Programmable metering behavior based on table lookup

A method for processing data in a network device, the method comprising the steps of:

• receiving controller signals, sent through a controller interface from an external controller;
• programming programmable registers of a metering unit based on the received controller signals;
• receiving data at one port of a plurality of ports;
• storing the received data by a memory management unit in a memory external to the network device;
• determining attributes of the received data and an egress port for the received data;
• retrieving the received data from the memory and modifying the received data, if needed, based on the determined attributes to produce processed data;
• and
• forwarding the processed data through the egress port when indicated by the metering unit;
• wherein the programmable registers of the metering unit determine all aspects of a flow of the processed data to the egress port.

A network device for processing data, the network device comprising:

• receiving means for receiving controller signals, sent through the controller interface from the external controller;
• programming means for programming programmable registers of a metering unit based on the received controller signals;
• port means for receiving data and forwarding processed data through an egress port;
• memory means for storing the data received from the parsing means by the memory management unit in a memory external to the network device and retrieving the stored data;
• modifying means for modifying retrieved, stored data, based on the determined attributes to produce processed data;
• wherein the programmable registers determine all aspects of a flow of the processed data to the egress port.