CAM based system and method for re-sequencing data packets

摘要

A system for resequencing data packets is disclosed. In a preferred embodiment, the system operates in a parallel packet switch architecture having at least one egress adapter arranged to receive data packets issued from a plurality of ingress adapters and switched through a plurality of independent switching planes. Each received data packet belongs to one sequence of data packets among a plurality of sequences where the data packets are numbered with a packet sequence number (PSN) assigned according to at least a priority level of the data packet. Each data packet received by the at least one egress adapter is further having a source identifier to identify the ingress adapter from which it is issued. The system for restoring the sequences of the received data packets operates within the egress adapter and comprises buffer for temporarily storing each received data packet at an allocated packet buffer location. Furthermore, controller to extract the packet sequence number, the source identifier and the priority level of each stored data packet. And determination means coupled to the storing means and to the extracting means allow to determine for each sequence of data packet the order of the data packets to be output from the egress adapter.