Packet comparator
AssigneeCisco Technology, Inc.
InventorsDavid Verbrugge, Brian E. Crookes
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A packet comparator includes a match packet buffer and a first in first out (FIFO) buffer that stores a reference packet stream. Once a packet in the reference stream and a candidate stream are matched to the match packet, the reference stream and the candidate stream are considered synchronized. Thereafter, the two streams are passed through a compare function and a resultant stream is output from the packet comparator. Possible resultant streams include the results of an exclusive OR (XOR) operation between all, or selected parts, of packets in each of the streams.
Claims27
A method, comprising:
- designating a match packet in a reference data stream based on data in a match packet buffer;
- receiving, at an input, the reference data stream and successively storing packets thereof in a first in first out (FIFO) buffer;
- receiving a candidate data stream including a plurality of packets;
- matching the match packet with a packet in the FIFO buffer, matching the match packet with a packet in the candidate data stream, and thereafter considering that the reference data stream and the candidate data stream are in synchronicity with one another;
- thereafter, comparing respective packets in each of the reference data stream and the candidate data stream based on control information stored in memory;
- and
- outputting, at an output, packet comparison diagnostic information based on the comparison of packets in the reference data stream and the candidate data stream.
A method, comprising:
- designating a match packet in a reference stream based on data in a match packet buffer;
- receiving the reference stream including the match packet at an input;
- detecting the match packet in the reference stream based on control information stored in memory;
- detecting the match packet in a candidate stream, based on the control information, wherein the candidate stream is a processed version of the reference stream and is delayed in time with respect to the reference stream;
- upon detection of the match packet in both the reference stream and the candidate stream, changing a register state to a synchronization state;
- when in the synchronization state, comparing, based on the control information respective individual packets in the reference stream and the candidate stream to each other;
- and
- outputting, at an output, packet comparison diagnostic information based on the comparison of the respective individual packets in the reference stream and the candidate stream.
A system, comprising:
- a microprocessor;
- a packet comparator that is configured to be controlled by the microprocessor via a set of registers;
- the packet comparator having a first input configured to receive a reference stream, a second input configured to receive a candidate stream, and an output configured to supply diagnostic information;
- the packet comparator further comprising:
- a match packet buffer configured to receive a match packet and supply the same to modules for detecting the match packet in both the reference stream and the candidate stream;
- and
- a compare module configured to compare respective individual packets in the reference stream and the candidate stream to each other, and to output the diagnostic information based on the comparison of the respective individual packets in the reference stream and the candidate stream.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.