US 7,889,741 B1Granted

Methods and apparatus for packet classification based on multiple conditions

AssigneeJuniper Networks, Inc.

InventorsRamesh Panwar, Deepak Goel, Jianhui Huang, Srinivasan Jagannadhan

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Abstract

In one embodiment, a method includes accessing a condition test vector, selecting a key from a plurality of keys, and determining whether the key selected and a condition value satisfy a condition relation. The accessing being based on an index value. The condition test vector including a first plurality of bit values defining the condition relation, a second plurality of bit values defining a key selector, and a third plurality of bit values defining the condition value. The selecting being based on the second plurality of bit values. Each key from the plurality of keys including a combination of bit values representing a portion of a data packet. A result is defined based on the determining.

Claims17

Dependent claims

A method executed by a processor, comprising:

accessing a condition test vector based on an index value, the condition test vector including a first plurality of bit values defining a first relation, a second plurality of bit values defining a first key selector, and a third plurality of bit values defining a first condition value, the condition test vector including a fourth plurality of bit values defining a second condition relation, a fifth plurality of bit values defining a second key selector, and a sixth plurality of bit values defining a second condition value;
selecting a first key from a plurality of keys based on the second plurality of bit values, each key from the plurality of keys including a combination of bit values representing a portion of a data packet;
determining whether the first key selected from the plurality of keys and the first condition value satisfy the first condition relation to define a first result;
selecting a second key from the plurality of keys based on the fifth plurality of bit values;
determining whether the second key selected from the plurality of keys and the second condition value satisfy the second condition relation to define a second result;
and
sending an indication of the first result and the second result.

4 more elements

A method, comprising:

receiving a first index vector representing a position of a first set bit value within a policy vector associated with a data packet, the first set bit value representing a first action in a switch fabric relative to the data packet, the first action having a precedence;
receiving a second index vector representing a position of a second set bit value within the policy vector associated with the data packet, the second set bit value representing a second action in the switch fabric relative to the data packet, the second action having a precedence lower than the precedence of the first action;
accessing, after the receiving the first index vector and the receiving the second index vector, a first action descriptor associated with the first index vector, the first action descriptor defining the first action;
performing a first condition test based on the first action descriptor, the first condition test configured to produce a first result indicating whether a portion of the data packet satisfies a classification condition specified in the first condition test;
accessing, after the accessing the first action descriptor, a second action descriptor associated with the second index vector, the second action descriptor defining the second action;
and
performing, after the performing the first condition test based on the first action descriptor, a second condition test based on the second action descriptor, the second condition test configured to produce a second result indicating whether a portion of the data packet satisfies a classification condition specified in the second condition test.

4 more elements

An apparatus, comprising:

a memory configured to store a plurality of condition test vectors, each condition test vector from the plurality of condition test vectors having a first plurality of bit values representing a first condition relation and a second plurality of bit values representing a first condition value;
and
a condition logic hardware module operatively coupled to the memory and configured to receive a condition test vector from the plurality of condition test vectors,
each condition test vector from the plurality of condition test vectors has a third plurality of bit values representing a second condition relation and a fourth plurality of bit values representing a second condition value,
the condition logic hardware module is configured to select the first condition relation of the condition test vector based on the first plurality of bit values of the condition test vector and to substantially simultaneously select the second condition relation of the condition test vector based on the third plurality of bit values of the condition test vector, and
the condition logic hardware module is configured to define an indicator that the first condition value of the condition test vector and the first portion of the data packet satisfy the first condition relation of the condition test vector and to substantially simultaneously define an indicator that the second condition value of the condition test vector and a second portion of the data packet satisfy the second condition relation of the condition test vector.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.