Filtering and route lookup in a switching device

Abstract

Methods and devices for processing packets are provided. The processing device may include an input interface for receiving data units containing header information of respective packets; a first module configurable to perform packet filtering based on the received data units; a second module configurable to perform traffic analysis based on the received data units; a third module configurable to perform load balancing based on the received data units; and a fourth module configurable to perform route lookups based on the received data units.

1 - 3 . (canceled) 
     
     
         4 . A device comprising:
 one or more multiports to receive a packet; and   a controller to:
 identify information for routing the packet through the device; and 
 transmit, to one of the one or more multiports, a notification that includes the information for routing the packet through the device. 
   
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 4 , further comprising:
 an input switch to receive the packet from a different multiport of the one or more multiports.   
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 5 , further comprising:
 a data buffer to temporarily store the packet after the input switch receives the packet.   
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 4 , where the controller is further to:
 receive a key read from the packet.   
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 7 , where the key includes destination information derived from a header field of the packet. 
     
     
         9 . The device of  claim 4 , where the controller is further to:
 perform a lookup to identify the information for routing the packet through the device.   
     
     
         10 . The device of  claim 4 , where the one or more multiports are to:
 initiate, based on the notification, a transfer of the packet from a buffer to the one of the one or more multiports.   
     
     
         11 . The device of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 an output switch,
 the packet being transferred from the buffer via the output switch. 
   
     
     
         12 . The device of  claim 4 , where the one of the one or more multiports comprises:
 an input section that includes a line input interface,   an output section that includes an output request processor, and   a memory section.   
     
     
         13 . A method comprising:
 receiving, by a first multiport of a device, a packet;   identifying, by a controller of the device, information for routing the packet through the device; and   transmitting, by the controller of the device and to a second multiport of the device, a notification that includes the information for routing the packet through the device.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 receiving, by an input switch of the device, the packet from the first multiport.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 storing, after the input switch receives the packet, the packet in a data buffer of the device.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 identifying, by an input switch, destination information based on the packet; and   transferring the destination information to the controller.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , where identifying the destination information comprises:
 deriving the destination information from a header field associated with a block of data in the packet.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 determining, by performing a lookup based on the destination information, a result that includes information identifying the second multiport,
 the notification being based on the result. 
   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 13 , where transmitting the notification comprises:
 transmitting, by the controller of the device, the notification to an output switch of the device, and   transmitting, by the output switch, the notification to the second multiport.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 initiating, by the second multiport and based on the notification, a transfer of the packet from a buffer to the second multiport.   
     
     
         21 . A system comprising:
 a first multiport to:
 receive a packet, and 
 transmit the packet to an input switch; 
   a buffer to store the packet after the input switch receives the packet; and   a second multiport to:
 receive a notification that includes information for routing the packet, and 
 initiate, based on the notification, a transfer of the packet from the buffer to the second multiport. 
   
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 21 , further comprising:
 a controller to:
 identify the information for routing the packet, and 
 transmit, to the second multiport, the notification that includes the information for routing the packet. 
   
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 21 , further comprising:
 an output port to:
 receive the notification, and 
 transmit the notification to the second multiport,
 the packet being transferred from the buffer to the second multiport via the output port.