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: Aspects of the present disclosure are directed towards a network interface controller that could provide a connection for a device to a network. The 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 analyses 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: 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: Access control lists (ACLs) include one or more rules that each define a condition and one or more actions to be performed if the condition is satisfied. In one embodiment, the conditions are stored on a ternary content-addressable memory (TCAM), which receives a portion of network traffic, such as a frame header, and compares different portions of the header to entries in the TCAM. If the frame header satisfies the condition, the TCAM reports the match to other elements in the ACL. For certain conditions, the TCAM may divide the condition into a plurality of sub-conditions which are each stored in a row of the TCAM. To efficiently use the limited space in TCAM, the networking element may include one or more comparator units which check for special-case conditions. The comparator units may be used in lieu of the TCAM to determine whether the condition is satisfied.

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: In one embodiment, a method includes selecting a flow from a head of a first control queue or a second control queue. The method also includes providing service to the selected flow. Moreover, the method includes decreasing a service credit of the selected flow by an amount corresponding to an amount of service provided to the selected flow. In another embodiment, a computer program product includes a computer readable storage medium having program code embodied therewith. The embodied program code is readable/executable by a device to select, by the device, a flow from a head of a first control queue or a second control queue. The embodied program code is also readable/executable to provide, by the device, service to the selected flow, and decrease, by the device, a service credit of the selected flow by an amount corresponding to an amount of service provided to the selected flow.

Abstract: Techniques are provided for managing a routing table in a distributed network switch. The distributed network switch is divided into logical switch partitions, or logical networks, that may share a routing table. The shared routing table is configured with counters and thresholds to control utilization of the routing table on a per-logical network basis. When counters exceed certain threshold, the routing table is modified to reduce routing entries within the routing table or pause insertion of new routing entries.

Abstract: A network fabric may divide a physical connection into a plurality of VLANs as defined by IEEE 802.1Q. Moreover, many network fabrics use Priority Flow Control to identify and segregate network traffic based on different traffic classes or priorities. Current routing protocols define only eight traffic classes. In contrast, a network fabric may contain thousands of unique VLANs. When network congestion occurs, network devices (e.g., switches, bridges, routers, servers, etc.) can negotiate to pause the network traffic associated with one of the different traffic classes. Pausing the data packets associated with a single traffic class may also stop the data packets associated with thousands of VLANs. The embodiments disclosed herein permit a network fabric to individually pause VLANs rather than entire traffic classes.

Abstract: Link aggregation is a practice that uses multiple Ethernet links between two end points in order to obtain higher bandwidth and resiliency than possible with a single link. A flow distribution technique is provided to distribute traffic between the two end points equally across all links in the group and achieve greater efficiency. The flow distribution technique generates and sub-divides a hash value based on received packet flow. The divided portions of the hash value are used in a hierarchical fashion to select a link to use for this packet.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for reducing latency in a networking application comprises receiving data at a physical coding sublayer (PCS) from a media access control (MAC) sublayer, wherein the MAC sublayer utilizes a first clock domain operating at a first clock frequency. The method further comprises 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, wherein the one or more PMA lanes utilize a second clock domain operating at a second clock frequency, wherein the first clock frequency and the second clock frequency have a fixed ratio. The method also comprises performing one or more functions in the PCS on the data in the second clock domain.

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 reducing latency in a networking application comprises receiving data at a physical coding sublayer (PCS) from a media access control (MAC) sublayer, wherein the MAC sublayer utilizes a first clock domain operating at a first clock frequency. The method further comprises 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, wherein the one or more PMA lanes utilize a second clock domain operating at a second clock frequency, wherein the first clock frequency and the second clock frequency have a fixed ratio. The method also comprises performing one or more functions in the PCS on the data in the second clock domain.

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: Access control lists (ACLs) include one or more rules that each define a condition and one or more actions to be performed if the condition is satisfied. In one embodiment, the conditions are stored on a ternary content-addressable memory (TCAM), which receives a portion of network traffic, such as a frame header, and compares different portions of the header to entries in the TCAM. If the frame header satisfies the condition, the TCAM reports the match to other elements in the ACL. For certain conditions, the TCAM may divide the condition into a plurality of sub-conditions which are each stored in a row of the TCAM. To efficiently use the limited space in TCAM, the networking element may include one or more comparator units which check for special-case conditions. The comparator units may be used in lieu of the TCAM to determine whether the condition is satisfied.

Abstract: Techniques are provided for hash-based routing table management in a distributed network switch. A frame having a source address and a destination address is received. If no routing entry for the source address is found in a routing table of a switch module in the distributed network switch, routing information is determined for the source address and a routing entry is generated. The routing table is modified to include the routing entry and based on a set of hash functions.

Abstract: Techniques are provided for hash-based routing table management in a distributed network switch. A frame having a source address and a destination address is received. If no routing entry for the source address is found in a routing table of a switch module in the distributed network switch, routing information is determined for the source address and a routing entry is generated. The routing table is modified to include the routing entry and based on a set of hash functions.

Abstract: A network processor includes first communication protocol ports that each support ‘M’ minimum size packet data path traffic on ‘N’ lanes at ‘S’ Gigabits per second (Gbps) and traffic with different communication protocol units on ‘n’ additional lanes at ‘s’ Gbps. The first communication protocol ports support access to an external coprocessor using parsing logic located in each of the first communication protocol ports. The parsing logic, during a parsing period, is configured to send a request to the external coprocessor at reception of a ‘M’ size packet and to receive a response from the external coprocessor. The parsing logic sends a request maximum ‘m’ size byte word to the external coprocessor on one of the additional lanes and receives a response maximum ‘m’ size byte word from the external coprocessor on the one of the additional lanes while complying with the equation N×S/M=<n×s/m.

Abstract: Embodiments presented herein describe techniques for isolating multicast and broadcast frames to a traffic class that is separate from a traffic class used for unicast frames. According to one embodiment, a network switch receives an incoming Ethernet virtual local area network (VLAN)-tagged frame. The switch evaluates priority bits of the VLAN tag of the frame. The switch also determines a type of frame (e.g., whether the frame is unicast, broadcast, multicast, or flood). Based on the priority field values and the type of the frame, the switch identifies a mapping of the frame to a particular traffic class. The network switch assigns the frame to the traffic class.

Abstract: Embodiments presented herein describe techniques for isolating multicast and broadcast frames to a traffic class that is separate from a traffic class used for unicast frames. According to one embodiment, a network switch receives an incoming Ethernet virtual local area network (VLAN)-tagged frame. The switch evaluates priority bits of the VLAN tag of the frame. The switch also determines a type of frame (e.g., whether the frame is unicast, broadcast, multicast, or flood). Based on the priority field values and the type of the frame, the switch identifies a mapping of the frame to a particular traffic class. The network switch assigns the frame to the traffic class.

Abstract: Techniques are provided for hash-based routing table management in a distributed network switch. A frame having a source address and a destination address is received by a switch module having bridge elements and a routing table divided into slices of buckets, each slice having a respective property and including one or more buckets. If a routing entry for the source address is found in a first slice of a first set of buckets of the routing table responsive to a lookup request for the source address, and the property of the first slice satisfies a replication condition, then the routing entry is replicated to a second set of buckets of the routing table.