Abstract: A method according to one embodiment may include storing data in a send buffer. A transmission header may be created, in which the transmission header may include a pointer to the data in the send buffer. Packets may be transmitted, in which the packets include the transmission header and the data linked to the transmission header by the pointer, wherein the packets are transmitted without copying the data to create the packets. Of course, many alternatives, variations and modifications are possible without materially departing from this embodiment.

Abstract: Method and apparatus to support a large Internet Protocol Forwarding Information Base. A packet is received at a network device, the packet including a destination address. A table is indexed into using a portion of the destination address to locate an entry in the table associated with the portion of the destination address. A pool index is derived from the portion of the destination address and is used to identify a pool of data blocks from among a plurality of pools of data blocks. The entry and the pool of data blocks are navigated to find a next-hop for the packet.

Abstract: A method according to one embodiment may include storing data in a send buffer. A transmission header may be created, in which the transmission header may include a pointer to the data in the send buffer. Packets may be transmitted, in which the packets include the transmission header and the data linked to the transmission header by the pointer, wherein the packets are transmitted without copying the data to create the packets. Of course, many alternatives, variations and modifications are possible without materially departing from this embodiment.

Abstract: Partitioning of a Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) Control Block (TCB) associated with a TCP connection into multiple, independently accessible data structures. A first of the data structures includes TCB data used in handling an egress direction of the TCP connection while a second of the data structures includes TCB data used in handling an ingress direction of the TCP connection.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for improving forwarding information base (FIB) lookup performance. An FIB is partitioned into a multiple portions that are distributed across segments of a multi-channel SRAM store to form a distributed FIB that is accessible to a network processor. Primary entries corresponding to a linked list of FIB entries are stored in a designated FIB portion. Secondary FIB entries are stored in other FIB portions (a portion of the secondary FIB entries may also be stored in the designated primary entry portion), enabling multiple FIB entries to be concurrently accessed via respective channels. A portion of the secondary FIB entries may also be stored in a secondary (e.g., DRAM) store. A depth level threshold is set to limit the number of accesses to a linked list of FIB entries by a network processor micro-engine thread, wherein an access depth that would exceed the threshold generates an exception that is handled by a separate execution thread to maintain line-rate throughput.

Abstract: Method and apparatus to support a large Internet Protocol Forwarding Information Base. A packet is received at a network device, the packet including a destination address. A table is indexed into using a portion of the destination address to locate an entry in the table associated with the portion of the destination address. A pool index is derived from the portion of the destination address and is used to identify a pool of data blocks from among a plurality of pools of data blocks. The entry and the pool of data blocks are navigated to find a next-hop for the packet.