Abstract: A network interface controller (NC) that can provide a connection for a device to a network. The NC can include a sideband port controller. The sideband port controller can provide a sideband connection between the network and a sideband endpoint circuit that can communicate information with the network via the sideband. The sideband port controller can include a receive data route that has an input for receiving packets of data from the network and an output for passing the packets of data received from the network to the sideband endpoint circuit. The receive data route may include a buffer to receive the packets of data from the network and to pass the packets of data received from the network to the sideband endpoint.

Abstract: A network interface controller for providing a connection for a device to a network. The network interface controller may include a sideband port controller. The sideband port controller may provide a sideband connection between the network and a sideband endpoint circuit that is operative to communicate information with the network via the sideband. The sideband port controller may include a transmit data route having an input for receiving packets from the sideband endpoint circuit and an output for passing packets received from the sideband endpoint to the network. A packet parser is connected to the transmit data route. The packet parser is operative to read data from packets received from the sideband endpoint and is further operative to analyze the data.

Abstract: Techniques are provided for receiving data at a physical coding sublayer (PCS) transmit structure from a media access control (MAC) sublayer. Data is received at a PCS transmit structure from a MAC sublayer, and one or more alignment markers are inserted in the data. FEC encoding is performed, in a first clock domain, on the one or more alignment markers and the data in the PCS transmit structure to generate FEC encoded data. The FEC encoded data is transmitted from the first clock domain with a first clock cycle to a second clock domain with a second clock cycle, and the FEC encoded data is transmitted on one or more physical medium attachment (PMA) lanes to a PCS receive structure. FEC decoding is performed, in the second clock domain, on the FEC encoded data in the PCS receive structure to generate FEC decoded data.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for receiving data at a physical coding sublayer (PCS) transmit structure from a media access control (MAC) sublayer. The method includes performing a first forward error-correcting (FEC) sub-function on the data in the PCS transmit structure. The method further includes transmitting the data on one or more physical medium attachment (PMA) lanes to a PCS receive structure. The method also includes performing a second FEC sub-function on the data in the PCS receive structure.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for receiving data at a physical coding sublayer (PCS) transmit structure from a media access control (MAC) sublayer. The method includes performing a first forward error-correcting (FEC) sub-function on the data in the PCS transmit structure. The method further includes transmitting the data on one or more physical medium attachment (PMA) lanes to a PCS receive structure. The method also includes performing a second FEC sub-function on the data in the PCS receive structure.

Abstract: A network interface controller includes a media access controller connected to receive an in-band packet and further connected to receive a sideband packet. The network interface controller includes a host adapter that includes a receive route connected to receive the in-band packet and the sideband packet from the media access controller, and further connected to transmit the in-band packet to a host. The network interface controller includes a sideband port controller comprising a sideband receive buffer. The host adapter further includes a first receive buffer to store the in-band packet and to store the sideband packet. The host adapter further includes an arbiter connected to allow, at a time, the in-band packet to advance from the first receive buffer along the receive route towards the host and further connected to allow, at a different time, the sideband packet to advance to the sideband receive buffer of the sideband port controller.

Abstract: A system for reducing latency in a networking application includes a first clock domain operating at a first clock frequency, where a media access control (MAC) sublayer sends data to a physical coding sublayer (PCS) utilizing the first clock domain. The system also includes a second clock domain operating at a second clock frequency, where data is transmitted on one or more physical medium attachment (PMA) lanes utilizing the second clock domain, and where the first clock frequency and the second clock frequency have a fixed ratio. Data is transmitted from the first clock domain to the second clock domain without buffering the data.

Abstract: A method for reducing latency in a networking application includes receiving data at a physical coding sublayer (PCS) from a media access control (MAC) sublayer, where the MAC sublayer utilizes a first clock domain operating at a first clock frequency. The method further includes performing one or more functions in the PCS on the data in the first clock domain. The method also includes transmitting the data on one or more physical medium attachment (PMA) lanes, where the one or more PMA lanes utilize a second clock domain operating at a second clock frequency, where the first clock frequency and the second clock frequency have a fixed ratio. The data is transmitted from the first clock domain to the second clock domain without buffering the data. The method also includes performing one or more functions in the PCS on the data in the second clock domain.

Abstract: Embodied is a host network controller for a network processor. The host network controller is adapted to implement a finite state machine for an operation adhering to a standardized communication protocol, wherein the finite state machine has fewer possible states than those defined for the operation in accordance with the standardized communication protocol.

Abstract: A network interface controller can include a sideband port controller. The sideband port controller can provide a sideband connection between the network and a sideband endpoint circuit that can be operative to communicate with the network via a sideband. The sideband port controller can include an event notification unit operative to compile information into an event notification packet. The sideband port controller can further include a packet parser. In embodiments, the packet parser could be operative to analyzes a packet to provide an indication that the packet contains the event notification packet. In embodiments, the sideband port controller could be operative to forward the information in the event notification packet to the sideband endpoint circuit, responsive to that indication.

