A networking device includes a Network Interface Device (NID) and a host. Packets are received onto the networking device via the NID. Some of the packets pass along paths from the NID to the host, whereas others do not pass to the host and are processed by the NID. A bypass packet count for each path that passes from the NID to the host is maintained on the NID. It is determined, using a match table, that one of the packets received on the NID is to be sent to the host. The packet, however, is instead sent along a bypass path without going through the host (as it should have according to the host's match tables). The path that the packet would have traversed had the packet not been sent along the bypass path is determined and the bypass packet count associated with the determined path is incremented.

A networking device includes a match table maintained on a first processor. The match table includes an entry that in turn includes an entry packet count. Packets of multiple flows result in matches to the entry. A set of bypass packet counts is maintained on a second processor of the networking device. There is one bypass packet count for each of the multiple paths through the first processor. A request for a “system entry packet count” of an entry located in a match table on the first processor is received onto the networking device. All paths of all flows that could have resulted in matches of that entry are determined. The “system entry packet count” is then determined by summing the entry packet count and the bypass packet counts for all those paths. A response is output from the networking device, where the response includes the “system entry packet count”.

A system and method for protocol independent receive side scaling (RSS) includes storing a plurality of RSS hash M-tuple definitions, each definition corresponding to one of a set of possible protocol header combinations for routing an incoming packet, the set of possible protocol header combinations being modifiable to include later-developed protocols. Based on initial bytes of the incoming packet, a pattern of protocol headers is detected, and used to select one of the plurality of RSS hash M-tuple definitions. The selected RSS hash M-tuple definition is applied as a protocol-independent arbitrary set of bits to the headers of the incoming packet to form a RSS hash M-tuple vector, which is used to compute a RSS hash. Based on the RSS hash, a particular queue is selected from a set of destination queues identified for the packet, and the packet is delivered to the selected particular queue.

Assignment of directionality to interfaces, ports, receptacles, antennas and other input/output (I/O) employed by network devices to facilitate multi-device networking is contemplated. The directionality assignments may be used to facilitate assigning directionless and/or configurable router directionality in order to automatically, adaptively, dynamically or other otherwise facilitate inter-router connections within a multi-router network.

Embodiments provide a method, including: receiving, by a forwarding element, a packet through an inbound port; searching for, by the forwarding element, a port table according to the inbound port and determining a first offset, a first length, and an identifier of a first table; determining, by the forwarding element, a first key according to the first offset and the first length, searching for the first table according to the first key, and determining a first instruction; and processing, by the forwarding element, the packet according to the first instruction. In addition, a forwarding element is provided. In the foregoing technical solutions, before processing a packet, the forwarding element does not need to interpret a data format of the packet, so that the forwarding element can flexibly support packets in different data formats.

In a system and method for accessing messages in a data store in a gateway, a data frame request, which is a structured SQL query, is received at the gateway. The received data frame request is applied to the gateway data store, which stores messages. A data frame is generated that comprises messages from the data store that are responsive to the received data frame request, the data frame having a format that is readable by a character editor.

Congestion in respect to a network element operable to forward data items in a telecommunications networks, and in respect to a processing element operable to process requests for service is signaled. In either, the element is operable to perform its processing function at up to a processing rate which is subject to variation, and has a queue for items awaiting processing having a counter associated therewith which maintains a count from which a queue metric is derivable. A method comprises: updating the count at a rate dependent on the processing rate; further updating the count in response to receipt of items awaiting processing; and signalling a measure of congestion in respect of the element in dependence on the queue metric; then altering the rate at which the count is being updated and adjusting the counter whereby to cause a change in the queue metric if the processing rate has changed.

A cell processing method and apparatus are provided. The method includes: obtaining, by a first sending end, a first timestamp compensation time; adding, by the first sending end, the first timestamp compensation time to a first timestamp carried in a first cell, where the first timestamp is a sending time of the first cell; and sending, by the first sending end to a receiving end, the first cell that is added with the first timestamp compensation time, so that the receiving end forwards the first cell according to the first timestamp that is added with the first timestamp compensation time. In the present invention, a first timestamp compensation time is added to a first timestamp carried in a first cell, which improves cell forwarding efficiency of the receiving end and prevents the occurrence of cell accumulation in a link.

A method and an apparatus for using a serial port device in a time division multiplexing manner are provided. The apparatus includes a first serial port, a second serial port, a switching circuit, and a signal interface, where the switching circuit selects to receive data sent; the first serial port sends first data to a first serial port device; the second serial port receives second data sent by a second serial port device, and when it is determined that the second data indicates that the second serial port device needs to receive third data sent by the second serial port, instructs the switching circuit to select to receive the third data sent; and the second serial port sends the third data to the second serial port device. Therefore, the first serial port and the second serial port can use corresponding serial port devices in a time division multiplexing manner.

An apparatus for operating a low data-rate (LDR) link and legacy switch at a high data-rate (HDR) includes a first block and a second block. The first block receives input signals from the legacy switch and generates identical output signals. The second block receives the identical output signals and generates an HDR signal for communication over the LDR link coupled to an access point. Further, a media access control (MAC) interface communicates data at a first data rate with an Ethernet PHY block including a first-in-first-out (FIFO) module and a buffer. The FIFO receives data from the MAC interface at the first data rate and transmits data at a second data rate. The buffer receives data from the Ethernet port at the second data rate and transmits the received data at the first data rate in response to detection of an end of packet.