摘要:
A method and system for memory management in a network processing system provides for allocation of physical memory areas within network processors coupled to a control point processor by a bus. The allocation scheme provides a memory management layer without requiring a complete operating system interface and supports asynchronous completion of the allocation requests. Multicast allocation is supported allowing an allocation to be simultaneously requested on multiple network processors. The allocation mechanism returns a token, which may then be used to access the memory location via a protocol over the bus, and a single token may refer to an allocation made on several network processors where the actual physical addresses and memory configurations are different.
摘要:
A system and method for controlling overall behavior of a network processor device implemented in a network processing environment servicing a communications network. The method includes steps of receiving a guided control frame including one or more control functions for configuring various functional devices within the network processor with device control parameter data; a step of forwarding one or more control functions from a received control frame to a functional device within the network processor to be configured; and, executing the control functions as specified in the control frame. A novel control frame data structure and communications infrastructure is implemented whereby any network processor device operating in a distributed network processing environment may be controlled in accordance with executed control functions and device control parameter data.
摘要:
The transport protocol for communicating between general purpose processors acting as contact points and network processors in a packet processing environment such as Ethernet is provided. In such an environment, there is at least one single control point processor (CP) and a plurality of network processors (NP), sometimes referred to as blades. A typical system could contain two to sixteen network processors, and each network processor connects to a plurality of devices which communicate with each other over a network transport, such as Ethernet. The CP typically controls the functionality and the functioning of the network processors to function in a way that connects one end user with another, whether or not the end user is on the same network processor or a different network processor. There are three types of communication provided; first, there is communication generally referred to as control services and normally there will be only one pico processor which operates as a GCH (guided cell handler) and only one that operates as a guided tree handler (GTH). A path is provided for the controls to the GCH and the GTH commands, and a separate path is provided for the data frames between the GDH's (general data handler) and the CP.
摘要:
A classification system includes a software managed tree testing bits from a key which labels an item. The bits are chosen by application of the Choice Bit Algorithm to the Rules in a Database of Rules. A controller including logic parses an unknown Key for bits to be tested in the decision nodes of a binary tree. Tests dictated by the tree are conducted in a predetermined way until all but one Rule from the database or all but a few Rules from the database are eliminated from consideration, whereupon the Key is fully tested by the one remaining Rule or in a lattice constructed of the remaining plurality of Rules, to determine an action to enforce on the item. Certain compare tests are used in the binary tree for the case that otherwise identical or similar rules are applied to integer ranges of key values which do not fall upon power of 2 boundaries. Furthermore, some very frequently occurring rules in such final tests might be designated as secondary rules, the remaining rules designated as primary rules, the entire decision tree recalculated using only primary rules, and the primary rules then connected to secondary rules only when logically necessary by means of a system of pointers making use of relative priorities of rules.
摘要:
A network switch apparatus, components for such an apparatus, and methods of operating such an apparatus in which data flow handling and flexibility is enhanced by the cooperation of a control point and a plurality of interface processors formed on a semiconductor substrate. The control point and interface processors together form a network processor capable of cooperating with other elements including an optional switching fabric device in executing instructions directing the flow of data in a network.
摘要:
An apparatus is disclosed for transporting control information in a communications system. The apparatus comprises a network processor, a control point processor operatively coupled to the network processor, and a guided frame generated by the control point processor. The guided frame comprises a first section in which frame control information is placed and is used by the network processor to update at least one control register within the network processor; a second section carrying correlators assigned by the control point processor to correlate guided frame responses with their requests; a third section carrying one or a sequence of guided commands; and an End delimiter guided command.
摘要:
A control sub system, a plurality of interface processors, a plurality of media interfaces a plurality of queues are operatively coupled and responsive to a control signal to move data from a memory to a selected one of the plurality of queues.
摘要:
A network switch apparatus, components for such an apparatus, and methods of operating such an apparatus in which data flow handling and flexibility is enhanced by the cooperation of a control point and a plurality of interface processors formed on a semiconductor substrate. The control point and interface processors together form a network processor capable of cooperating with other elements including an optional switching fabric device in executing instructions directing the flow of data in a network.
摘要:
A network device including an ingress processor and egress processor which receives frames of data over the network on an input port, and transfers it to an appropriate output port. The received frame is processed by an ingress processor which prepares an intra-switch frame for delivery to an egress processor serving a relevant output port of the switch. The intra-switch frame includes a frame header having parameters which have been determined by the ingress processor, as well as data indicating an address for the egress processor for beginning processing of the frame. By identifying to the egress processor processing which has already taken place, the egress processor is relieved of any redundant processing of the frame. The egress processor provides a hardware frame classifier which decodes the information contained in the intra-frame header to derive parameters which have been previously computed as well as a starting address for the egress processor. By reducing the amount of redundant processing of the egress processor, total device throughput delay is reduced.
摘要:
A system and method of protocol and frame classification in a system for data processing is disclosed, including, analyzing a portion of the, packet or frame according to predetermined tests, and storing characteristics of the packet for use in subsequent processing of the frame. The characteristics are preferably obtained with hardware, which does so quickly and in a uniform time period. The stored characteristics of the packet are then used by the network processing complexes in further processing of the frame. The processor is preconditioned with a starting instruction address or cede entry point and the location of the beginning of the layer 3 header as well as flags for the type of frame.