Selective header field dispatch in a network processing system

A method for conveying data using switch cells, comprising:

• an embedded processor complex storing executable program code;
• the program code comprising instructions which, when executed on a computer system, cause the computer system to generate a compressed dispatch message comprising at least two switch cells from a plurality of data packets by:
• classifying a data packet format by sequentially analyzing protocol headers of a plurality of data packets;
• selecting a dispatch method format appropriate for the classified data packet format;
• extracting a subset plurality of fields from the analyzed data packet protocol headers from a subset plurality of the plurality of data packets appropriate to the classified format, the subset plurality of fields having a quantity of fields less than a total quantity of fields of the appropriate subset plurality of data packets;
• generating a first switch cell of the at least two switch cells of the compressed dispatch message comprising a first cell header field, a composite frame header field and a first payload field by concatenating at least two of the extracted subset fields to the first payload field;
• and generating a second switch cell of the at least two switch cells of the compressed dispatch message comprising a second cell header field and a second payload field by concatenating at least two remaining cells of the extracted subset fields to the second payload field.

A dataflow device, comprising:

• an enqueue/frame alteration component;
• and a header field extraction component;
• wherein the dataflow device is connected to a port to connect to a network link, and to a network processor through a switch interface, the switch interface connects to a switch fabric;
• and wherein the header field extraction component generates a compressed dispatch message comprising at least two switch cells from a plurality of data packets by:
• classifying a data packet format by sequentially analyzing protocol headers of a plurality of data packets;
• selecting a dispatch method format appropriate for the classified data packet format;
• extracting a subset plurality of fields from the analyzed data packet protocol headers from a subset plurality of the plurality of data packets appropriate to the classified format, the subset plurality of fields having a quantity of fields less than a total quantity of fields of the appropriate subset plurality of data packets;
• generating a first switch cell of the at least two switch cells of the compressed dispatch message comprising a first cell header field, a composite frame header field and a first payload field by concatenating at least two of the extracted subset fields to the first payload field;
• and generating a second switch cell of the at least two switch cells of the compressed dispatch message comprising a second cell header field mad a second payload field by concatenating at least two remaining cells of the extracted subset fields to the second payload field.