Patent ID: 7865912
Filing Date: 2011-01-04
Classification: G06F,H04L

Abstract:
1. A method for managing tables that are used by network processors to control network traffic through a network, the method comprising: managing, by a first table management software application in a first network processor, only tables associated with the first network processor, the tables associated with the first network processor being used by the first network processor to control network traffic through the network; and managing, by a second table management software application in a second network processor, only tables associated with the second network processor, the tables associated with the second network processor being used by the second network processor to control network traffic through the network; and managing, by a table management control application in a host processor, the tables associated with the first network processor and the tables associated with the second network processor through the first table management software application and the second table management software application, the table management control application being in communication with both the first table management software application and the second table management software application through a plurality of generic application programming interfaces (APIs), the plurality of generic application programming interfaces (APIs) including, a Table Define application programming interface (API) configured to permit the table management control application of the host processor to uniquely define properties of the tables associated with the first network processor and uniquely define properties of the tables associated with the second network processor; a Table Delete application programming interface (API) configured to permit the table management control application of the host processor to delete the tables associated with the first network processor and delete the tables associated with the second network processor; a Table Add Entry application programming interface (API) configured to permit the table management control application of the host processor to add an entry to the tables associated with the first network processor and add an entry to the tables associated with the second network processor; a Table Update Entry application programming interface (API) configured to permit the table management control application of the host processor to update an entry in the tables associated with the first network processor and update an entry in the tables associated with the second network processor; a Table Read Entry application programming interface (API) configured to permit the table management control application of the host processor to read an entry in the tables associated with the first network processor and read an entry in the tables associated with the second network processor; a Table Delete Entry application programming interface (API) configured to permit the table management control application of the host processor to delete an entry in the tables associated with the first network processor and delete an entry in the tables associated with the second network processor; a Table Enable application programming interface (API) configured to permit the table management control application of the host processor to transition a given table associated with the first network processor from a disabled state to an enabled state and transition a given table associated with the second network processor from a disabled state to an enabled state; a Table Disable application programming interface (API) configured to permit the table management control application of the host processor to transition a given table associated with the first network processor from an enabled state to a disabled state and transition a given table associated with the second network processor from an enabled state to a disabled state; a Table Lock application programming interface (API) configured to permit the table management control application of the host processor to transition a given table associated with the first network processor from an unlocked state to a locked state and transition a given table associated with the second network processor from an unlocked state to a locked state; and a Table Unlock application programming interface (API) configured to permit the table management control application of the host processor to transition a given table associated with the first network processor from a locked state to an unlocked state and transition a given table associated with the second network processor from a locked state to an unlocked state.