Abstract: A hardware-based technique for policing traffic in a network node involves programming a set of algorithm-specific policing primitives that establishes a relationship between condition primitives and action primitives and populating a searchable memory with a set of indexed action primitives. Action primitives are then selected from the searchable memory in response to condition primitives related to a received datagram. Policing actions related to the datagram are performed in response to the action primitive. Because the algorithm-specific policing primitives are programmable, a network node can be adapted to implement a wide variety of policing algorithms. Additionally, multiple different policing algorithms can be implemented in hardware without the need for a different set of combinational logic for each different policing algorithm.

Abstract: A technique for managing traffic within a network processor integrated circuit (IC) involves establishing multiple queue groups, associating a different hardware counter with each queue group, and then using the hardware counters to support rate shaping and scheduling of all of the queues in the queue groups. For example, 512 queue groups of thirty-two queues each queue group are established for a total of 16,384 (16 k) different queues and a different hardware counter is associated with each queue group for a total of 512 hardware counters. The group-specific hardware counters are used to implement hardware-based rate shaping and scheduling of all 16 k queues in a resource efficient manner that supports high throughput, e.g., on the order of 40 Gbps.

Abstract: A hardware-based technique for policing traffic in a network node involves programming a set of algorithm-specific policing primitives that establishes a relationship between condition primitives and action primitives and populating a searchable memory with a set of indexed action primitives. Action primitives are then selected from the searchable memory in response to condition primitives related to a received datagram. Policing actions related to the datagram are performed in response to the action primitive. Because the algorithm-specific policing primitives are programmable, a network node can be adapted to implement a wide variety of policing algorithms. Additionally, multiple different policing algorithms can be implemented in hardware without the need for a different set of combinational logic for each different policing algorithm.

Abstract: A technique for managing traffic within a network processor integrated circuit (IC) involves establishing multiple queue groups, associating a different hardware counter with each queue group, and then using the hardware counters to support rate shaping and scheduling of all of the queues in the queue groups. For example, 512 queue groups of thirty-two queues each queue group are established for a total of 16,384 (16 k) different queues and a different hardware counter is associated with each queue group for a total of 512 hardware counters. The group-specific hardware counters are used to implement hardware-based rate shaping and scheduling of all 16 k queues in a resource efficient manner that supports high throughput, e.g., on the order of 40 Gbps.