Abstract: A data structure for linking or chaining at least two 32 bit words or control markers that are inserted into a packet before the header of the packet that is also positioned at the front of a flow of packets that is being processed by a network processor in a network device. There are at least two types of control markers, primary and cluster. A reserved single bit field in the control marker indicates if multiple control markers are included and chained together in the packet ahead of the header and if the control marker is not a primary control marker, another three bit field indicates the type of that particular control marker, such as a cluster control marker.

Abstract: A data structure represented by a single 32 bit word or “cluster control marker” that is inserted ahead of a header of a packet at the front of a flow of packets from a cluster that is being processed by a network processor in a network device. The cluster control marker includes the results of calculations that have been accelerated through the use of hardware (ASICs) to perform certain tasks in advance for the network processor. The data structure includes the results of Word Type, MAC destination address and Cluster MAC address match, IP destination address and Cluster IP address match, Protocol Type and Destination Port indication, Cluster Hash Calculation value, and fragmentation indication.

Abstract: A bridge for converting a relatively high speed communication interfaces provided by a network processor into another type of relatively high speed interface that is supported by an I/O card in a network device. A proprietary high speed communication interface can be a first-in-first-out (FIFO) streaming data interface. The other type of high speed interface supported by an I/O card can be PL3, PL4, SPI 3, SPI 4, and the like. The network devices can include, routers, switches, firewalls, gateways, and the like. The bridge can be configured as an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC).

Abstract: A data structure represented by a single 32 bit word or “primary control marker” that is inserted ahead of a header of a packet at the front of a flow of packets that is being processed by a network processor in a network device. The primary control marker includes the results of calculations that have been accelerated through the use of hardware (ASICs) to perform certain tasks in advance for the network processor. Because the insertion of in-band information has an impact on packet stream throughput, both the location of the insertion in the packet header and the type of results that are included in the primary control marker have an effect on the overall performance of the network processor, The data structure includes the results of IP header checksum verification, MAC level filtering and classification, VLAN indication, Flow Hash Index Calculation and Channel Identification.