Abstract: According to one embodiment of the invention, a network device for processing data on a data network, includes a plurality of ports, where at least one higher speed port of the plurality of ports is configured to send and receive data between inter-networked devices, a memory management unit, in communication with and controlling memory external to the network device, configured store data on and retrieve data from the memory and a parser, in communication with the plurality of ports and the memory management unit, configured to parse the data received from the data network. The parser includes at least two independent parser units, with one of the independent parser units parsing data received by the at least one higher speed port and another of the independent parser units parsing data received by a remainder of the plurality of ports.

Abstract: Devices and methods for processing data are disclosed. An example network device includes a plurality of ports. Each port of the example network device is configured to receive data and to send processed data. The example network device further includes a multi-part parser in communication with the plurality of ports. In the example device, the multi-part parser is configured to parse received data. Further in the example device, the multi-part parser comprises a plurality of parsing blocks that are configured to serially parse the received data, where each parsing block is configured to parse particular values. Still further in the example device, each of the plurality of parsing blocks, except a first parsing block, receives parsed data from a prior parsing block with fields of the particular values at a zero offset position.

Abstract: A network device for processing data on a data network includes a plurality of ports configured to receive data from a data network and to send processed data to the data network, and a multi-part parser configured to parse the data received. The multi-part parser comprises several parsing blocks configured to serially parse the data, with each block designated to parse particular values and where each block but a first block receives parsed data from a prior block with the particular values at a zero offset position.

Abstract: A table searching system for facilitating high speed linear searching of a table of information by a plurality of searching agents is provided. The system includes: a memory unit for storing a table of information including a plurality of data entries each having data contents; a plurality of searching agents each being communicatively coupled with the memory unit, and having a port for receiving an associated search key value; and a memory controller unit providing a centralized interface between the memory unit and each of the agents, the controller unit being operative to control the memory unit to provide the contents of a current one of the table entries to each of the agents during each of a plurality of cycles of operation. Each of the searching agents is operative to determine an associated best matching one of the data entries based on comparisons between the associated key value and the contents of the data entries provided by the memory unit.

Abstract: A network device for processing data on a data network includes a port interface, connected to a plurality of ports configured to receive data packets from a data network and to send processed data packets to the data network, a memory management unit, in communication with and controlling memory external to the network device, configured store data on and retrieve data from the memory, an ingress module, in communication with the port interface and the memory management unit, configured to parse the received data packet and a search module, in communication with the parser, configured to provide lookup searches of tables upon request from the parser. The ingress module is configured to assign a packet identifier to each data packet received the plurality of ports and the packet identifier is used to track each data packet within the network device.

Abstract: A table searching system for facilitating high speed linear searching of a table of information by a plurality of searching agents is provided. The system includes: a memory unit for storing a table of information including a plurality of data entries each having data contents; a plurality of searching agents each being communicatively coupled with the memory unit, and having a port for receiving an associated search key value; and a memory controller unit providing a centralized interface between the memory unit and each of the agents, the controller unit being operative to control the memory unit to provide the contents of a current one of the table entries to each of the agents during each of a plurality of cycles of operation. Each of the searching agents is operative to determine an associated best matching one of the data entries based on comparisons between the associated key value and the contents of the data entries provided by the memory unit.

Abstract: A table searching system for facilitating high speed linear searching of a table of information by a plurality of searching agents is provided. The system includes: a memory unit for storing a table of information including a plurality of data entries each having data contents; a plurality of searching agents each being communicatively coupled with the memory unit, and having a port for receiving an associated search key value; and a memory controller unit providing a centralized interface between the memory unit and each of the agents, the controller unit being operative to control the memory unit to provide the contents of a current one of the table entries to each of the agents during each of a plurality of cycles of operation. Each of the searching agents is operative to determine an associated best matching one of the data entries based on comparisons between the associated key value and the contents of the data entries provided by the memory unit.

Abstract: A table searching system for facilitating high speed linear searching of a table of information by a plurality of searching agents is provided. The system includes: a memory unit for storing a table of information including a plurality of data entries each having data contents; a plurality of searching agents each being communicatively coupled with the memory unit, and having a port for receiving an associated search key value; and a memory controller unit providing a centralized interface between the memory unit and each of the agents, the controller unit being operative to control the memory unit to provide the contents of a current one of the table entries to each of the agents during each of a plurality of cycles of operation. Each of the searching agents is operative to determine an associated best matching one of the data entries based on comparisons between the associated key value and the contents of the data entries provided by the memory unit.