Multi-traffic-class tracker arbitration with focus and prioritized deallocation

A network device, comprising:

• at least one processing resource;
• and
• a storage device storing instructions which when executed by the at least one processing resource comprise instructions to:
• receive an instruction corresponding to a packet of a message and indicating a traffic class identifier (ID);
• store an entry for the instruction in a tracker data structure comprising entries corresponding to instructions,
• wherein a respective entry comprises a traffic class ID of the respective entries and indicators of whether the respective entry requires processing, whether a transfer of a DMA payload associated with the respective entry is complete, and whether the respective entry is actively transferring the DMA payload;
• select, from the entries, a winning tracker entry by arbitrating among the entries, which comprises:
• determining a current mask indicating entries which are currently excluded from being selected as the winning tracker entry;
• updating the current mask in cycles in response to detecting a first condition, wherein the first condition comprises remaining tracker entries which require processing, have sufficient available output queue credit for the traffic class ID, and are not currently masked;
• and
• identifying the winning tracker entry based on the current mask and the indicators for the entries;
• and
• forward information associated with the winning tracker entry in response to meeting a predetermined priority level.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions to:

• at least one processing resource;
• and
• a storage device storing instructions which when executed by the at least one processing resource comprise instructions to:
• receive an instruction corresponding to a packet of a message and indicating a traffic class identifier (ID);
• store an entry for the instruction in a tracker data structure comprising entries corresponding to instructions,
• wherein a respective entry comprises a traffic class ID of the respective entry and indicators of whether the respective entry requires processing, whether a transfer of a DMA payload associated with the respective entry is complete, and whether the respective entry is actively transferring the DMA payload;
• select, from the entries, a winning tracker entry by arbitrating among the entries, which comprises:
• determining a current mask indicating entries which are currently excluded from being selected as the winning tracker entry;
• updating the current mask in cycles in response to detecting a first condition, the first condition comprising remaining tracker entries which require processing, have sufficient available output queue credit for the traffic class ID, and are not currently masked;
• and
• identifying the winning tracker entry based on the current mask and the indicators for the entries;
• and
• forward information associated with the winning tracker entry in response to meeting a predetermined priority level.