Techniques for processing traffic transmitted over advanced switching compatible switch fabrics

An apparatus comprising:

• logic circuitry to selectively segment at least one of data packets, data frames, or control information when a transmission size limit is exceeded;
• logic circuitry to indicate application of segmentation in the header of each Advanced Switching compliant packet that transmits segmented data packets, data frames, or control information;
• and
• a packet scheduler to prioritize transmission of Advanced Switching compliant packets based on contents of the Advanced Switching compliant packets.

A method comprising:

• allocating multiple containers each capable of storing SONET payload;
• allocating multiple complementary containers, wherein each of the multiple complementary containers is associated with one of the multiple containers;
• storing contents of SONET traffic in each of the multiple containers based on payload markers and time slot identifiers of the SONET traffic;
• at a periodic rate, transferring contents of the multiple containers to multiple complementary containers;
• forming segments from contents of the multiple complementary containers;
• and
• providing segments of the same type and destined for the same egress end-point into the same payload of an Advanced Switching compatible packet.

An apparatus comprising:

• multiple containers each capable of storing SONET payload based on payload markers and time slot identifiers of SONET traffic;
• multiple complementary containers, wherein each of the multiple complementary containers is associated with each of the multiple containers, wherein at a periodic rate, multiple containers transfer contents to multiple complementary containers;
• and
• a scheduler to form segments from contents of the multiple complementary containers and provide segments of the same type and destined for the same egress end-point into the same payload of an Advanced Switching compatible packet.

A method comprising:

• if utilization of a line is approximately at or below a threshold, providing a packet designated for multicast into unicast queues associated with each of the destinations of the multicast;
• if utilization of the line is above a threshold, providing a packet designated for multicast into a queue associated with multicast transmissions;
• and
• providing a crossbar capability having overspeed of N/2, wherein N is a maximum number of possible output ports to which a packet may be multicast from the cross bar.

An apparatus comprising:

• a cross bar having an overspeed of N/2, wherein N is a maximum number of possible output ports to which a packet may be multicast through the cross bar;
• an input port capable of providing packets to the cross bar;
• a plurality of output ports each capable of receiving packets from the cross bar;
• at least one unicast queue associated with the input port and capable of storing at least one packet destined for each output port;
• a multicast queue capable of storing packets designated for multicast transmission;
• and
• routing logic, wherein
• if utilization of the input port is approximately at or below a threshold, the routing logic stores a packet designated for multicast into each of the at least one unicast queues capable of storing packets destined for each of the destination output ports of the multicast, and
• if utilization of the input port is above a threshold, the routing logic stores a packet designated for multicast into the multicast queue.

A system comprising:

• an Advanced Switching (AS) format compliant switch fabric;
• a first line card capable to receive AS format compliant packets from the switch fabric or to transmit AS format compliant packets to the switch fabric;
• and
• a second line card, comprising:
• logic circuitry to selectively segment at least one of data packets, data frames, or control information when a transmission size limit is exceeded,
• logic circuitry to indicate application of segmentation in the header of the Advanced Switching compliant packet that transmits segmented data packets, data frames, or control information, and
• a packet scheduler to prioritize transmission of Advanced Switching compliant packets based on contents of the Advanced Switching compliant packets.

A system comprising:

• an Advanced Switching (AS) format compliant switch fabric;
• a first line card capable to receive AS format compliant packets from the switch fabric or to transmit AS format compliant packets to the switch fabric;
• and
• a second line card, comprising:
• multiple containers each capable of storing SONET payload based on payload markers and time slot identifiers of SONET traffic;
• multiple complementary containers, wherein each of the multiple complementary containers is associated with one of the multiple containers, wherein at a periodic rate, multiple containers transfer contents to multiple complementary containers;
• and
• a scheduler to form segments from contents of the multiple complementary containers and provide segments of the same type and destined for the same egress end-point into the same payload of an Advanced Switching compatible packet.

A system comprising:

• an Advanced Switching (AS) format compliant switch fabric comprising:
• a cross bar having an overspeed of N/2, wherein N is a maximum number of possible output ports to which a packet may be multicast through the crossbar,
• an input port capable of providing packets to the cross bar,
• a plurality of output ports each capable of receiving packets from the cross bar,
• at least one unicast queue associated with the input port and capable of storing at least one packet destined for each output port,
• a multicast queue capable of storing packets designated for multicast transmission, and routing logic, wherein
• if utilization of the input port is approximately at or below a threshold, the routing logic stores a packet designated for multicast into each of the at least one unicast queues capable of storing packets destined for each of the destination output ports of the multicast, and
• if utilization of the input port is above a threshold, the routing logic stores a packet designated for multicast into the multicast queue;
• a first line card capable to receive AS format compliant packets from the switch fabric or to transmit AS format compliant packets to the switch fabric;
• and
• a second line card capable to receive AS format compliant packets from the switch fabric or to transmit AS format compliant packets to the switch fabric.