Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for implementing frame alteration commands in a communications network processor. A set of frame alteration instruction templates is defined. A frame alteration instruction template is identified based upon the packet type recognition result of a received packet. A frame alteration instruction stream is generated utilizing the frame alteration instruction template. Each of the frame alteration instruction templates includes different frame alteration commands to be performed on a packet. Pointers to indirect data bytes to be inserted in a packet are stored in the frame alteration instruction templates. The generated frame alteration instruction stream is used by hardware to provide frame alterations.

Abstract: In a first aspect, a first method is provided that includes the steps of (1) providing a pointer that includes a first keytype field and a second keytype field; and (2) assigning a value to the second keytype field of the pointer based on a tabletype field of an updated table. The updated table is an updated version of a first table written in a memory, and the first keytype field of the pointer has a value assigned based on a tabletype field of the first table. The first method further includes the step of employing the second keytype field of the pointer to point to the updated table. Numerous other aspects are provided.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for implementing predefined actions based upon packet classification and lookup results in a communications network processor. A plurality of sets of rules is defined. Each rule set includes at least one rule and each rule has a set of masked compares for comparing results of hits and misses of table lookups. Each masked compare set has an associated field for selecting an action. The action defines a set of one or more commands and each command defines a processing operation. One rule set is identified based upon the packet classification result for a received packet. When one of the rules is identified having a match of the masked compares, then the action of associated with the identified rule is selected. Otherwise a default action is provided responsive to no rule of the identified rule set having a match of the masked compares.

Abstract: In a first aspect, a first method is provided that includes the steps of (1) providing a pointer that includes a first keytype field and a second keytype field; and (2) assigning a value to the second keytype field of the pointer based on a tabletype field of an updated table. The updated table is an updated version of a first table written in a memory, and the first keytype field of the pointer has a value assigned based on a tabletype field of the first table. The first method further includes the step of employing the second keytype field of the pointer to point to the updated table. Numerous other aspects are provided.

Abstract: In a first aspect, a first method is provided that includes the steps of (1) providing a pointer that includes a first keytype field and a second keytype field; and (2) assigning a value to the second keytype field of the pointer based on a tabletype field of an updated table. The updated table is an updated version of a first table written in a memory, and the first keytype field of the pointer has a value assigned based on a tabletype field of the first table. The first method further includes the step of employing the second keytype field of the pointer to point to the updated table. Numerous other aspects are provided.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for implementing frame alteration commands in a communications network processor. A set of frame alteration instruction templates is defined. A frame alteration instruction template is identified based upon the packet type recognition result of a received packet. A frame alteration instruction stream is generated utilizing the frame alteration instruction template. Each of the frame alteration instruction templates includes different frame alteration commands to be performed on a packet. Pointers to indirect data bytes to be inserted in a packet are stored in the frame alteration instruction templates. The generated frame alteration instruction stream is used by hardware to provide frame alterations.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for implementing predefined actions based upon packet classification and lookup results in a communications network processor. A plurality of sets of rules is defined. Each rule set includes at least one rule and each rule has a set of masked compares for comparing results of hits and misses of table lookups. Each masked compare set has an associated field for selecting an action. The action defines a set of one or more commands and each command defines a processing operation. One rule set is identified based upon the packet classification result for a received packet. When one of the rules is identified having a match of the masked compares, then the action of associated with the identified rule is selected. Otherwise a default action is provided responsive to no rule of the identified rule set having a match of the masked compares.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for implementing frame alteration commands in a communications network processor. A set of frame alteration instruction templates is defined. A frame alteration instruction template is identified based upon the packet type recognition result of a received packet. A frame alteration instruction stream is generated utilizing the frame alteration instruction template. Each of the frame alteration instruction templates includes different frame alteration commands to be performed on a packet. Pointers to indirect data bytes to be inserted in a packet are stored in the frame alteration instruction templates. The generated frame alteration instruction stream is used by hardware to provide frame alterations.

Abstract: In a first aspect, a first method is provided. The first method includes the steps of (1) receiving a set of data; (2) determining whether a free group entry of a size required by a portion of the set of data exists in one of a plurality of sections of a memory; (3) if a free group entry of the size required by the portion of the set of data does not exist in one of the plurality of sections of the memory, determining whether the memory includes one or more sections of an unallocated size; and (4) if the memory includes one or more sections of an unallocated size, allocating one of the sections of an unallocated size to the size required by the portion of the set of data thereby creating a section of a dynamically allocated size. Numerous other aspects are provided.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for implementing predefined actions based upon packet classification and lookup results in a communications network processor. A plurality of sets of rules is defined. Each rule set includes at least one rule and each rule has a set of masked compares for comparing results of hits and misses of table lookups. Each masked compare set has an associated field for selecting an action. The action defines a set of one or more commands and each command defines a processing operation. One rule set is identified based upon the packet classification result for a received packet. When one of the rules is identified having a match of the masked compares, then the action of associated with the identified rule is selected. Otherwise a default action is provided responsive to no rule of the identified rule set having a match of the masked compares.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for implementing frame alteration commands in a communications network processor. A set of frame alteration instruction templates is defined. A frame alteration instruction template is identified based upon the packet type recognition result of a received packet. A frame alteration instruction stream is generated utilizing the frame alteration instruction template. Each of the frame alteration instruction templates includes different frame alteration commands to be performed on a packet. Pointers to indirect data bytes to be inserted in a packet are stored in the frame alteration instruction templates. The generated frame alteration instruction stream is used by hardware to provide frame alterations.

Abstract: In a first aspect, a first method is provided that includes the steps of (1) providing a pointer that includes a first keytype field and a second keytype field; and (2) assigning a value to the second keytype field of the pointer based on a tabletype field of an updated table. The updated table is an updated version of a first table written in a memory, and the first keytype field of the pointer has a value assigned based on a tabletype field of the first table. The first method further includes the step of employing the second keytype field of the pointer to point to the updated table. Numerous other aspects are provided.