Patent ID: 7743108
Filing Date: 2010-06-22
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A method for allocating a buffer from one of a multicast pool, a shared pool, and a reserved pool, the reserved pool being one of a number of reserved pools, and the method comprising the steps of: receiving a number of buffer pool selection determinants, said selection determinants including counter status information, multicast packet identification information, and egress port forwarding information, said egress port forwarding information dependent upon a header of an accepted data packet to be stored in a buffer, and said multicast packet identification information contained in said header; selecting one of the multicast pool, the shared pool and the reserved pool from which to allocate the buffer for data based on said selection determinants, wherein said egress port forwarding information only having direct consequence on the selecting one of the multicast pool, the shared pool and the reserved pool when the selecting is from the reserved pools; and allocating the buffer from the selected pool in a shared memory.