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:
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 method and system for downloading software managed trees (SMTs) in a network processing system provides dynamic update of frame classifiers while maintaining proper network protocol processing. The network processing system includes a general purpose processor acting as control point processor and a plurality of network processors. The new SMT is built by an application on the control point processor and downloaded to one or more of the network processors. The new SMT is placed in a separate memory location accessible to the network processors, rather then overwriting the existing SMT. The active tree pointers are then changed to transfer control to the new SMT.
摘要:
An apparatus for developing portable packet processing applications on network processors includes a docking platform which provides a common interface for individual packet processing applications to be plugged into the network processing environment. Each application interacts with the docking platform through the common interfaces provided by the latter. The docking platform interacts with the other modules inside the system to accomplish the requests from the application. In this manner, the applications become “shielded” from the implementation details of the underlying hardware. The applications need not change when the network processor hardware features are changed. It therefore provides a universal packet processing programming environment in which applications can execute in a portable and flexible manner in various hardware architectures.
摘要:
A method for developing portable network processor applications and/or managing heterogeneous network processors in a network is disclosed. The network includes host processor(s) utilizing system configuration application(s) that are network processor independent. In one aspect, the method and system include using standardized interface(s) for each network processor, using a standardized transport layer compatible with the interface(s), and providing a generic message application layer. The generic message application layer defines generic payload(s) and message type(s) for configuration communications between the network and host processors. In another aspect, the method and system include providing packet processing shell(s) and generic protocol software that is coupled with the packet processing shell(s) through standard interface(s), network processor independent, and performs operations for packet processing. The method also include providing a library that includes network processor specific information for performing the operations and providing block(s) for performing other network processor specific operations.
摘要:
An efficient method for performing state based ingress packet selection for a packet processing system in a network processor is disclosed. With this method, each set of message classes is associated with a state of an application, and each set of message classes is assigned to a semaphore. The application blocks one of the semaphores based on its current state. When a message is received, and the message belongs to a class assigned to the blocked semaphore, the blocked semaphore is signaled. The blocked semaphore then wakes the application. In this manner, when the application is awakened, it is guaranteed to find a message that it is interested in processing in its current state, resulting in greater efficiency in the processing of ingress messages.
摘要:
A method and system for controlling congestion control and avoidance behavior of a plurality of heterogeneous network processors in a network is disclosed. The network also includes at least one host processor that utilizes at least one congestion control application. The method and system include providing a plurality of generic application program interfaces (APIs). The generic APIs communicate with the congestion control application(s) and the heterogeneous network processors. The generic APIs communicate with the congestion control application(s) in the host processor(s) in a network processor independent manner, but manage the congestion control and avoidance behavior of the heterogeneous network processors in a network processor specific manner. Thus, the generic APIs allow the control application(s) to be network processor independent and to manage the congestion control and avoidance behavior of the heterogeneous network processors in the network processor specific manner.
摘要:
A method for controlling congestion control and avoidance behavior of a plurality of heterogeneous network processors in a network is disclosed. The network also includes at least one host processor that utilizes at least one congestion control application. The method include providing a plurality of generic application program interfaces (APIs). The generic APIs communicate with the congestion control application(s) and the heterogeneous network processors. The generic APIs communicate with the congestion control application(s) in the host processor(s) in a network processor independent manner, but manage the congestion control and avoidance behavior of the heterogeneous network processors in a network processor specific manner. Thus, the generic APIs allow the control application(s) to be network processor independent and to manage the congestion control and avoidance behavior of the heterogeneous network processors in the network processor specific manner.
摘要:
A method and system for managing a plurality of tables for a plurality of heterogeneous network processors in a network is disclosed. The network also includes at least one host processor that utilizes at least one table management application. The method and system include providing a plurality of generic application program interfaces (APIs). The generic APIs communicate with the control application(s) and the heterogeneous network processors. The generic APIs communicate with the table management application(s) in a network processor independent manner, but manage the tables for the heterogeneous network processors in a network processor specific manner. Thus, the generic APIs allow the control application(s) to be network processor independent and to manage the tables for the heterogeneous network processors in the network processor specific manner.
摘要:
A method and system for controlling packet classification behavior of a plurality of heterogeneous network processors in a network is disclosed. The network also includes at least one host processor that utilizes at least one packet classification application. The method and system include providing a plurality of generic application program interfaces (APIs). The generic APIs communicate with the packet classification application(s) and the heterogeneous network processors. The generic APIs communicate with the packet classification application(s) in the host processor(s) in a network processor independent manner, but manage the packet classification behavior of the heterogeneous network processors in a network processor specific manner. Thus, the generic APIs allow the packet classification application(s) to be network processor independent and to manage the packet classification behavior of the heterogeneous network processors in the network processor specific manner.