Programmable multicast scheduling for a network device

摘要

A method and apparatus are provided for scheduling unicast and multicast data in an input-queued network device. According to one aspect of the present invention, multicast scheduling is triggered by a programmable parameter. Each scheduling timeslot of a set of possible scheduling timeslots, unicast cell scheduling is performed. Multicast cell scheduling is performed in parallel with and independent of the unicast cell scheduling during scheduling timeslots in which a programmable multicast scheduling frequency parameter satisfies a predetermined condition.