Packet queuing for a network switch
View Patent ↗According to one embodiment a network switch is disclosed. The switch includes a first media access controller (MAC) coupled to a plurality of ports and a memory controller coupled to the first MAC. The memory controller is adaptable to writhe a first portion of packet data received from a first of the plurality of ports to a first memory device and write a second portion of the packet data from the first port to a second memory device.
1. A network switch comprising:
a first media access controller (MAC) coupled to a plurality of ports;
a transmitter coupled to the first MAC; and
packet queuing control (PQC) coupled to a receiver, wherein the PQC includes:
a main queue for storing information corresponding to one or more data packets to be transmitted from the network switch as unicast transmissions; and
a broadcast queue for storing information corresponding to one or more data packets to be transmitted from the network switch as broadcast transmissions, said information including at least one pointer to a next location in the main queue corresponding to a memory location from which data is to be transmitted.
2. The network switch of claim 1 wherein the broadcast queue comprises a plurality of port queues, wherein each of the plurality of port queues corresponds to one of the plurality of ports.
3. The network switch of claim 2 wherein the plurality of port queues comprise:
a first port queue for storing information corresponding to one or more data packets to be transmitted from a first of the plurality of ports; and
a second port queue for storing information corresponding to one or more data packets to be transmitted from a second of the plurality of ports.
4. The network switch of claim 2 wherein the information stored in the main queue and the broadcast queue includes a port number from which a data packet stored in a corresponding memory location is to be transmitted.
5. The network switch of claim 4 wherein the information stored in the main queue and the broadcast queue further includes a pointer to the next queue location from which a data packet stored in a corresponding memory location is to be transmitted.
6. The network switch of claim 5 wherein pointers to a next queue are stored in the main queue for unicast transactions and stored in the plurality of broadcast port queues for broadcast transactions.
7. The network switch of claim 1 further comprising:
address resolution logic (ARL) coupled to the PQC and the receiver; and
and a second MAC coupled to the receiver.
8. A packet queuing control (PQC) comprising:
a main queue for storing information corresponding to one or more data packets to be transmitted from a network switch as unicast transactions and information corresponding to one or more data packets to be transmitted from the network switch as broadcast transactions; and
a broadcast queue for storing information corresponding to one or more data packets to be transmitted from a network switch as broadcast transactions.
9. The PQC of claim 8 wherein the broadcast queue comprises a plurality of port queues, wherein each of the plurality of port queues corresponds to one of the plurality of ports.
10. The PQC of claim 9 wherein the plurality of port queues comprise:
a first port queue for storing information corresponding to one or more data packets to be transmitted from a first of the plurality of ports; and
a second port queue for storing information corresponding to one or more data packets to be transmitted from a second of the plurality of ports.
11. The PQC of claim 9 wherein the information stored in the main queue and the broadcast queue includes a port number from which a data packet stored in a corresponding memory location is to be transmitted.
12. The PQC of claim 11 wherein the information stored in the main queue and the broadcast queue further includes a pointer to the next queue location from which a data packet stored in a corresponding memory location is to be transmitted.
13. The PQC of claim 12 wherein pointers to a next queue are stored in the main queue for unicast transactions and stored in the plurality of broadcast port queues for broadcast transactions.
14. A method comprising:
receiving a first data packet at a first input port coupled to a network switch; determining whether the first data packet is to be transmitted from the network switch as a unicast transaction; and
if so, storing a pointer in a main queue corresponding to the next location in the main queue corresponding to a memory location from which data is to be transmitted from the network switch;
otherwise, storing a plurality of pointers in a broadcast queue corresponding to one or more next locations in the main queue corresponding to a memory location from which data is to be transmitted from the network switch.
15. The method of claim 14 wherein the process of storing a plurality of pointers comprises:
storing the pointer in a first port queue in the broadcast queue, wherein the first port queue corresponds to a first output port coupled to the network switch; and
storing the pointer in a second port queue in the broadcast queue, wherein the second port queue corresponds to a second output port coupled to the network switch.
16. The method of claim 15 further comprising:
transmitting the first data packet from the network switch via the first output port;
and transmitting the first data packet from the network switch via the second output port.