Abstract: A technique for packet ingress processing and packet egress processing in an OpenFlow, OF, switch is presented. A method aspect directed to packet ingress processing comprises receiving a packet at an OF port. The packet is associated with one of multiple logical flow entities, such as logical ports, allocated to the OF port. In a next step, the logical flow entity associated with the received packet is determined. Then, metadata for the packet is tagged with an identifier for the logical flow entity associated with the packet. The tagging controls handling of the packet at egress processing. The packet handling, in turn, may include a selective dropping or passing of the packet.

Abstract: Methods for memory allocation in a software-defined networking (SDN) system are disclosed. In one embodiment, the method includes receiving a first message in a network device from a SDN controller, where the first message includes a request to generate an entity in the network device to route traffic, and where the entity is one of a flow table entry, a group table entry, and a flow table. The method further includes identifying an indication in the first message that indicates at least one memory usage characteristic of the entity, where the at least one memory usage characteristic includes at least one of a target access speed and a target storage scalability of the entity; and generating, at least partially based on the indication, the entity using one memory type of a plurality of memory types of the network device.

Abstract: A method is described in a network element for supporting flexible lookup keys in a software-defined network. The method includes receiving a packet to be forwarded and determining a next hop for the packet, which includes parsing the packet to identify a superkey comprising a plurality of header field values of the packet; identifying a superkey mask value and a superkey offset value for a first lookup table of a set of one or more lookup tables; generating a table key for the first lookup table based upon the superkey mask value, the superkey offset value, and the superkey; and performing a lookup in the first lookup table using the table key. The lookup identifies an entry of the first lookup table indicating the next hop for the packet. The packet may then be forwarded to the next hop.

Abstract: A network element of a software-defined networking (SDN) system forwards IP packet fragments without reassembly is disclosed. The network element receives an IP packet fragment and determines whether the fragment is the first fragment of an original IP packet. If the fragment is the first fragment, then fields in the first fragment that are associated with open systems interconnection layers (OSI) 4-7 are retrieved and placed in an entry in a fragment information table so that the entry is associated with the original IP packet. If the received fragment is not the first fragment, then a matching entry in the fragment information table is to be identified and the associated OSI layers 4-7 information is retrieved for processing the non-first fragment.

Abstract: A technique for packet ingress processing and packet egress processing in an OpenFlow, OF, switch is presented. A method aspect directed to packet ingress processing comprises receiving a packet at an OF port. The packet is associated with one of multiple logical flow entities, such as logical ports, allocated to the OF port. In a next step, the logical flow entity associated with the received packet is determined. Then, metadata for the packet is tagged with an identifier for the logical flow entity associated with the packet. The tagging controls handling of the packet at egress processing. The packet handling, in turn, may include a selective dropping or passing of the packet.

Abstract: Methods for memory allocation in a software-defined networking (SDN) system are disclosed. In one embodiment, the method includes receiving a first message in a network device from a SDN controller, where the first message includes a request to generate an entity in the network device to route traffic, and where the entity is one of a flow table entry, a group table entry, and a flow table. The method further includes identifying an indication in the first message that indicates at least one memory usage characteristic of the entity, where the at least one memory usage characteristic includes at least one of a target access speed and a target storage scalability of the entity; and generating, at least partially based on the indication, the entity using one memory type of a plurality of memory types of the network device.

Abstract: A method is described in a network element for supporting flexible lookup keys in a software-defined network. The method includes receiving a packet to be forwarded and determining a next hop for the packet, which includes parsing the packet to identify a superkey comprising a plurality of header field values of the packet; identifying a superkey mask value and a superkey offset value for a first lookup table of a set of one or more lookup tables; generating a table key for the first lookup table based upon the superkey mask value, the superkey offset value, and the superkey; and performing a lookup in the first lookup table using the table key. The lookup identifies an entry of the first lookup table indicating the next hop for the packet. The packet may then be forwarded to the next hop.

Abstract: A method is described in a network element for supporting flexible lookup keys in a software-defined network. The method includes receiving a packet to be forwarded and determining a next hop for the packet, which includes parsing the packet to identify a superkey comprising a plurality of header field values of the packet; identifying a superkey mask value and a superkey offset value for a first lookup table of a set of one or more lookup tables; generating a table key for the first lookup table based upon the superkey mask value, the superkey offset value, and the superkey; and performing a lookup in the first lookup table using the table key. The lookup identifies an entry of the first lookup table indicating the next hop for the packet. The packet may then be forwarded to the next hop.

Abstract: A network element of a software-defined networking (SDN) system forwards IP packet fragments without reassembly is disclosed. The network element receives an IP packet fragment and determines whether the fragment is the first fragment of an original IP packet. If the fragment is the first fragment, then fields in the first fragment that are associated with open systems interconnection layers (OSI) 4-7 are retrieved and placed in an entry in a fragment information table so that the entry is associated with the original IP packet. If the received fragment is not the first fragment, then a matching entry in the fragment information table is to be identified and the associated OSI layers 4-7 information is retrieved for processing the non-first fragment.

Abstract: A method is described in a network element for supporting flexible lookup keys in a software-defined network. The method includes receiving a packet to be forwarded and determining a next hop for the packet, which includes parsing the packet to identify a superkey comprising a plurality of header field values of the packet; identifying a superkey mask value and a superkey offset value for a first lookup table of a set of one or more lookup tables; generating a table key for the first lookup table based upon the superkey mask value, the superkey offset value, and the superkey; and performing a lookup in the first lookup table using the table key. The lookup identifies an entry of the first lookup table indicating the next hop for the packet. The packet may then be forwarded to the next hop.