SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROCESSING DATA PACKETS BY CACHING INSTRUCTIONS

摘要

A system for processing data packets includes memories with cache buffers that store flow tables and a flow index table, and a processor in communication with the memories. When the processor receives a data packet, it determines whether the flow index table includes a flow index table entry corresponding to the data packet. If the flow index table includes the required flow index table entry, the processor fetches cached instructions corresponding to the data packet from the flow index table and processes the data packet using the fetched instructions. If the flow index table does not include a flow index table entry for the data packet, then the processor fetches the instructions from the flow tables and stores these instructions in the cache buffers, thereby caching the instructions in the flow index table.

主权项

1. A system for processing a data packet, the system comprising:
a set of memories that includes a set of cache buffers, wherein the set of memories stores a flow index table and a set of flow tables, and wherein each flow table includes flow table entries, and wherein the flow index table includes a set of flow index table entries; and a processor in communication with the memories, wherein the processor is configured to:
receive the data packet,determine whether the flow index table includes a first flow index table entry of the set of flow index table entries, wherein the first flow index table entry corresponds to the data packet,fetch a first instruction corresponding to the data packet when the flow index table includes the first flow index table entry, wherein the first flow index table entry includes the first instruction, and wherein the first instruction is stored in the cache buffers, andprocess the data packet based on the first instruction.