| 主权项 |
1. A method operating at a network element configured to support in-service application upgradability, the method comprising:
receiving, at a first-level ingress distributor of a programmable device of the network element, ingress packets from a host component coupled to the programmable device, each ingress packet having a first-level distribution tag, a second-level distribution tag and a host identifier configured by the host component, wherein the programmable device comprises a dynamic component including a plurality of application service engines, each configured to execute an instance of an application service with respect to the ingress packets; responsive to the first-level distribution tag, forwarding an ingress packet to a specific one of a plurality of second-level ingress distributors, each corresponding to a particular application service engine of the plurality of application service engines; determining if a particular second-level ingress distributor is in a default mode or in a redirect mode, wherein the redirect mode corresponds to a condition in which an application service engine associated with the particular second-level ingress distributor is in a state of unavailability and the default mode corresponds to a condition in which the application service engine corresponding to the particular second-level ingress distributor is in an active state; if the particular second-level ingress distributor is in default mode, forwarding the ingress packets to the particular application service engine associated with the particular second-level ingress distributor for processing; and if the particular second-level ingress distributor is in redirect mode, distributing the ingress packets to remaining active application service engines for processing, responsive to the second-level distribution tags of the ingress packets. |
