| 摘要 |
In this embodiment, techniques are provided that may permit operations performed by hardware and software to process one or more (e.g., network traffic-related) workloads to be coordinated, at least in part. Such coordination may permit this embodiment to operate in accordance with one or more advantageous usage models, and/or to achieve advantages such as, accelerated network traffic processing, while permitting and/or facilitating a multi-tenant (e.g., software-defined) network environment to be provided, for example, via enforcement of one or more associated policies. Many modifications are possible without departing from this embodiment. |
| 主权项 |
1. An apparatus to be used in association, at least in part, with a network environment, the apparatus comprising:
circuitry satisfying at least one of the following subparagraphs (a) to (d):
(a) in response, at least in part, to allocation of at least one workload to at least one platform by at least one software process, the circuitry (1) to provide, at least in part, to the at least one platform, at least one policy associated, at least in part, with the at least one workload, the at least one policy having been previously provided, at least in part, to the circuitry by the at least one software process, and (2) to initiate, at least in part, execution of the at least one workload by the at least one platform;(b) in response, at least in part, to traffic processing control that is based, at least in part, upon at least one determination made, at least in part, by the at least one software process, the circuitry to issue at least one command that results, at least in part, in at least one traffic subset being processed by hardware of the at least one platform, the at least one software process to provide to the hardware at least one portion of at least one other policy that is associated, at least in part, with the at least one traffic subset;(c) the at least one command to result, at least in part, in one or more of: (1) the hardware receiving the at least one traffic subset directly from port circuitry of at least one switch, (2) hardware processing by the hardware, at least in part, of the at least one traffic subset in accordance with the at least one policy, (3) after the hardware processing, the at least one traffic subset undergoing software processing and then being provided to at least one virtual machine, and (4) after the hardware processing, the at least one traffic subset being provided directly to the at least one virtual machine; and(d) the circuitry to facilitate, at least in part, change in processing control for the at least one traffic subset between the hardware and the at least one software process, the change being initiated, at least in part, by the at least one software process, the hardware being capable of providing at least one of information and a request, the at least one software process to initiate, in response at least in part to the at least one of the information and the request, the change, the at least one software process being capable of modifying, at least in part, at least one of: the at least one policy, resource allocation related to processing the at least one traffic subset, and processing order of the at least one traffic subset; wherein:
the circuitry satisfies at least the subparagraph (c);the hardware comprises at least two devices selected from;
at least one physical appliance;at least one offload engine; andat least one network service; andthe hardware processing comprises forwarding the at least one traffic subset between the at least two devices. |
