Abstract: A network processor for determining one or more network operations to be performed on a packet of data in a network comprises processing circuitry and protocol indicator circuitry. The packet of data contains information populating a plurality of protocol header fields. Moreover, the protocol indicator circuitry comprises a plurality of memory elements, each memory element associated with a protocol header field in the plurality of protocol header fields. The processing circuitry determines the one or more network operations to be performed on the packet of data at least in part by addressing one or more lookup tables with the contents of a subset of the plurality of protocol header fields in the packet. This subset is determined by reference to the memory elements in the protocol indicator circuitry. Each memory element is capable of being programmed to indicate whether the associated protocol header field is to be utilized by the processing circuitry in addressing the one or more lookup tables.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for generating a representation of an access control list, the representation being utilizable in a network processor or other type of processor to perform packet filtering or other type of access control list based function. A plurality of rules of the access-control list are determined, each of at least a subset of the rules having a plurality of fields and a corresponding action, and the rules are processed to generate a multi-level tree representation of the access control list, in which each of one or more of the levels of the tree representation is associated with a corresponding one of the fields. At least one level of the tree representation other than a root level of the tree representation comprises a plurality of nodes, with at least two of the nodes at that level each having a separate matching table associated therewith.

Abstract: A traffic generator is disclosed which generates a first type of traffic in accordance with a given distribution, and generates a second type of traffic that includes at least one traffic burst. The traffic burst is generated based at least in part on an amount of the first type of traffic generated over one or more time intervals. For example, in an illustrative embodiment, generation of the second type of traffic involves accumulating traffic over one or more of the time intervals for which the first type of traffic is generated, and generating the traffic burst based at least in part on the accumulated traffic.

Abstract: A traffic generator generates a plurality of traffic flows, with each of the traffic flows being associatable with one or more of a plurality of output interfaces of the traffic generator. In an illustrative embodiment, each of the output interfaces may have any desired combination of the traffic flows associated therewith. The traffic flows may be generated based on user selection of at least one of a protocol encapsulation, a packet size distribution model, a packet arrival time distribution model, a traffic model, and a packet payload description. Information characterizing one or more of the traffic flows may be stored as a traffic file in a memory associated with the traffic generator.

Abstract: A software-based development tool is operative to automatically determine an appropriate simulation configuration for a multistage switch fabric or other multiple circuit element electronic system. The development tool includes an interface permitting user control of one or more configurable parameters of the electronic system, and automatically generates a simulation configuration for the electronic system based on current values of the configurable parameters. The simulation configuration is advantageously generated without requiring further user input, and specifies interconnections between the circuit elements which satisfy the current values of the configurable parameters.