Classifying and distributing traffic at a network node
AssigneeLucent Technologies Inc.
InventorsJames Yu, Mike Morrison, John Rigby
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A technique for classifying traffic at a network node involves programming a content addressable memory (CAM) array with multiple class-specific entries, where each of the class-specific entries has an associated traffic class, obtaining a protocol-independent key field from an incoming packet, and searching the programmed CAM array with the protocol-independent key field to identify an associated traffic class of the incoming packet. In another embodiment, each of the class-specific entries has an associated traffic distribution policy, which may be applied to an incoming packet.
Claims46
A method for classifying traffic at a network node comprising:
- programming a content addressable memory (CAM) array with multiple class-specific entries, wherein each of said class-specific entries has an associated traffic class;
- obtaining a protocol-independent key field from an incoming packet;
- and
- searching said programmed CAM array with said protocol-independent key field for a class-specific entry that matches said protocol-independent key field to identify an associated traffic class of said incoming packet.
A method for distributing traffic at a network node comprising:
- programming a content addressable memory (CAM) array with multiple class-specific entries, wherein each of said class-specific entries has an associated traffic distribution policy;
- obtaining a protocol-independent key field from an incoming packet;
- searching said programmed CAM array with said protocol-independent key field for a class-specific entry that matches said protocol-independent key field to identify an associated traffic distribution policy for said incoming packet;
- and
- applying said identified traffic distribution policy to said incoming packet.
A method for classifying traffic at a network node comprising:
- programming a content addressable memory (CAM) array with multiple class-specific entries, said class-specific entries being programmed with fields in the same sequence that said fields exist in an assembled packet, wherein each of said class-specific entries has an associated traffic class;
- identifying a key field from an incoming packet;
- and
- searching said programmed CAM array with said key field for a class-specific entry that matches the key field to identify an associated traffic class of said incoming packet.
A method for distributing traffic at a network node comprising:
- programming a content addressable memory (CAM) array with multiple class-specific entries, said class-specific entries being programmed with fields in the same sequence that said fields exist in an assembled packet, wherein each of said class-specific entries has an associated traffic distribution policy;
- identifying a key field from an incoming packet;
- searching said programmed CAM array with said key field for a class-specific entry that matches the key field to identify an associated traffic distribution policy for said incoming packet;
- and
- applying said identified traffic distribution policy to said incoming packet.
A method for classifying traffic at a network node comprising:
- programming a content addressable memory (CAM) array with multiple class-specific entries, said class-specific entries being programmed with fields in the same sequence that said fields exist in an assembled packet, wherein each of said class-specific entries has an associated traffic class;
- obtaining a protocol-independent key field from an incoming packet;
- and
- searching said programmed CAM array with said protocol-independent key field for a class-specific entry that matches said protocol-independent key field to identify an associated traffic class of said incoming packet.
A method for distributing traffic at a network node comprising:
- programming a content addressable memory (CAM) array with multiple class-specific entries, said class-specific entries being programmed with fields in the same sequence that said fields exist in an assembled packet, wherein each of said class-specific entries has an associated traffic distribution policy;
- obtaining a protocol-independent key field from an incoming packet;
- searching said programmed CAM array with said protocol-independent key field for a class-specific entry that matches said protocol-independent key field to identify an associated traffic distribution policy for said incoming packet;
- and
- applying said identified traffic distribution policy to said incoming packet.
A method for classifying traffic at a network node comprising programming a content addressable memory (CAM) array with multiple class-specific entries, said class-specific entries being programmed with fields in the same sequence that said fields exist in an assembled packet, wherein each of said class-specific entries has an associated traffic class.
A method for classifying traffic at a network node comprising performing protocol-independent key field extraction to identify a protocol-independent key field from an incoming packet.
A method for classifying traffic at a network node comprising:
- programming a content addressable memory (CAM) array with multiple class-specific entries, said class-specific entries being programmed with fields in the same sequence that said fields exist in an assembled packet, wherein each of said class-specific entries has an associated traffic distribution policy;
- performing protocol-independent key field extraction to identify a protocol-independent key field from an incoming packet;
- and
- searching said programmed CAM array with said protocol-independent key field for a class-specific entry that matches said protocol-independent key field to identify an associated traffic distribution policy for said incoming packet.
A system for classifying traffic at a network node comprising:
- a content addressable memory (CAM) array configured to be programmed with multiple class-specific entries, wherein each of said class-specific entries has an associated traffic class;
- a key field extraction engine configured to obtain a protocol-independent key field from an incoming packet;
- and
- a traffic classification module configured to search said programmed CAM array with said protocol-independent key field for a class-specific entry that matches said protocol-independent key field to identify an associated traffic class of said incoming packet.
A system for distributing traffic at a network node comprising:
- a content addressable memory (CAM) array configured to be programmed with multiple class-specific entries, wherein each of said class-specific entries has an associated traffic distribution policy;
- a key field extraction engine configured to obtain a protocol-independent key field from an incoming packet;
- a traffic classification module configured to search said programmed CAM array with said protocol-independent key field for a class-specific entry that matches said protocol-independent key field to identify an associated traffic distribution policy for said incoming packet;
- and
- a traffic distribution engine configured to apply said identified traffic distribution policy to said incoming packet.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.