Abstract: Approaches, techniques, and mechanisms are disclosed for efficiently buffering data units within a network device. A traffic manager or other network device component receives Transport Data Units (“TDUs”), which are sub-portions of Protocol Data Units (“PDUs”). Rather than buffer an entire TDU together, the component divides the TDU into multiple Storage Data Units (“SDUs”) that can fit in SDU buffer entries within physical memory banks. A TDU-to-SDU Mapping (“TSM”) memory stores TSM lists that indicate which SDU entries store SDUs for a given TDU. Physical memory banks in which the SDUs are stored may be grouped together into logical SDU banks that are accessed together as if a single bank. The TSM memory may include a number of distinct TSM banks, with each logical SDU bank having a corresponding TSM bank. Techniques for maintaining inter-packet and intra-packet linking data compatible with such buffers are also disclosed.

Abstract: A first component of a network device determines that the first component is to provide packet data to a second component of the network device for processing by the second component. In connection with determining that the first component is to provide packet data to the second component of the network device, the first component prompts the second component to activate a clock network of the second component. In connection with prompting the second component to activate the clock network, the first component sends the packet data to the second component to be processed by the second component. The first component determines when the second component has completed processing of the packet data, and prompts the second component to deactivate the clock network in response to determining that the second component has completed processing of the packet data.

Abstract: Packet metadata for incoming packets are buffered in queue selection buffers associated with a port of a network node. Packet data for outgoing packets are buffered in a port selection buffer associated with the port. At a selection clock cycle, while a port scheduler of the network node selects a subset of the packet data for a subset of the outgoing packets from the port selection buffer, a queue scheduler of the port concurrently selects a subset of the packet metadata for a subset of the incoming packets from the queue selection buffers and adds new packet data for new outgoing packets to the port selection buffer of the port. The new packet data are derived based at least in part on the subset of the packet metadata for the subset of the incoming packets.

Abstract: A first component of a network device determines that the first component is to provide packet data to a second component of the network device for processing by the second component. In connection with determining that the first component is to provide packet data to the second component of the network device, the first component prompts the second component to activate a clock network of the second component. In connection with prompting the second component to activate the clock network, the first component sends the packet data to the second component to be processed by the second component. The first component determines when the second component has completed processing of the packet data, and prompts the second component to deactivate the clock network in response to determining that the second component has completed processing of the packet data.

Abstract: Approaches, techniques, and mechanisms are disclosed for efficiently buffering data units within a network device. A traffic manager or other network device component receives Transport Data Units (“TDUs”), which are sub-portions of Protocol Data Units (“PDUs”). Rather than buffer an entire TDU together, the component divides the TDU into multiple Storage Data Units (“SDUs”) that can fit in SDU buffer entries within physical memory banks. A TDU-to-SDU Mapping (“TSM”) memory stores TSM lists that indicate which SDU entries store SDUs for a given TDU. Physical memory banks in which the SDUs are stored may be grouped together into logical SDU banks that are accessed together as if a single bank. The TSM memory may include a number of distinct TSM banks, with each logical SDU bank having a corresponding TSM bank. Techniques for maintaining inter-packet and intra-packet linking data compatible with such buffers are also disclosed.

Abstract: A scheduler in a network device serves ports with data units from a plurality of queues. The scheduler implements a scheduling algorithm that is normally constrained to releasing data to a port no more frequently than at a default maximum service rate. However, when data units smaller than a certain size are at the heads of one or more data unit queues assigned to a port, the scheduler may temporarily increase the maximum service rate of that port. The increased service rate permits fuller realization of a port's maximum bandwidth when handling smaller data units. In some embodiments, increasing the service rate involves dequeuing more than one small data unit at a time, with the extra data units temporarily stored in a port FIFO. The scheduler adds a pseudo-port to its scheduling sequence to schedule release of data from the port FIFO, with otherwise minimal impact on the scheduling logic.

Abstract: Approaches, techniques, and mechanisms are disclosed for efficiently buffering data units within a network device. A traffic manager or other network device component receives Transport Data Units (“TDUs”), which are sub-portions of Protocol Data Units (“PDUs”). Rather than buffer an entire TDU together, the component divides the TDU into multiple Storage Data Units (“SDUs”) that can fit in SDU buffer entries within physical memory banks. A TDU-to-SDU Mapping (“TSM”) memory stores TSM lists that indicate which SDU entries store SDUs for a given TDU. Physical memory banks in which the SDUs are stored may be grouped together into logical SDU banks that are accessed together as if a single bank. The TSM memory may include a number of distinct TSM banks, with each logical SDU bank having a corresponding TSM bank. Techniques for maintaining inter-packet and intra-packet linking data compatible with such buffers are also disclosed.

Abstract: Approaches, techniques, and mechanisms are disclosed for efficiently buffering data units within a network device. A traffic manager or other network device component receives Transport Data Units (“TDUs”), which are sub-portions of Protocol Data Units (“PDUs”). Rather than buffer an entire TDU together, the component divides the TDU into multiple Storage Data Units (“SDUs”) that can fit in SDU buffer entries within physical memory banks. A TDU-to-SDU Mapping (“TSM”) memory stores TSM lists that indicate which SDU entries store SDUs for a given TDU. Physical memory banks in which the SDUs are stored may be grouped together into logical SDU banks that are accessed together as if a single bank. The TSM memory may include a number of distinct TSM banks, with each logical SDU bank having a corresponding TSM bank. Techniques for maintaining inter-packet and intra-packet linking data compatible with such buffers are also disclosed.

Abstract: A resource management system for a network device is described. A resource management system includes a resource manager configured to generate a sequence of a plurality of access time slots for a plurality of candidate entities and to redistribute access to one or more of the plurality of access time slots in the sequence based on availability and eligibility. The resource management system also includes a resource monitor configured to detect usage of each of the access time slots by each of the plurality of candidate entities.