Performing actions on frame entries in response to receiving bulk instruction

A method comprising:

• receiving, by a network switch, a bulk instruction from a processor outside the network switch, the bulk instruction identifying an action to perform on frame entries;
• in response to receiving the bulk instruction, performing a loop function, the loop function including a number of iterations based on a number of frame entries included in the network switch, each of the iterations including generating one of a number of frame entry instructions, each of the frame entry instructions identifying the action and identifying a unique frame entry in the network switch upon which to perform the action, the identified unique frame entry being based on the number of iterations;
• and
• based on each of the generated frame entry instructions, performing the identified action on the frame entry identified by the respective frame entry instruction.

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions stored thereon that, when executed by at least one processor, are configured to cause a computing system to at least:

• receive, by an instruction decode stage, a bulk instruction identifying an action to perform on frame entries;
• in response to receiving the bulk instruction, perform a loop function, the loop function including a number of iterations based on a number of frame entries included in the computing system, each of the iterations including generating one of a number of frame entry instructions and sending the generated frame entry instructions to a lookup stage, each of the frame entry instructions identifying the action and identifying a unique frame entry upon which to perform the action, the identified unique frame entry being based on the number of an iteration;
• and
• based on each of the generated frame entry instructions, perform the identified action, by the lookup stage, on the frame entry identified by the respective frame entry instruction.