Reordering pcp flows as they are assigned to virtual channels

Abstract

A Network Flow Processor (NFP) integrated circuit receives, via each of a plurality of physical MAC ports, PCP (Priority Code Point) flows. The NFP also maintains, for each of a plurality of virtual channels, a linked list of buffers. There is one port enqueue engine for each physical MAC port. For each PCP flow received via the physical MAC port associated with a port enqueue engine, the engine causes frame data of the flow to be loaded into one particular linked list of buffers. Each engine has a lookup table circuit that is configurable so that the relative priorities of the PCP flows are reordered as the PCP flows are assigned to virtual channels. A PCP flow with a higher PCP value can be assigned to a lower priority virtual channel, whereas a PCP flow with a lower PCP value can be assigned to a higher priority virtual channel.