Abstract: A dispatch module implemented in at least one of a memory or a processing device is operatively coupled to a first processing module and a second processing module. The first processing module has a priority higher than a priority of the second processing module. The dispatch module includes a workload counter associated with the first processing module to provide an indication of a workload at the first processing module. The dispatch module initiates a clock signal at the second processing module only if the indication of the workload at the first processing module satisfies a criterion. The dispatch module sends a data unit to the second processing module for processing only if the indication of the workload at the first processing module satisfies a criterion.

Abstract: A dispatch module implemented in at least one of a memory or a processing device is operatively coupled to a first processing module and a second processing module. The first processing module has a priority higher than a priority of the second processing module. The dispatch module includes a workload counter associated with the first processing module to provide an indication of a workload at the first processing module. The dispatch module initiates a clock signal at the second processing module only if the indication of the workload at the first processing module satisfies a criterion. The dispatch module sends a data unit to the second processing module for processing only if the indication of the workload at the first processing module satisfies a criterion.

Abstract: The invention is directed to techniques for supporting multi-link protocols within a computer network. In one embodiment, a method includes receiving a set of data blocks from a plurality of links in one or more interface cards according to a multi-link protocol and sending the data blocks to a multi-link service card for sequencing. The data blocks may then be sent to the one or more interface cards for communication to a destination device over a computer network. Implementing a multi-link service card may allow a network device, such as a router, to support multi-link protocols.

Abstract: In general, the invention is directed to techniques for reducing deadlocks that may arise when performing fabric replication. For example, as described herein, a network device includes packet replicators that each comprises a plurality of resource partitions. A replication data structure for a packet received by the network device includes packet replicator nodes that are arranged hierarchically to occupy one or more levels of the replication data structure. Each of the resource partitions in each of the plurality of packet replicators is associated with a different level of the replication data structure. The packet replicators replicate the packet according to the replication data structure, and each of the packet replicators handles the packet using the one of the resource partitions of the packet replicator that is associated with the level of the replication data structure occupied by the node that corresponds to that particular packet replicator.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method can include receiving at an egress schedule module a request to schedule transmission of a group of cells from an ingress queue through a switch fabric of a multi-stage switch. The ingress queue can be associated with an ingress stage of the multi-stage switch. The egress schedule module can be associated with an egress stage of the multi-stage switch. The method can also include determining, in response to the request, that an egress port at the egress stage of the multi-stage switch is available to transmit the group of cells from the multi-stage switch.

Abstract: In general, techniques of the present disclosure relate to synchronizing concurrent access to multiple portions of a data structure. In one example, a method includes, sequentially selecting a plurality of requests from a request queue, wherein at least one of the requests specifies a plurality of requested synchronization objects for corresponding candidate portions of a data structure to which to apply an operation associated with a data element. The method also includes querying one or more sets of identifiers to determine whether one or more of the requested synchronizations objects specified by the selected request are acquirable. The method also includes acquiring each of the requested synchronization objects that are acquirable. The method includes, responsive to acquiring all of the one or more requested synchronization objects, selecting a subset of the candidate portions of the data structure and applying the operation only to the selected subset of the candidate portions.

Abstract: In general, techniques are described for efficiently and transparently partitioning a physical address space of a DRAM part lacking dedicated error protection circuitry to supply addressable error protection bytes for use in detecting and/or correcting bit errors elsewhere present in the physical address space. In one example, a network device includes a DRAM and a memory controller that receives a write command to write data to the DRAM. An address translation module of the memory controller logically partitions the DRAM to define a plurality of physically addressable sections that includes an error protection section for storing error protection bits and one or more data storage sections. The memory controller defines a contiguous logical address space representing the data storage sections. A DRAM controller of the network device communicates with the DRAM to store the data to one of the data storage sections in accordance with the contiguous logical address space.

Abstract: In general, techniques are described for packet queuing within ring networks. In accordance with the techniques, a network device of a ring network comprises a memory having a different queue for each order-dependent pair of the network devices. Each pair represents a different order-dependent combination of the network devices that includes an ingress network device that provides an ingress to the ring network and an egress network device that provides an egress from the ring network. The network device further comprises an interface for receiving a packet from a neighboring one of the plurality of network devices and a control unit that, in response to receiving the packet, stores the packet to one of the queues based on which network devices is the ingress and which network device is the egress for the packet. The control unit forwards the stored packet via the ring network according to a scheduling algorithm.

Abstract: A device for managing multiple instructions to access multiple wide registers may include logic to receive the multiple instructions to access one of the multiple wide registers, associate each received instruction with a corresponding one of multiple buffer memories, and allow simultaneous processing of the multiple instructions associated with each of the multiple buffer memories, where the multiple instructions are processed such that data is transferred between the multiple buffer memories and the multiple wide registers in one operation.

