Data plane resource allocation

Inventor: Jaffar Hameed Abdul Kather Jilani (San Jose, CA)

Assignee: Ciena Corporation

G06F9/50

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Quick Facts

Patent No.: US 9,612,872
App. No.: 14/843,626
Granted: Apr 4, 2017
Kind: B2

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Abstract

A method for allocating data plane resources. The method allocates segments of hardware data plane resources to individual domains. In particular, in one or more embodiments, a new domain data plane request may request multiple segments of hardware data plane resources. In response to the request, a segment is reserved for a domain by assigning a domain identifier of the domain to the segment. Thus, the domain may use the allocated segment.

Claims (53)

1. A method for data plane resource allocation comprising:

receiving, for a domain, a new domain data plane request;

selecting, to satisfy the new domain data plane request, a segment in each of a plurality of hardware data plane resources;

reserving the segment in each of the plurality of hardware data plane resources by assigning a domain identifier of the domain to the segment;

receiving a signal of a packet on a physical interconnect of a port;

determining the domain identifier of the packet based on the domain identifier assigned to the segment having the port;

adding, subsequent to the receiving the signal on the physical interconnect, the domain identifier to the packet;

selecting the segment in at least a portion of the plurality of hardware data plane resources that is assigned the domain identifier;

processing the packet using the segment in at least the portion of the plurality of hardware data plane resources; and

removing, subsequent to the processing the packet using the segment, the domain identifier from the packet.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the domain data plane request specifies a distinct number of entries for each table of a plurality of tables, wherein the plurality of data plane resources comprises the plurality of tables.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the plurality of tables are a part of a network processor.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the plurality of tables comprises a table comprising a first segment and a second segment, and wherein the first segment and the second segment are selected based on the distinct number of entries specified in the data plane request for the table.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein reserving the first segment and the second segment comprises storing, in the table, the domain identifier with a first segment identifier of the first segment and a second segment identifier of the second segment.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

validating the new domain data plane request.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining, by a network processor of a plurality of network processors, that the plurality of data plane resources span the plurality of network processors,

sending, by the network processor, a data plane resource request to each other network processor in the plurality of network processors,

wherein the plurality of network processors reserve the segment in each of the plurality of data plane resources.

8. A system for data plane resource allocation comprising:

a plurality of hardware data plane resources; and

a data plane system manager executing on a hardware network processor and configured to:

receive, for a domain, a new domain data plane request;

select, to satisfy the new domain data plane request, a segment in each of the plurality of hardware data plane resources;

reserve the segment in each of the plurality of hardware data plane resources by assigning a domain identifier of the domain to the segment;

receive a signal of a packet on a physical interconnect of a port;

determine the domain identifier of the packet based on the domain identifier assigned to the segment having the port;

add, subsequent to the receiving the signal on the physical interconnect, the domain identifier to the packet;

select the segment in at least a portion of the plurality of hardware data plane resources that is assigned the domain identifier;

process the packet using the segment in at least the portion of the plurality of hardware data plane resources; and

remove, subsequent to the processing the packet using the segment, the domain identifier from the packet.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the domain data plane request specifies a distinct number of entries for each table of a plurality of tables, wherein the plurality of data plane resources comprises the plurality of tables, and wherein the plurality of tables are a part of the hardware network processor.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the plurality of tables comprises a table comprising a first segment and a second segment, and wherein the first segment and the second segment are selected based on the distinct number of entries specified in the data plane request for the table.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein reserving the first segment and the second segment comprises storing, in the table, the domain identifier with a first segment identifier of the first segment and a second segment identifier of the second segment.

12. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising computer readable program code for data plane resource allocation, the computer readable program code comprising functionality for: