modified subset is forwarded.