Low-level programming language plugin to augment high-level programming language setup of an SDN switch
A method involves compiling a first amount of high-level programming language code (for example, P 4 ) and a second amount of a low-level programming language code (for example, C) thereby obtaining a first section of native code and a second section of native code. The high-level programming language code at least in part defines how an SDN switch performs matching in a first condition. The low-level programming language code at least in part defines how the SDN switch performs matching in a second condition. The low-level code can be a type of plugin or patch for handling special packets. The sections of native code are loaded into the SDN switch such that a first processor (for example, x86 of the host) executes the first section of native code and such that a second processor (for example, ME of an NFP on the NIC) executes the second section of native code.
1. A method comprising:
(a) compiling, by a processor, a first amount of high-level programming language code thereby obtaining a first section of native code and compiling a second amount of a low-level programming language code thereby obtaining a second section of native code, wherein the first amount of high-level programming language code at least in part defines how a Software Defined Network (SDN) switch performs a matching in a first condition, and wherein the second amount of low-level programming language code at least in part defines how the SDN switch performs matching in a second condition, wherein the matching specified by the second amount of low-level programming language code cannot be specified using the high-level programming language;
(b) loading the first section of native code into the SDN switch such that a first processor of the SDN switch can execute at least part of the first section of native code; and
(c) loading the second section of native code into the SDN switch such that a second processor of the SDN switch can execute at least part of the second section of native code.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the high-level programming language code is P4 programming language code, and wherein the low-level programming language code is C programming language code.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the compiling of (a) occurs in the SDN switch.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the compiling of (a) does not occur in the SDN switch.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first processor is an x86 host processor that executes a first instruction set, and wherein the second processor is a processor of a Network Flow Processor (NFP), wherein the processor of the NFP executes a second instruction set.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein a third section of native code is obtained by the compiling of the first amount of high-level programming language code, and wherein the third section of native code is used during the compiling of the second amount of low-level programming language code.
7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
(d) combining the first section of native code with the second section of native code into a single file.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the matching specified by the high-level programming language code when carried out generates a result, and wherein the matching specified by the low-level programming language code when carried out uses the result.
9. A method comprising:
(a) compiling, by a processor, a first amount of high-level programming language code thereby obtaining a first section of native code and compiling a second amount of a low-level programming language code thereby obtaining a second section of native code, wherein the first amount of high-level programming language code at least in part defines how an SDN switch performs a first action, and wherein the second amount of low-level programming language code at least in part defines how the SDN switch performs a second action, wherein the second action specified by the second amount of low-level programming language code cannot be specified using the high-level programming language;
(b) loading the first section of native code into the SDN switch such that a first processor of the SDN switch can execute at least part of the first section of native code; and
(c) loading the second section of native code into the SDN switch such that a second processor of the SDN switch can execute at least part of the second section of native code.
10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the high-level programming language code is P4 programming language code, and wherein the low-level programming language code is C programming language code.
11. The method of claim 9 , wherein the compiling of (a) occurs in the SDN switch.
12. The method of claim 9 , wherein the compiling of (a) does not occur in the SDN switch.
13. The method of claim 9 , wherein the first processor is an x86 host processor that executes a first instruction set, and wherein the second processor is a processor of a Network Flow Processor (NFP), wherein the processor of the NFP executes a second instruction set.
14. The method of claim 9 , wherein a third section of native code is obtained by the compiling of the first amount of high-level programming language code, and wherein the third section of native code is used during the compiling of the second amount of low-level programming language code.
15. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
(d) combining the first section of native code with the second section of native code into a single file.
16. The method of claim 9 , wherein the action specified by the high-level programming language code when carried out generates a result, and wherein the actin specified by the low-level programming language code when carried out uses the result.
17. A method comprising:
(a) compiling, by a processor, a first amount of high-level programming language code and a second amount of a low-level programming language code thereby obtaining a first section of native code and a second section of native code, wherein the first amount of high-level programming language code at least in part defines how a Software Defined Network (SDN) switch performs matching in a first condition, and wherein the second amount of low-level programming language code at least in part defines how the SDN switch performs matching in a second condition, wherein the matching specified by the second amount of low-level programming language code cannot be specified using the high-level programming language;
(b) loading the first section of native code into the SDN switch such that a first processor of the SDN switch can execute at least part of the first section of native code; and
(c) loading the second section of native code into the SDN switch such that a second processor of the SDN switch can execute at least part of the second section of native code.