Single-ACL DOCSIS Packet Filtering for AVX-512 Batches
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional DOCSIS filter processing techniques divide data packets into multiple Access Control Lists (ACLs) per filter group, failing to leverage the full potential of wide CPU instructions like Intel® AVX-512, resulting in sub-optimal CPU cycle usage and inefficient packet processing.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a single ACL for DOCSIS filter processing of a batch of data packets by including the filter group ID in each rule and packet, allowing a single ACL look-up for the entire batch, thereby optimizing CPU cycle usage and avoiding false matches.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If data packets are divided into multiple ACLs per filter group, then false matches are avoided, but CPU cycle efficiency deteriorates and processing performance decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple ACL lookups into a single unified ACL lookup operation. By merging the filter rules from multiple filter groups into one comprehensive ACL structure, the system performs a single lookup that evaluates all rules simultaneously, eliminating the need for multiple separate ACL operations while maintaining matching accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The unified ACL structure serves multiple filter groups simultaneously, making it a universal filtering mechanism. The single ACL is designed to handle rules from different filter groups by incorporating filter group identifiers within the rule set, allowing one ACL to perform the function of what would traditionally require multiple separate ACLs.
2Measurement precision
If multiple ACL look-ups are performed per filter group, then filtering accuracy is maintained, but CPU cycle consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple ACL lookup operations into a single lookup by consolidating the rule sets. The unified ACL contains all filtering rules from multiple filter groups, each annotated with its filter group identifier, allowing the CPU to perform one lookup instead of multiple sequential lookups, thereby reducing computational energy consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the structural parameters of the ACL system by transitioning from multiple separate ACLs to a single unified ACL. This parameter change involves reorganizing the rule storage and lookup mechanism to accommodate filter group identifiers within the unified structure, enabling more efficient CPU utilization while preserving filtering precision.
3Ease of manufacture
If conventional ACL processing is used, then implementation simplicity is maintained, but optimization of wide CPU instructions like AVX-512 is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The unified ACL structure is designed to be universally compatible with wide CPU instruction sets like AVX-512. By creating a single ACL that can process batches of packets using vectorized instructions, the system leverages the full computational width of modern CPUs, improving instruction utilization efficiency while maintaining conceptual simplicity through the single-lookup approach.
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure provides mechanisms to optimize filter processing. Conventional filter processing techniques involve dividing a batch of received data packets into multiple Access Control Lists (ACLs) per filter group, and thus, cannot leverage of optimal ACL processing of large packet batches using the latest processor instruction sets such as 512 bit wide instructions. The filter processing techniques discussed in the present disclosure, some or all rules for a batch of packets are included in a single ACL look-up by including a filter group identifier (ID) in each rule, and also adding the filter group ID to a field of the packet undergoing the ACL look-up. This avoids false matches while also employing a single ACL look-up for an entire batch of packets, regardless of batch-size. The filter processing techniques can be applied to DOCSIS packet processing pipelines and/or other filtering mechanisms.