Technologies for network packet cache management

A network device for use in a software defined network environment that includes a network controller and a content storage device, the network device comprising:

• a processor that includes a cache, wherein the cache includes a plurality of cache lines;
• a network packet processing module to receive a network packet from the content storage device communicatively coupled to the network device, store the network packet in a cache line, and process the network packet;
• and
• a cache management module to receive an eviction policy from the network controller communicatively coupled to the network device, determine whether the cache line corresponding to the network packet is to be evicted from the cache based on a determination that the network packet is not needed subsequent to processing the network packet, and provide an indication that the cache line is to be evicted from the cache in response to the determination that the network packet is not needed subsequent to processing the network packet.

A method for identifying a cache line of a network packet for eviction from an on-processor cache of a network device, the method comprising:

• receiving, by the network device, the network packet at the on-processor cache of the network device, wherein the on-processor cache comprises a plurality of cache lines;
• storing the network packet in the cache line of the on-processor cache;
• processing the network packet;
• and
• determining whether the network packet is required for subsequent processing;
• indicating that the cache line corresponding to the network packet is to be evicted from the on-processor cache in response to on a determination that the network packet is not required for subsequent processing.

One or more non-transitory, computer-readable storage media comprising a plurality of instructions stored thereon that in response to being executed cause a computing device to:

• receive the network packet at an on-processor cache of the network device, wherein the on-processor cache comprises a plurality of cache lines;
• store the network packet in the cache line of the on-processor cache;
• process the network packet;
• and
• determine whether the network packet is required for subsequent processing;
• indicate that the cache line that corresponds to the network packet is to be evicted from the on-processor cache in response to on a determination that the network packet is not required for subsequent processing.