HARDWARE-ASSISTED CENTRAL PROCESSING UNIT ACCESS TO A FORWARDING DATABASE

摘要

A switch fabric (210) provides access to a forwarding database (140) on behalf of a processor (161). The switch fabric (210) includes a memory access interface configured to arbitrate access to a forwarding database (140) memory. The switch fabric (210) also includes a search engine coupled to the memory access interface and to multiple input ports (140). The search engine is configured to schedule and perform accesses to the forwarding database (140) memory and to transfer forwarding decisions retrieved therefrom to the input ports (205). The switch fabric (210) further includes command execution logic that is configured to interface with the processor (161) for performing forwarding database (140) accesses requested by the processor. One or more commands are provided for 1) learning a supplied address; 2) reading associated data corresponding to a search key; 3) ageing forwarding database (140) entries; 4) invalidating entries; (5) accessing mask data; 6) replacing forwarding database (140) entries; and 7) accessing entries in the forwarding database (140).