ACKNOWLEDGEMENT FORWARDING

摘要

A method for processing data packets in a pipeline and executed by a network processor. The pipeline includes a plurality of logical blocks, each logical block configured to process one stage of the pipeline. Each data packet includes a descriptor and a data. The network processor is coupled to a resource for storing the data. The method reduces latency and enables non-blocking processing of data packets by forwarding a unique identification of a write request from a first logical block to a subsequent second logical block in the pipeline, the write request to modify the data in the resource. The method includes receiving the descriptor for processing at the first logical block, generating the write request and the unique identification for the write request, transmitting the write request to the resource, and transmitting the unique identification towards the second logical block before an acknowledgement is returned by the resource.

主权项

1. A method executed by a network processor implementing a pipeline for processing a data packet, where the pipeline includes a plurality of logical blocks, where each of the plurality of logical blocks is configured to process a stage of the pipeline, where the data packet includes a descriptor and a data, and where the network processor is coupled to a resource for storing the data, the method to reduce latency and enable non-blocking processing of the data packet by forwarding a unique identification of a write request from a first logical block in the plurality of logical blocks to a second logical block in the plurality of logical blocks that is subsequent to the first logical block, the write request to modify the data in the resource, the method comprising the steps of:
receiving the descriptor of the data packet for processing at the first logical block in the pipeline executed by the network processor; generating the write request and the unique identification of the write request at the first logical block; transmitting the write request from the first logical block to the resource; and transmitting the unique identification from the first logical block toward the second logical block before an acknowledgment of the write request is returned by the resource.