Network Packet Parser Skipping Future Tag Headers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing network devices struggle to recognize and process network packets with additional fields such as tag headers inserted according to future-defined standards, leading to inefficient packet processing and potential packet drop, as they are not re-configured to accommodate these changes.
Innovation Solution
The network device can skip past unknown or newly-inserted tag headers by determining their fixed length based on the tag header type, allowing it to continue reading the EtherType field and offload processing to dedicated hardware, thereby accommodating various future-defined standards without additional engineering costs or compromising efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If existing network devices use fixed parsing logic for standard packet formats, then packet processing efficiency is maintained through hardware offloading, but the devices cannot recognize packets with future-defined tag headers inserted at undefined positions
Solution Approach 1:
The packet parsing process is segmented into multiple stages: first reading the tag header type field to identify if a tag header is present, then skipping the tag header if detected, and finally reading the EtherType field. This segmentation allows the device to handle both standard and future-defined packet formats without requiring complete reconfiguration of the parsing logic.
Solution Approach 2:
The parsing logic is made dynamic by conditionally skipping the tag header based on the tag header type field value. When a tag header is detected, the parser dynamically adjusts its behavior to skip past the tag header before reading the EtherType field, whereas standard packets are processed through the traditional path. This dynamic adaptation enables compatibility with future standards without compromising processing efficiency.
2Adaptability or versatility
If network devices are re-configured to accommodate future-defined tag headers, then compatibility with new protocols is achieved, but additional engineering costs and device complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The parsing logic is designed with universal functionality to handle both current standard packets and future-defined packets with tag headers. By incorporating a conditional check for tag header type and a skip mechanism, the same hardware parser can universally process various packet formats without requiring separate dedicated hardware for each protocol type, thereby avoiding additional engineering costs.
Solution Approach 2:
The parsing logic changes its operational parameters dynamically based on the packet format. When a tag header is detected through the tag header type field, the parser modifies its behavior by skipping a variable number of bytes corresponding to the tag header length before reading the EtherType field. This parameter-based adaptation allows the device to accommodate future standards without physical reconfiguration.
3Speed
If the device reads the EtherType field immediately after the MAC source address, then processing speed is maximized for standard packets, but packets with inserted tag headers are misidentified or dropped
Solution Approach 1:
Before reading the EtherType field, the parser performs a preliminary action by reading the tag header type field first to determine whether a tag header is present. This preliminary check allows the device to adjust its subsequent reading position accordingly, ensuring that the EtherType field is read from the correct location regardless of whether tag headers are inserted, thereby maintaining both speed and reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The tag header type field acts as an intermediary that mediates between the MAC source address and the EtherType field. By checking this intermediary field, the parser can determine the presence of tag headers and adjust its parsing strategy accordingly, ensuring reliable packet recognition while maintaining efficient processing through hardware offloading.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and systems are provided for enabling existing or legacy network devices to recognize and parse packets defined in accordance with future-defined standards, without having to be re-configured to be compatible with such standards. A transmitting network device may generate packets such that to enable receiving network devices to bypass, when processing the packets, unknown or newly-inserted fields, such as tag headers, in the packets, and to continue processing the remainder of the packet. This may be achieved by, for example, incorporating in the packets, when such unknown or newly-inserted are included in the packets, corresponding indication fields (e.g., tag header type fields) which may indicated that the unknown or newly-inserted are inserted. Further, indication fields may enable a receiving device to skip over these unknown or newly-inserted. For example, each tag header type filed may be associated with a particular tag header length of the corresponding tag header.