Patent ID: 7577736
Filing Date: 2009-08-18
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A system for network accounting statistics collection, comprising: a statistics collector associated with a packet forwarding engine; at least one accounting element within said statistics collector, wherein said accounting element includes at least one counter; wherein said packet forwarding engine is operable to generate at least one accounting instruction in response to a packet processed by said forwarding engine, wherein said accounting instruction includes unique identification of said accounting element within said statistics collector; wherein said statistics collector is operable to process at least one accounting instruction generated by said collocated forwarding engine, wherein said processing includes identifying said at least one accounting element responsive to said unique identification of said accounting element in said accounting instruction, and wherein said processing includes incrementing said at least one counter within said at least one accounting element responsive to said at least one accounting instruction; and a system control component operable to forward a contents of said at least one accounting element to an accounting and statistics system, and wherein said accounting and statistics system is further operable to compute at least one statistical output based on said contents of said at least one accounting element, and wherein said accounting and statistics system is further operable to forward statistical output to a routing control system, wherein said routing control system is operable to use said at least one statistical output to determine a new route for a packet flow in response to said statistical output and distribute said new route for said packet flow to at least one networking device.