Patent ID: 8879555
Filing Date: 2014-11-04
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A method for forwarding packets, comprising: extracting a first group of bits from a destination Internet Protocol (IP) address of a received packet, wherein the first group of bits comprises a predetermined number of bits from the destination IP address; searching a Ternary Content Addressable Memory (TCAM) for a TCAM entry that matches the predetermined number of bits from the destination IP address; returning an index value from the TCAM entry when the TCAM entry is found that matches the predetermined number of bits; combining the index value with a second group of bits from the destination IP address of the received packet to form a key value, wherein the second group of bits includes all bits from the destination IP address that are not included in the first group of bits; and searching a random-access memory (RAM) for a preset Forwarding Information Base (FIB) entry according to the key value to obtain a forwarding IP address of the received packet.