Hierarchical Packet Policer Hardware-Software Segmentation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing packet policing solutions in telecommunications struggle to maintain performance with increasing data rates, as pure software solutions are inflexible and hardware-based solutions lack adaptability to varying configurations and changing requirements.
Innovation Solution
A hierarchical policer system implemented in hardware, allowing for flexible configuration through software, which processes packets through multiple meter levels to classify and manage traffic based on specified criteria, enabling efficient and adaptable packet policing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If packet policing is implemented entirely in software to provide flexibility in configuration, then adaptability to varying configurations is improved, but performance cannot keep up with increasing data rates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the packet policing function into two distinct parts: a hardware-based policer that handles high-speed packet processing and rate measurement, and a software-based configurator that manages policing parameters and rules. This segmentation allows the hardware component to maintain high performance while the software component provides flexible configuration capabilities.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a configurator component that acts as an intermediary between the software control plane and the hardware policer. The configurator receives policing parameters from software, translates them into hardware-specific formats, and loads them into the hardware policer, thereby bridging the gap between flexible software configuration and high-speed hardware enforcement.
2Productivity
If specific packet policing configurations are implemented in hardwired logic to keep up with increasing data rates, then performance is improved, but flexibility to adapt to varied configurations is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic configurability in the hardware policer by introducing programmable parameters and registers that can be modified at runtime. The hardware policer is designed with configurable rate limits, token bucket parameters, and policing rules that can be updated through the software configurator, allowing the system to adapt to changing requirements while maintaining hardware-speed performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The hardware policer is designed as a universal platform that can handle multiple policing algorithms, rate models, and traffic types through a single configurable device. Rather than requiring separate hardwired logic for each policing scenario, the universal hardware policer can be reconfigured via software to implement different policing behaviors, thereby providing both high performance and adaptability.
3Reliability
If multiple policing operations are performed on a single packet to meet varying network requirements, then service quality is improved, but processing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a hierarchical policing architecture where multiple policing operations are nested within a single hardware processing pipeline. The hardware policer can apply multiple rate limits and policing rules in a cascaded manner, with each policing stage nested within the previous one. This nesting allows multiple policing operations to be performed on a single packet without requiring separate software processing for each operation, thereby maintaining high performance while providing comprehensive QoS enforcement.
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments of the invention include a method performed in a packet processor core for policing a packet through a hierarchical policer coupled to one or more policing requestors. The hierarchical policer has a plurality of meter levels including an initial level and one or more subsequent levels. The hierarchical policer creates a meter result at the meter of each meter level using packet characteristics and a meter state for that meter level. The hierarchical policer generates meter level outputs that classify the packet for each meter level and for at least one of the subsequent levels the meter level output is based on the meter level output from a previous meter level. The hierarchical policer performs a meter combine operation that produces a final packet output attribute from the combination of the meter level outputs. The hierarchical policer returns the final packet output attribute to a policing requestor.