Provider Edge Device Memory Segmentation for Ethernet Tree Services

The patent segments the routing table into two parts: a first portion containing route information for root devices stored in low latency memory, and a second portion containing route information for leaf devices stored in high latency memory. This segmentation allows the system to optimize for both speed and memory usage by placing frequently accessed root device routes in fast memory while storing less frequently accessed leaf device routes in slower memory.

The patent applies local quality by assigning different storage locations based on the specific characteristics of each device type. Root devices, which require faster access, have their route information stored in low latency memory, while leaf devices, which can tolerate slower access, have their route information stored in high latency memory. This differentiated approach optimizes overall system performance.

The patent extracts route information for leaf devices from the low latency memory and stores it separately in high latency memory. This extraction simplifies the security enforcement mechanism by eliminating the need to track and block leaf-to-leaf communications in the fast path, as leaf device routes are not present in the low latency memory where security checks occur.

Instead of storing all route information in low latency memory and using complex security checks to prohibit leaf-to-leaf communications, the patent inverts the approach by selectively excluding leaf device routes from low latency memory. This inversion simplifies security enforcement by making leaf-to-leaf communication prohibition automatic through the absence of leaf device routes in the fast path.

The patent segments the routing information storage into two locations: low latency memory for root device routes and high latency memory for leaf device routes. This segmentation ensures that packet forwarding performance is maintained for root device communications while optimizing memory resource usage by storing leaf device routes in slower memory.

The patent changes the storage parameter (memory latency) based on the device type and access frequency. Root device routes, which require frequent access for packet forwarding, are stored in low latency memory, while leaf device routes are stored in high latency memory. This parameter change optimizes the balance between performance and resource usage.