Packet Forwarding via Header Extraction and Split DMA Buffers
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing packet forwarding systems in routers and switches require analyzing the entire packet to determine the destination, which affects performance due to the need for processor involvement after packet reception.
Innovation Solution
A packet forwarding system that extracts and analyzes multiple headers of a packet separately, using a packet analyzer and DMA module to write specific data into faster and slower memory buffers, allowing early determination of the packet's destination.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the entire packet is sent to the processor for header analysis to determine the destination, then the destination can be accurately identified, but the packet forwarding performance deteriorates due to processor bottleneck
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the packet processing task by separating header extraction and analysis from full packet processing. The DMA module extracts headers (L2, L3, L4) and writes them to a first buffer, while the processor only analyzes these extracted headers to determine destination, rather than processing entire packets. This segmentation resolves the contradiction by maintaining accurate destination identification through header analysis while improving forwarding performance by avoiding processor bottleneck from handling complete packets.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts only the necessary header information (L2, L3, L4 headers) from the complete packet using the DMA module. This extraction allows the processor to focus solely on analyzing critical destination-determining information without being burdened by the entire packet data, thereby maintaining measurement precision for destination identification while significantly improving packet forwarding productivity.
2Loss of information
If the processor analyzes the entire packet to determine destination, then complete packet information is available for routing decisions, but the processing time increases affecting forwarding speed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by having the DMA module extract and prepare header information (L2, L3, L4 headers) before the processor performs destination analysis. This preliminary extraction of critical information ensures that the processor receives ready-to-analyze header data without waiting for complete packet reception, thus reducing processing time while maintaining sufficient information completeness for accurate routing decisions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses partial action by analyzing only the necessary header portions (L2, L3, L4 headers) rather than the entire packet. This partial analysis provides sufficient information for destination determination without the time cost of processing complete packet data, effectively resolving the contradiction between information completeness and processing time.
3Reliability
If the processor receives and analyzes complete packets, then accurate routing decisions can be made, but the router or switch performance is degraded
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by directing different types of data to different processing paths: extracted headers (critical for routing) are sent to the processor for analysis, while the complete packet data is handled separately by the DMA module for forwarding. This local differentiation ensures that routing decisions are made based on high-quality header information while the overall system maintains high productivity by avoiding processor bottleneck from handling complete packets.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces the DMA module as an intermediary that extracts headers from complete packets and prepares them for processor analysis. This intermediary function allows the processor to focus solely on routing decisions based on header information, maintaining routing accuracy while improving overall system performance by preventing the processor from being overwhelmed by complete packet processing.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention provides a packet forwarding system including a packet, a packet analyzer and a DMA module. The packet buffer is configured to receive a packet and store the packet. The packet analyzer is configured to read the packet from the packet buffer, and analyze the packet to extract part of content of the packet to generate specific data. The DMA module is configured to write the specific data into a first buffer of a storage device, and write the packet into a second buffer of the storage device.