Abstract: In general, the invention is directed to techniques for reducing deadlocks that may arise when performing fabric replication. For example, as described herein, a network device includes packet replicators that each comprises a plurality of resource partitions. A replication data structure for a packet received by the network device includes packet replicator nodes that are arranged hierarchically to occupy one or more levels of the replication data structure. Each of the resource partitions in each of the plurality of packet replicators is associated with a different level of the replication data structure. The packet replicators replicate the packet according to the replication data structure, and each of the packet replicators handles the packet using the one of the resource partitions of the packet replicator that is associated with the level of the replication data structure occupied by the node that corresponds to that particular packet replicator.

Abstract: A network device includes a receiver component that generates flow control information. The network device also includes a transmitter component that receives a packet for forwarding to the receiver component, receives flow control data for the packet from the receiver component, and provides the packet and the flow control data for the packet to a fabric component. The fabric component performs a congestion management operation for the packet, and forwards the packet to the receiver component based on the flow control data and results of the congestion management operation.

Abstract: A method includes receiving packets from a network with a plurality of packet-forwarding engines (PFEs) of a router, wherein the plurality of PFEs are interconnected by a switch fabric, determining an egress one of the PFEs for each of the packets, and forming fixed-sized fabric cells that share data associated with the packets that are destined for the same egress PFE while preventing packets destined for different egress PFEs to share any of the fabric cells. The fabric cells are transmitted through the switch fabric to communicate the packets to the egress PFEs.

Abstract: A network device receives traffic associated with a network of intermediate network devices and user devices, classifies the received traffic, and allocates the classified traffic to traffic queues. The network device also schedules particular queued traffic, provided in the traffic queues and bound for particular intermediate network devices, using a hybrid weighted round robin (WRR) scheduler where the hybrid WRR scheduler schedules the particular queued traffic according to one of a 1-level WRR schedule, a 1.5 level WRR schedule, or a 2-level WRR schedule. The network device further provides the particular queued traffic to the particular intermediate network devices based on the scheduling of the hybrid WRR scheduler.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method can include receiving at an egress schedule module a request to schedule transmission of a group of cells from an ingress queue through a switch fabric of a multi-stage switch. The ingress queue can be associated with an ingress stage of the multi-stage switch. The egress schedule module can be associated with an egress stage of the multi-stage switch. The method can also include determining, in response to the request, that an egress port at the egress stage of the multi-stage switch is available to transmit the group of cells from the multi-stage switch.

Abstract: A lifetime-based memory management scheme is described, whereby a network device first determines an expected lifetime for received packets, which correlates to the expected output queue latency time of the packets. The network device then buffers packets having matching lifetimes to memory pages dedicated to that lifetime.

Abstract: A network device receives traffic associated with a network of intermediate network devices and user devices, classifies the received traffic, and allocates the classified traffic to traffic queues. The network device also schedules particular queued traffic, provided in the traffic queues and bound for particular intermediate network devices, using a hybrid weighted round robin (WRR) scheduler where the hybrid WRR scheduler schedules the particular queued traffic according to one of a 1-level WRR schedule, a 1.5 level WRR schedule, or a 2-level WRR schedule. The network device further provides the particular queued traffic to the particular intermediate network devices based on the scheduling of the hybrid WRR scheduler.

Abstract: In general, techniques are described for packet queuing within ring networks. In accordance with the techniques, a network device of a ring network comprises a memory having a different queue for each order-dependent pair of the network devices. Each pair represents a different order-dependent combination of the network devices that includes an ingress network device that provides an ingress to the ring network and an egress network device that provides an egress from the ring network. The network device further comprises an interface for receiving a packet from a neighboring one of the plurality of network devices and a control unit that, in response to receiving the packet, stores the packet to one of the queues based on which network devices is the ingress and which network device is the egress for the packet. The control unit forwards the stored packet via the ring network according to a scheduling algorithm.

Abstract: A network device includes a receiver component that generates flow control information. The network device also includes a transmitter component that receives a packet for forwarding to the receiver component, receives flow control data for the packet from the receiver component, and provides the packet and the flow control data for the packet to a fabric component. The fabric component performs a congestion management operation for the packet, and forwards the packet to the receiver component based on the flow control data and results of the congestion management operation.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method can include receiving at an egress schedule module a request to schedule transmission of a group of cells from an ingress queue through a switch fabric of a multi-stage switch. The ingress queue can be associated with an ingress stage of the multi-stage switch. The egress schedule module can be associated with an egress stage of the multi-stage switch. The method can also include determining, in response to the request, that an egress port at the egress stage of the multi-stage switch is available to transmit the group of cells from the multi-stage switch.