Method for parsing network packets having future defined tags

摘要

Methods and systems are provided for enabling existing or legacy network devices to recognize and parse packets defined in accordance with future-defined standards, without having to be re-configured to be compatible with such standards. A transmitting network device may generate packets such that to enable receiving network devices to bypass, when processing the packets, unknown or newly-inserted fields, such as tag headers, in the packets, and to continue processing the remainder of the packet. This may be achieved by, for example, incorporating in the packets, when such unknown or newly-inserted are included in the packets, corresponding indication fields (e.g., tag header type fields) which may indicated that the unknown or newly-inserted are inserted. Further, indication fields may enable a receiving device to skip over these unknown or newly-inserted. For example, each tag header type filed may be associated with a particular tag header length of the corresponding tag header.

主权项

1. A method, comprising:
generating a packet, wherein:
when a tag header is inserted in the packet, the packet comprises a first portion that contains a tag header type, wherein:
the tag header type is set to indicate that the tag header is inserted in the packet;the tag header is not part of the first portion;the tag header type is associated with a tag header length of the tag header; andthe tag header type is set to identify and read a remaining portion of the packet to enable, when processing the packet, bypassing without reading the tag header inserted in the packet, based on the tag header length associated with the tag header type.