Layer two and layer three virtual private network support in a network device
AssigneeBroadcom Corporation
InventorSong Yu
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A network device for processing data on a data network including a port interface configured to receive a data packet from a data network and to send a processed data packet to an egress port of the plurality of ports, a memory management unit controlling a memory and a search engine configured to perform searches of lookup tables and to return search results to assist in modifying the received data packet to produce the processed data packet. The port interface is configured to assign a virtual forwarding instance (VFI) identifier for the data packet when received and configured to perform appropriate encapsulation of the processed data packet based on the VFI identifier.
Claims15
A network device for processing data on a data network, the network device comprising:
- a port interface, in communication with a plurality of ports, configured to receive a data packet from a data network and to send a processed data packet to an egress port of the plurality of ports;
- a memory management unit, in communication with the port interface and controlling a memory;
- and
- a search engine, in communication with the port interface and the memory management unit, configured to perform searches of lookup tables and to return search results to assist in modifying the received data packet to produce the processed data packet;
- wherein the port interface is configured to assign a virtual forwarding instance (VFI) identifier for the data packet when received and configured to perform appropriate encapsulation of the processed data packet based on the VFI identifier.
A method for processing data in a network device, the method comprising the steps of:
- receiving a data packet at one port of a plurality of ports;
- assigning a virtual forwarding instance (VFI) identifier for the received data packet;
- storing the received data packet and the attached pointer by a memory management unit in a memory;
- retrieving the received data packet and the attached pointer from the memory;
- searching lookup tables using the attached pointer;
- obtaining search results;
- modifying the received data packet to form a processed data packet based on the search results;
- performing appropriate encapsulation of the processed data packet based on the VFI identifier;
- and
- forwarding processed data to an egress port of the plurality of ports.
A network device for processing data, the network device comprising:
- port means for receiving a data packet at one port of a plurality of ports and sending a processed data packet to an egress port of the plurality of ports;
- VFI means for assigning a virtual forwarding instance (VFI) identifier for the received data packet;
- memory means for storing the received data packet and the attached pointer in a memory and retrieving the received data packet and the attached pointer from the memory;
- searching means for lookup tables using the attached pointers and obtaining search results;
- modifying means for modifying the received data packet to form a processed data packet based on the search results;
- and
- encapsulation means for performing appropriate encapsulation of the processed data packet based on the VFI identifier.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.