Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for maintaining processing unit core affinity for fragmented packets. In one example, a service physical interface card (PIC) implementing a service plane of a network device receives fragmented and/or non-fragmented packet data for a traffic flow. The service PIC comprises at least one processing unit comprising multiple cores. A routing engine operating in a control plane of the network device defines one or more core groups comprising a subset of the cores. The routing engine assigns the traffic flow to a core group and a forwarding engine operating in a forwarding plane of the network device forwards the packet data for the traffic flow to the assigned core group. A core of the assigned core group applies a network service to the fragmented and/or non-fragmented packet data for the traffic flow, and the forwarding engine forwards the packet data for the traffic flow toward a destination.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for maintaining processing unit core affinity for fragmented packets. In one example, a service physical interface card (PIC) implementing a service plane of a network device receives fragmented and/or non-fragmented packet data for a traffic flow. The service PIC comprises at least one processing unit comprising multiple cores. A routing engine operating in a control plane of the network device defines one or more core groups comprising a subset of the cores. The routing engine assigns the traffic flow to a core group and a forwarding engine operating in a forwarding plane of the network device forwards the packet data for the traffic flow to the assigned core group. A core of the assigned core group applies a network service to the fragmented and/or non-fragmented packet data for the traffic flow, and the forwarding engine forwards the packet data for the traffic flow toward a destination.

Abstract: A first packet forwarding plane (PFE) of a network device may receive a packet and may perform a first lookup for the packet. The first PFE may provide the packet to a service plane based on the first lookup. The service plane may apply a service to the packet and may provide the packet to the first PFE. The first PFE may perform a second lookup. The first PFE may provide the packet to a second PFE of the network device based on the second lookup and may store flow information associated with the packet and second PFE information in a table. The network device may provide the flow information and the second PFE information from the table to the service plane to cause the service plane to send subsequent packets directly to the second PFE thereby saving fabric, memory, and processing bandwidth and improving overall network performance.

Abstract: A first packet forwarding plane (PFE) of a network device may receive a packet and may perform a first lookup for the packet. The first PFE may provide the packet to a service plane based on the first lookup. The service plane may apply a service to the packet and may provide the packet to the first PFE. The first PFE may perform a second lookup. The first PFE may provide the packet to a second PFE of the network device based on the second lookup and may store flow information associated with the packet and second PFE information in a table. The network device may provide the flow information and the second PFE information from the table to the service plane to cause the service plane to send subsequent packets directly to the second PFE thereby saving fabric, memory, and processing bandwidth and improving overall network performance.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for maintaining processing unit core affinity for fragmented packets. In one example, a service physical interface card (PIC) implementing a service plane of a network device receives fragmented and/or non-fragmented packet data for a traffic flow. The service PIC comprises at least one processing unit comprising multiple cores. A routing engine operating in a control plane of the network device defines one or more core groups comprising a subset of the cores. The routing engine assigns the traffic flow to a core group and a forwarding engine operating in a forwarding plane of the network device forwards the packet data for the traffic flow to the assigned core group. A core of the assigned core group applies a network service to the fragmented and/or non-fragmented packet data for the traffic flow, and the forwarding engine forwards the packet data for the traffic flow toward a destination.

Abstract: In general, the disclosure describes techniques for programming a forwarding plane of a network device to cause the forwarding plane to load balance or otherwise direct packet flows to particular central processing unit (CPU) cores among a plurality of CPU cores. For example, a network device includes a control unit comprising processing circuitry in communication with a memory, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to execute one or more processes. Additionally, the network device includes a forwarding unit comprising an interface card, a packet processor, and a forwarding unit memory. The one or more processes of the control unit are configured for execution by the processing circuitry to configure the forwarding unit memory of the forwarding unit with one or more forwarding path elements, where the one or more forwarding path elements map a packet flow to a CPU core of the plurality of CPU cores for processing.

Abstract: In general, the disclosure describes techniques for programming a forwarding plane of a network device to cause the forwarding plane to load balance or otherwise direct packet flows to particular central processing unit (CPU) cores among a plurality of CPU cores. For example, a network device includes a control unit comprising processing circuitry in communication with a memory, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to execute one or more processes. Additionally, the network device includes a forwarding unit comprising an interface card, a packet processor, and a forwarding unit memory. The one or more processes of the control unit are configured for execution by the processing circuitry to configure the forwarding unit memory of the forwarding unit with one or more forwarding path elements, where the one or more forwarding path elements map a packet flow to a CPU core of the plurality of CPU cores for processing.