Patent ID: 9246823
Filing Date: 2016-01-26
CPC Classification: H04L

Claim Text:
1. A distributed network switch, comprising: a first processor configured to perform an egress processing operation on data packets received from one or more second processors, in the distributed network switch, the data packets being destined for a receiving device coupled to the distributed network switch, wherein the first processor is configured to perform the egress processing operation after a forwarding decision has been made for the data packets and the one or more second processors is configured to perform at least one or more processing operations before the forwarding decision has been made for the data packets; a metering device at the first processor, the metering device configured to meter a quantity of data packets in a flow of the data packets that pass via the metering device in the first processor during a period of time to be received at the receiving device, and to output a metering result; and a message generator configured to communicate to the one or more second processors in the distributed network switch a notification message indicative of the metering result.