Network switching with layer 2 switch coupled co-resident data-plane and network interface controllers
AssigneeCavium, Inc.
InventorWilson Parkhurst Snyder, II
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system network switching with layer 2 switch communicatively coupled co-resident data-plane and network interface controllers embodying a method for, receiving a packet from a communication network at the layer 2 switch; parsing the packet; and determining in accordance with a content of the parsed packet whether the packet is to be switched to one of one or more medium access controllers, or one of one or more packet input processors, or one of one or more network interface controllers of a network interface resource comprising the one or more packet input processors, one or more packet output processors, the one or more network interface controllers, and the layer 2 switch, implemented on a chip are disclosed.
Claims24
A method for network switching with layer 2 switch communicatively coupled co-resident data-plane and network interface controllers, comprising:
- receiving a packet from a communication network at the layer 2 switch;
- parsing the packet;
- and
- determining in accordance with a content of the parsed packet whether the packet is to be switched to one of one or more medium access controllers, or one of one or more packet input processors, or one of one or more network interface controllers of a network interface resource comprising the one or more packet input processors, one or more packet output processors, the one or more network interface controllers, and the layer 2 switch, implemented on a chip, wherein
- the one or more packet input processors and the one or more packet output processors employ event driven processing.
A method for network switching with layer 2 switch communicatively coupled co-resident data-plane and network interface controllers, comprising:
- receiving an outgoing packet at an internal facing interface of one of one or more network interface controllers of a network interface resource comprising a layer 2 switch, one or more packet input processors, one or more packet output processors, and the one or more network interface controllers, implemented on a chip, wherein the one or more packet input processors and the one or more packet output processors employ event driven processing;
- providing the outgoing packet processed by the network interface controller to the layer 2 switch;
- parsing the outgoing packet;
- and
- determining in accordance with a content of the parsed outgoing packet whether the outgoing packet is to be switched to one of the one or more medium access controllers or one of the one or more packet input processors.
A network interface apparatus, comprising:
- a semiconductor chip comprising one or more packet input processors, one or more packet output processors, one or more network interface controllers, one or more medium access controllers, wherein the one or more packet input processors and the one or more packet output processors employ event driven processing;
- and
- a layer 2 switch;
- wherein the layer 2 switch is communicatively coupled
- to network facing inbound interfaces of the one or more network interface controllers,
- to network facing outgoing interfaces of the one or more network interface controllers,
- to network facing interfaces of the one or more packet input processors,
- to network facing interfaces of the one or more packet output processors, and
- to the one or more medium access controllers.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.