Client modeling in a forwarding plane

摘要

In one embodiment, a method includes receiving a packet at a network device in communication with a plurality of client nodes, the packet identifying a first client node, performing a look up in a table stored at the network device to locate policies associated with the first client node, the table including an entry for each of the client nodes, each entry having a plurality of policies associated with the client node, applying the policies associated with the first client node at a forwarding engine at the network device, and forwarding the packet from the network device. An apparatus is also disclosed.

主权项

1. A method comprising:
receiving a packet at a network device in communication with a plurality of client nodes and a policy source comprising policy information for the client nodes, the packet identifying a first of said client nodes comprising a source node transmitting the packet; performing a look up in an ingress table to locate policies associated with the source node and an egress table to locate policies associated with one of said client nodes identified in the packet as a destination node, the ingress table and egress table stored at the network device and comprising an entry for each of said client nodes, each entry comprising a plurality of policies associated with the client node; applying said plurality of policies at a forwarding engine at the network device, wherein applying said plurality of policies comprises applying both ingress features associated with the source node and egress features associated with the destination node; and forwarding the packet from the network device; wherein each of said entries comprises an index corresponding to one or more of said client nodes, the index for said first client node derived based on an address of said first client node and one or more of a port, a virtual local area network, and an interface associated with said first client node.