Action tag generation within a network based on priority or differential services information
AssigneeAdvanced Micro Devices, Inc.
InventorsPeter Ka-Fai Chow, Shr-Jie Tzeng
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A multiport switch includes an action generator that creates action tags describing how data frames received by the switch are to be forwarded. A port filter generates policy equations and a differential services code point (DSCP) signal for the received packets. A decoder and an action memory in the action generator choose the highest priority policy equation and use the policy equation to look up priority information for the data frame. A state machine in the action generator receives the DSCP signal. A result tag interface receives a DSCP field from the state machine and the priority information from the action memory. Based on these signals, the result tag interface constructs the final action tag.
Claims19
A network device for forwarding information in a network, the network device comprising:
- a plurality of input ports configured to receive a plurality of data frames;
- a port filter configured to generate policy information and class of service information for each of the received data frames;
- a memory storing action tags corresponding to the policy information;
- a result tag interface configured to generate a final action tag for each of the received data frames based on the class of service information and the action tag corresponding to the received data frame;
- and
- a decoder configured to receive the policy information from the port filter, select a highest priority policy equation indicated by the policy information, and output an address signal to the memory corresponding to the highest priority policy equation.
A network device for forwarding information in a network, the network device comprising:
- a plurality of input ports configured to receive a plurality of data frames;
- a port filter configured to generate policy information and class of service information for each of the received data frames;
- a memory storing action tags corresponding to the policy information;
- a result tag interface configured to generate a final action tag for each of the received data frames based on the class of service information and the action tag corresponding to the received data frame;
- and
- a state machine coupled to the port filter and the memory, the state machine being configured to receive the class of service information and activating the memory to read out a stored action tag in response to receiving the class of service information.
A method for identifying priority level information for a data frame received by a network device, comprising:
- programming a memory with priority level information corresponding to a plurality of priority levels based on network policy equations;
- receiving a plurality of data frames;
- accessing the memory to identify the priority level information associated with each of the received data frames;
- extracting a differentiated services code point (DSCP) data from each of the received data frames;
- generating a final action tag for the received data frames based on the DSCP data and the priority level information;
- and
- transmitting the data frames from the network device based on the generated final action tag.
A system comprising:
- a first-in-first-out buffer for receiving data frames in a packet-based network;
- a port filter for generating policy information and class of service information for the received data frames, the policy information for a particular one of the data frames including information relating to a priority level that the particular one of the data frames should be given;
- an action generator component for selecting one of the priority level from the policy information and the class of services information for each of the data frames, and generating a final action tag based on the selection;
- and
- output ports for transmitting the data frames based on the final action tags of the data frames.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.