Abstract: A packet processing apparatus has an ingress packet processing circuit, an egress packet processing circuit, and a traffic manager. The ingress packet processing circuit processes ingress packets received from ingress ports. The egress packet processing circuit processes egress packets to be forwarded through egress ports. The traffic manager deals with at least packet queuing and scheduling. At least one of the ingress packet processing circuit and the egress packet processing circuit includes a first packet processing unit located at a first packet flow path, and a second packet processing unit located at a second packet flow path. The first packet flow path is parallel with the second packet flow path, and programmability of the first packet processing unit is higher than programmability of the second packet processing unit.

Abstract: A method used within a data center includes: receiving a packet; computing a specific overlay path/tree and a specific underlay path/tree according to a destination to transmit the packet, a first table, and a second table, wherein the first table includes forwarding information of station(s) corresponding to an overlay network structure, and the second table comprises forwarding information of station(s) corresponding to an underlay network structure; obtaining information of an overlay next hop station and information of an underlay next hop station according to the specific overlay path/tree and the specific underlay path/tree; and, performing packet encapsulation and transmission for the packet according to the information of the overlay next hop station and the information of the underlay next hop station.

Abstract: A packet processing apparatus has an ingress packet processing circuit, an egress packet processing circuit, a traffic manager, and a processor. The ingress packet processing circuit processes an ingress packet received from an ingress port to generate at least one parameter. The egress packet processing circuit has at least one programmable look-up table, refers to the at least one parameter to determine at least one action command set, and executes the at least one action command set for generating an egress packet to be forwarded through an egress port. The traffic manager is coupled between the ingress packet processing circuit and the egress packet processing circuit. The processor programs the at least one programmable look-up table. No action command in the at least one action command set is transmitted from the ingress packet processing circuit to the egress packet processing circuit through the traffic manager.

Abstract: A packet processing apparatus has an ingress packet processing circuit, an egress packet processing circuit, and a traffic manager. The ingress packet processing circuit processes ingress packets received from ingress ports. The egress packet processing circuit processes egress packets to be forwarded through egress ports. The traffic manager deals with at least packet queuing and scheduling. At least one of the ingress packet processing circuit and the egress packet processing circuit includes a first packet processing unit located at a first packet flow path, and a second packet processing unit located at a second packet flow path. The first packet flow path is parallel with the second packet flow path, and programmability of the first packet processing unit is higher than programmability of the second packet processing unit.