Abstract: A method of multicasting packets by a forwarding element that includes several packet replicators and several egress pipelines. Each packet replicator receives a data structure associated with a multicast packet that identifies a multicast group. Each packet replicator identifies a first physical egress port of a first egress pipeline for sending the multicast packet to a member of the multicast group. The first physical egress port is a member of LAG. Each packet replicator determines that the first physical egress port is not operational and identifies a second physical port in the LAG for sending the multicast packet to the member of the multicast group. When a packet replicator is connected to the same egress pipeline as the second physical egress, the packet replicator provides the identification of the second physical egress port to the egress pipeline to send the packet to the multicast member. Otherwise the packet replicator drops the packet.

Abstract: A method of multicasting packets by a forwarding element that includes several packet replicators and several egress pipelines. Each packet replicator receives a data structure associated with a multicast packet that identifies a multicast group. Each packet replicator identifies a first physical egress port of a first egress pipeline for sending the multicast packet to a member of the multicast group. The first physical egress port is a member of LAG. Each packet replicator determines that the first physical egress port is not operational and identifies a second physical port in the LAG for sending the multicast packet to the member of the multicast group. When a packet replicator is connected to the same egress pipeline as the second physical egress, the packet replicator provides the identification of the second physical egress port to the egress pipeline to send the packet to the multicast member. Otherwise the packet replicator drops the packet.

Abstract: Some embodiments of the invention provide a forwarding element that can be configured through in-band data-plane messages from a remote controller that is a physically separate machine from the forwarding element. The forwarding element of some embodiments has data plane circuits that include several configurable message-processing stages, several storage queues, and a data-plane configurator. A set of one or more message-processing stages of the data plane are configured (1) to process configuration messages received by the data plane from the remote controller and (2) to store the configuration messages in a set of one or more storage queues. The data-plane configurator receives the configuration messages stored in the set of storage queues and configures one or more of the configurable message-processing stages based on configuration data in the configuration messages.

Abstract: Some embodiments of the invention provide a forwarding element that can be configured through in-band data-plane messages from a remote controller that is a physically separate machine from the forwarding element. The forwarding element of some embodiments has data plane circuits that include several configurable message-processing stages, several storage queues, and a data-plane configurator. A set of one or more message-processing stages of the data plane are configured (1) to process configuration messages received by the data plane from the remote controller and (2) to store the configuration messages in a set of one or more storage queues. The data-plane configurator receives the configuration messages stored in the set of storage queues and configures one or more of the configurable message-processing stages based on configuration data in the configuration messages.

Abstract: Some embodiments of the invention provide a forwarding element that can be configured through in-band data-plane messages from a remote controller that is a physically separate machine from the forwarding element. The forwarding element of some embodiments has data plane circuits that include several configurable message-processing stages, several storage queues, and a data-plane configurator. A set of one or more message-processing stages of the data plane are configured (1) to process configuration messages received by the data plane from the remote controller and (2) to store the configuration messages in a set of one or more storage queues. The data-plane configurator receives the configuration messages stored in the set of storage queues and configures one or more of the configurable message-processing stages based on configuration data in the configuration messages.

Abstract: Some embodiments of the invention provide a forwarding element that can be configured through in-band data-plane messages from a remote controller that is a physically separate machine from the forwarding element. The forwarding element of some embodiments has data plane circuits that include several configurable message-processing stages, several storage queues, and a data-plane configurator. A set of one or more message-processing stages of the data plane are configured (1) to process configuration messages received by the data plane from the remote controller and (2) to store the configuration messages in a set of one or more storage queues. The data-plane configurator receives the configuration messages stored in the set of storage queues and configures one or more of the configurable message-processing stages based on configuration data in the configuration messages.

