System and method for efficient memory access of queue control data structures

A processing system, comprising:

• a queue manager to receive and manage data;
• a memory controller coupled to the queue manager;
• a memory coupled to the memory controller;
• and
• a queue descriptor having an insert pointer to point to a first block location in the memory, a remove pointer to point to a second block location, an insert residue to store an insert value for the first packet, and a remove residue to store a remove value.

An article comprising:

• a storage medium having stored thereon instructions that when executed by a machine result in the following:
• managing a queue by:
• receiving a first command to insert a first packet on a queue, wherein the queue is described by a queue descriptor having an insert pointer to point to a first block location, a remove pointer to point to a second block location, an insert residue to store an insert value for the first packet, and a remove residue to store a remove value;
• storing the insert value for the first packet in the queue descriptor insert residue when the insert residue is empty;
• receiving a second command to insert a second packet on the queue;
• and
• writing the insert value in the insert residue and a value associated with the second packet to the first location in the memory block.

A network forwarding device, comprising:

• at least one line card to forward data to ports of a switching fabric, the at least one line card including a network processor having
• a queue manager to receive and manage data;
• a memory controller coupled to the queue manager;
• a memory coupled to the memory controller;
• and
• a queue descriptor having an insert pointer to point to a first block location in the memory, a remove pointer to point to a second block location, an insert residue to store an insert value for the first packet, and a remove residue to store a remove value.