Abstract: Provided is a method for operating a host network controller for a network processor where the host network controller has at least one register. A restricted set of state data may be stored in at least one register. The restricted set of state data may be indicative of fewer possible states than those defined in accordance with a standardized communication protocol. The host network controller may implement a finite state machine based on the restricted set of state data stored in the at least one register such that the finite state machine may have fewer possible states than those defined in accordance with the standardized communication protocol.

Abstract: A network interface controller includes a media access controller and a host adapter. The host adapter includes a transmit route connected to receive an in-band packet from a host and further connected to transmit the in-band packet to the media access controller. The network interface controller also includes a sideband port controller connected to receive a sideband packet destined for a network from a sideband endpoint and further connected to transmit the sideband packet to the host adapter. The host adapter further includes a host buffer to store the in-band packet, a sideband buffer to store the sideband packet, and an arbiter connected to allow, at different times, the in-band packet to advance along the transmit route from the host buffer to the media access controller and the sideband packet to advance along the transmit route from the sideband buffer to the media access controller.

Abstract: IEEE 802.1Q and Enhanced Transmission Selection provide only eight different traffic classes that may be used to control bandwidth in a particular physical connection (or link). Instead of relying only on these eight traffic classes to manage bandwidth, the embodiments discussed herein disclose using an Enhanced Transmission Selection scheduler that permits a network device to set the bandwidth for an individual virtual LAN. Allocating bandwidth in a port based on a virtual LAN ID permits a network device to allocate bandwidth to, e.g., millions of unique virtual LANs. Thus, this technique may increase the granular control of the network fabric and its performance.

Abstract: Proposed is an action machine for processing packet data in a network processor. The action machine comprises: first and second data storage units adapted to store data for processing; and a processing unit adapted to process data from the first and second data storage units. The first storage unit is adapted to be accessed by the processing unit and a unit external to the action machine, and the second storage unit is adapted to only be accessed by the processing unit.

Abstract: A network interface controller includes a media access controller connected to receive an in-band packet and further connected to receive a sideband packet. The network interface controller includes a host adapter that includes a receive route connected to receive the in-band packet and the sideband packet from the media access controller, and further connected to transmit the in-band packet to a host. The network interface controller includes a sideband port controller comprising a sideband receive buffer. The host adapter further includes a first receive buffer to store the in-band packet and to store the sideband packet. The host adapter further includes an arbiter connected to allow, at a time, the in-band packet to advance from the first receive buffer along the receive route towards the host and further connected to allow, at a different time, the sideband packet to advance to the sideband receive buffer of the sideband port controller.

Abstract: Embodiments provide a TCAM-based access control list that supports disjunction operations in rules. A network frame is received. Embodiments determine set TCP flags of the network frame. Upon determining that the set TCP flags match a first entry in a numeric range table, bits of a search key corresponding to the first entry are updated. The search key accesses a second entry stored in a TCAM. The first entry further comprises an encode field to scan a TCP header of the network frame for set TCP flags, a first mask field to a condition corresponding to unset TCP flags to identify in the network frame, a second mask field to a condition corresponding to set TCP flags to identify in the network frame, and an operation field specifying a disjunction operation for comparing the set TCP flags with the first mask field and the second mask field.

Abstract: A network interface controller includes a media access controller and a host adapter. The host adapter includes a transmit route connected to receive an in-band packet from a host and further connected to transmit the in-band packet to the media access controller. The network interface controller also includes a sideband port controller connected to receive a sideband packet destined for a network from a sideband endpoint and further connected to transmit the sideband packet to the host adapter. The host adapter further includes a host buffer to store the in-band packet, a sideband buffer to store the sideband packet, and an arbiter connected to allow, at different times, the in-band packet to advance along the transmit route from the host buffer to the media access controller and the sideband packet to advance along the transmit route from the sideband buffer to the media access controller.

Abstract: A packet parser has a set of marker elements each comprising a one bit latch and connected to store flag values from the results of the application of parser rules. Some marker elements are connected to provide the stored marker values as input to the parser rule logic to be taken into account in the processing of subsequent parser rules and some are connected to control external hardware. Some markers are reset at the end of each packet. A special toggle marker element toggles its value when its address is selected and other marker elements are connected to store, when its own address is selected, the value of the toggle element. Other markers toggle their own value when selected.

Abstract: A packet parser has a set of marker elements each comprising a one bit latch and connected to store flag values from the results of the application of parser rules. Some marker elements are connected to provide the stored marker values as input to the parser rule logic to be taken into account in the processing of subsequent parser rules and some are connected to control external hardware. Some markers are reset at the end of each packet. A special toggle marker element toggles its value when its address is selected and other marker elements are connected to store, when its own address is selected, the value of the toggle element. Other markers toggle their own value when selected.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes receiving a plurality of flows, each flow comprising packets of data and assigning a service credit to each of the plurality of flows. In addition, the method includes assigning a weight parameter to each of the plurality of flows, and selecting a flow from a head of a first control queue unless the first control queue is empty or there is indication that the first control queue should be avoided. A flow is selected from a head of a second control queue in response to a determination that the first control queue is empty or there is indication that the first control queue should be avoided. Additionally, the method includes providing a number of units of service to the selected flow. Moreover, the method includes decreasing the selected flow's service credit by an amount corresponding to the number of units of service provided thereto.