System and method for forwarding packets
AssigneeHewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
InventorsBruce E. Lavigne, Lewis S. Kootstra, Mark Gooch
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system for forwarding packets. The system has a first node for creating requests that contain a number of filters for specifying packet forwarding criteria. The first node also specifies values for the filters based on a packet to be forwarded. The system also has a second node coupled to the first node and to a number of ports. The second node has at least one table for specifying which of the ports are to receive the packet based on the filter values. The second node determines which of the ports are to receive the packet based on the table information and the filter values.
Claims27
A system for forwarding packets, comprising:
- a first node for creating requests having a plurality of filters for specifying packet forwarding criteria and for specifying values for said filters based on a packet to be forwarded;
- and
- a second node coupled to said first node and to a plurality of ports, wherein said second node comprises at least one table having information for specifying which of said ports are to receive said packet based on said filter values, and wherein said second node determines which ports are to receive said packet based on said table information and said filter values.
A method of forwarding transmissions, comprising:
- a) a first node creating a request having a plurality of filters for specifying forwarding criteria for a transmission;
- b) said first node sending said request to a second node;
- c) said second node determining which ports, if any, coupled to said second node are to receive said transmission by mapping said filters to information for specifying which ports are to receive said transmission based on said criteria;
- and
- d) forwarding said transmission to said port, if any.
A system for forwarding packets comprising a first and a second processor and at least one computer readable medium having stored thereon instructions, which when executed on said processors implement a method of forwarding packets, said method comprising:
- a) said first processor creating a request having a plurality of filters for specifying forwarding criteria for a packet;
- b) said first processor setting indexes in said plurality of filters to specify said forwarding criteria;
- c) sending said request from said first processor to said second processor;
- d) said second processor determining which ports, if any, coupled to said second processor are to receive said packet by:
- d1) indexing a plurality of tables defining which ports are to receive said packet based on said criteria to determine a plurality of port masks;
- d2) combining said port masks to determine which ports, if any, are to receive said packet;
- and
- e) forwarding said packet to said ports, if any.
A method of forwarding transmissions, comprising:
- a) a first node creating a request having a plurality of filters for specifying forwarding criteria for a transmission;
- b) said first node indexing at least one table with said filters to determine which of a plurality of nodes having ports coupled thereto are to receive said request, if any;
- c) said first node sending said request to said nodes determined in b) if any;
- d) said nodes, if any, receiving said request and determining which ports, if any, coupled to respective of said nodes are to receive said transmission by mapping said filters to information for specifying which ports are to receive said transmission based on said criteria;
- and
- e) forwarding said transmission to said ports, if any.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.