Abstract: A method of multicasting packets by a forwarding element that includes several packet replicators and several egress pipelines. Each packet replicator receives a data structure associated with a multicast packet that identifies a multicast group. Each packet replicator identifies a first physical egress port of a first egress pipeline for sending the multicast packet to a member of the multicast group. The first physical egress port is a member of LAG. Each packet replicator determines that the first physical egress port is not operational and identifies a second physical port in the LAG for sending the multicast packet to the member of the multicast group. When a packet replicator is connected to the same egress pipeline as the second physical egress, the packet replicator provides the identification of the second physical egress port to the egress pipeline to send the packet to the multicast member. Otherwise the packet replicator drops the packet.

Abstract: A method of performing bidirectional forwarding detection (BFD) by a hardware forwarding element that includes a set of ingress pipelines and a set of egress pipelines. Each ingress pipeline includes a packet generator. A packet generator in a first pipeline periodically generates a pair of packets to monitor the health of a particular egress link. The pair includes a BFD transmit packet and a BFD dummy transmit packet. The method forwards each dummy BFD transmit packet to a first egress pipeline and increments a counter at the first egress pipeline. Each BFD packet is transmitted through the particular egress link to a network node. BFD packets received from the network node are forwarded to the first egress pipeline and the value of the counter is rest. The method marks the particular egress link as failed when the value of the counter exceeds a predetermined threshold.

Abstract: Some embodiments of the invention provide a forwarding element that can be configured through in-band data-plane messages from a remote controller that is a physically separate machine from the forwarding element. The forwarding element of some embodiments has data plane circuits that include several configurable message-processing stages, several storage queues, and a data-plane configurator. A set of one or more message-processing stages of the data plane are configured (1) to process configuration messages received by the data plane from the remote controller and (2) to store the configuration messages in a set of one or more storage queues. The data-plane configurator receives the configuration messages stored in the set of storage queues and configures one or more of the configurable message-processing stages based on configuration data in the configuration messages.

Abstract: Some embodiments of the invention provide a forwarding element that can be configured through in-band data-plane messages from a remote controller that is a physically separate machine from the forwarding element. The forwarding element of some embodiments has data plane circuits that include several configurable message-processing stages, several storage queues, and a data-plane configurator. A set of one or more message-processing stages of the data plane are configured (1) to process configuration messages received by the data plane from the remote controller and (2) to store the configuration messages in a set of one or more storage queues. The data-plane configurator receives the configuration messages stored in the set of storage queues and configures one or more of the configurable message-processing stages based on configuration data in the configuration messages.

Abstract: Some embodiments of the invention provide a forwarding element that can be configured through in-band data-plane messages from a remote controller that is a physically separate machine from the forwarding element. The forwarding element of some embodiments has data plane circuits that include several configurable message-processing stages, several storage queues, and a data-plane configurator. A set of one or more message-processing stages of the data plane are configured (1) to process configuration messages received by the data plane from the remote controller and (2) to store the configuration messages in a set of one or more storage queues. The data-plane configurator receives the configuration messages stored in the set of storage queues and configures one or more of the configurable message-processing stages based on configuration data in the configuration messages.

Abstract: A method of generating packets in the data plane of a forwarding element is provided. The method selects a configuration set from a plurality of configuration sets of based on a triggering event. The method generates a set of packets using a packet template that corresponds to the selected configuration set. The method sets values of a plurality of the packet fields to identify different information such as the destination of packets. The method places the generated set of packets into an ingress pipeline of the forwarding element.

Abstract: A method of forwarding a multicast packet by a physical forwarding element is provided. The method receives a multicast packet that identifies a multicast group. The method scans a multicast tree associated with the multicast group to identify an ECMP group for forwarding the multicast packet to a member of the multicast group. The method calculates a group of hash values on several fields of the packet and uses a first hash value in the group of hash values to identify a first path in the ECMP. The method determines that the identified path has failed. The method uses a second hash value to identify a second path in the ECMP. The method forwards the multicast packet to the multicast member through the second path.

Abstract: A method of incremental updating of a network forwarding element that includes (i) a set of data plane circuits with a set of ingress buffers and a group of configurable packet processing stages and (ii) a set of control plane circuits comprising a set of direct memory access (DMA) buffers. Configuration data for reconfiguring the data plane packet processing stages is loaded into the DMA buffers while the packet processing stages are processing the packets. The ingress buffers are configured to (i) pause sending the packets to the processing stages and (ii) continue storing the incoming packets while sending the data plane packets to the processing stages is paused. The configuration data is loaded from the DMA buffers into the packet processing stages. The ingress buffers are configured to resume sending the data packet plane packets to the packet processing stages.

