Methods, systems, and computer readable media for multi-packet cyclic redundancy check engine

A method for performing a multi-packet cyclic redundancy check (CRC), the method comprising:

• at an entity having hardware for processing network packets:
• receiving a plurality of bits associated with at least one data packet;
• identifying packet boundaries within the plurality of bits;
• dividing the plurality of bits into a plurality of subsets of bits, each subset containing a portion of a packet less than all of a packet;
• calculating a CRC value for each of the plurality of subsets of bits;
• and
• combining the calculated CRC values according to identified packet boundaries to produce packet-specific CRC values, wherein combining the calculated CRC values according to the identified packet boundaries comprises receiving, at an output module, information about the locations of the packet boundaries from an input module and reconfiguring internal data paths of the output module to direct data within a given set of packet boundaries to be combined with other data from within the same set of packet boundaries;
• wherein the output module comprises a number of instances of duplicated components, and wherein each instance of duplicated components comprises a same number of select blocks and a same number of XOR circuits;
• and
• wherein reconfiguring internal data paths of the output module to direct data within a given set of packet boundaries to be combined with other data from within the same set of packet boundaries comprises dynamically controlling the select blocks of the instances of duplicated components.

A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon executable instructions that when executed by the processor of a computer control the computer to perform steps comprising:

• at an entity for generating network packets and having hardware:
• receiving a plurality of bits associated with at least one data packet;
• identifying packet boundaries within the plurality of bits;
• dividing the plurality of bits into a plurality of subsets of bits, each subset containing a portion of a packet less than all of a packet;
• calculating a CRC value for each of the plurality of subsets of bits;
• and
• combining the calculated CRC values according to identified packet boundaries to produce packet-specific CRC values, wherein combining the calculated CRC values according to the identified packet boundaries comprises receiving, at an output module, information about the locations of the packet boundaries from an input module and reconfiguring internal data paths of the output module to direct data within a given set of packet boundaries to be combined with other data from within the same set of packet boundaries;
• wherein the output module comprises a number of instances of duplicated components, and wherein each instance of duplicated components comprises a same number of select blocks and a same number of XOR circuits;
• and
• wherein reconfiguring internal data paths of the output module to direct data within a given set of packet boundaries to be combined with other data from within the same set of packet boundaries comprises dynamically controlling the select blocks of the instances of duplicated components.