Abstract: First and second hash values are generated using a key constructed from information associated with a packet. A block number is read from a cell in a slot in a first table, with the slot in the first table being indexed by the first hash value and the cell being indexed by the second hash value. A memory access operation directed to a block in a slot in a second table is performed to read data including packet-processing information for the packet from the block. The slot in the second table is indexed by the first hash value and the block is indexed by the block number. The packet is processed in accordance with the packet-processing information.

Abstract: Synchronizing forwarding databases in a network device. A first forwarding database may be maintained in a database engine portion of the network device. The forwarding database may include a plurality of entries, each of the entries comprises a synchronization field. The forwarding database may also include a global synchronization value used for the synchronization. A controller in the network device may receive a message indicating one or more changes to a first one or more entries in the forwarding database. The first one or more entries have a first global synchronization value in the synchronization field. Accordingly, the global synchronization value may be changed to a second value and a query may be performed using the first global synchronization value to return changes to the first entries. Changes to other entries in the forwarding database that occur after the global synchronization value is changed may not be part of the query results.

Abstract: A system and method for scheduling delivery of packetized data traffic at an output port of a network node featuring a hybrid queue with a unicast subqueue and a multicast subqueue. An interleave indicator for each unicast and multicast entry in the queue is used to toggle the header type field of the hybrid queue. Upon departure, a scheduler selects between the unicast subqueue and multicast subqueue as dictated by the state of the header type field. The disclosed interleave indicator techniques add minimal overhead to the system, allowing ready scaling with increasing port densities. Further, the data structure of the multicast subqueue can be selected to optimize the system and achieve desired performance characteristics.