Abstract: Some embodiments of the invention provide a network forwarding element that includes a set of data plane circuits with several configurable packet processing stages for receiving and processing incoming packet traffic to the forwarding element. The forwarding element also includes a set of control plane circuits that include a set of direct memory access (DMA) buffers for configuring the configurable packet processing stages of the data plane. The control plane loads configuration data for reconfiguring the data plane packet processing stages into the set of DMA buffers while the data plane packet processing stages are processing the incoming packet traffic. The control plane pauses the incoming packet traffic to the data plane packet processing stages. The control plane loads the configuration data from the DMA buffers into the data plane packet processing stages. The control plane resumes the incoming packet traffic to the data plane packet processing stages.

Abstract: Some embodiments of the invention provide a forwarding element that can be configured through in-band data-plane messages from a remote controller that is a physically separate machine from the forwarding element. The forwarding element of some embodiments has data plane circuits that include several configurable message-processing stages, several storage queues, and a data-plane configurator. A set of one or more message-processing stages of the data plane are configured (1) to process configuration messages received by the data plane from the remote controller and (2) to store the configuration messages in a set of one or more storage queues. The data-plane configurator receives the configuration messages stored in the set of storage queues and configures one or more of the configurable message-processing stages based on configuration data in the configuration messages.

Abstract: Some embodiments of the invention provide a forwarding element that can be configured through in-band data-plane messages from a remote controller that is a physically separate machine from the forwarding element. The forwarding element of some embodiments has data plane circuits that include several configurable message-processing stages, several storage queues, and a data-plane configurator. A set of one or more message-processing stages of the data plane are configured (1) to process configuration messages received by the data plane from the remote controller and (2) to store the configuration messages in a set of one or more storage queues. The data-plane configurator receives the configuration messages stored in the set of storage queues and configures one or more of the configurable message-processing stages based on configuration data in the configuration messages.

Abstract: A method of multicasting packets by a forwarding element that includes several packet replicators and several egress pipelines. Each packet replicator receives a data structure associated with a multicast packet that identifies a multicast group. Each packet replicator identifies a first physical egress port of a first egress pipeline for sending the multicast packet to a member of the multicast group. The first physical egress port is a member of LAG. Each packet replicator determines that the first physical egress port is not operational and identifies a second physical port in the LAG for sending the multicast packet to the member of the multicast group. When a packet replicator is connected to the same egress pipeline as the second physical egress, the packet replicator provides the identification of the second physical egress port to the egress pipeline to send the packet to the multicast member. Otherwise the packet replicator drops the packet.

Abstract: A method of forwarding a multicast packet by a physical forwarding element is provided. The method receives a multicast packet that identifies a multicast group. The method scans a multicast tree associated with the multicast group to identify an ECMP group for forwarding the multicast packet to a member of the multicast group. The method calculates a group of hash values on several fields of the packet and uses a first hash value in the group of hash values to identify a first path in the ECMP. The method determines that the identified path has failed. The method uses a second hash value to identify a second path in the ECMP. The method forwards the multicast packet to the multicast member through the second path.

Abstract: A method of incremental updating of a network forwarding element that includes (i) a set of data plane circuits with a set of ingress buffers and a group of configurable packet processing stages and (ii) a set of control plane circuits comprising a set of direct memory access (DMA) buffers. Configuration data for reconfiguring the data plane packet processing stages is loaded into the DMA buffers while the packet processing stages are processing the packets. The ingress buffers are configured to (i) pause sending the packets to the processing stages and (ii) continue storing the incoming packets while sending the data plane packets to the processing stages is paused. The configuration data is loaded from the DMA buffers into the packet processing stages. The ingress buffers are configured to resume sending the data packet plane packets to the packet processing stages.