SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR STORING FLOW ENTRIES IN HARDWARE TABLES

摘要

A system and method for storing flow entries in hardware tables includes one or more controllers, memory, a first flow table for storing first flow entries, and a second flow table for storing second flow entries that override the first flow entries. The first flow table implements a fixed priority and the second flow table a flexible priority. The one or more controllers is configured to add a third flow entry with a first priority to the first table when the first priority is consistent with priorities of all overlapping first flow entries, move selected overlapping first flow entries to the second table and add the third flow entry to the first table when moving the selected first flow entries removes any priority inconsistencies in the first table when the third flow entry is added to the first table, and otherwise add the third flow entry to the second table.

主权项

1. A network device comprising:
one or more controllers for controlling the network device; memory coupled to the one or more controllers; a first flow table for storing first flow entries, the first flow table implementing a fixed priority; and a second flow table for storing second flow entries that override the first flow entries, the second flow table implementing a flexible priority and being capable of storing the first flow entries; the one or more controllers being configured to:
add a third flow entry with a first priority to the first table when the first priority is consistent with priorities of all first flow entries that overlap the third flow entry;move selected first flow entries that overlap the third flow entry to the second table and add the third flow entry to the first table when moving the selected first flow entries removes any priority inconsistencies in the first table when the third flow entry is added to the first table; andotherwise add the third flow entry to the second table.