Patent ID: 7522521
Filing Date: 2009-04-21
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A routing device, comprising: a route processor for processing route updates; and a plurality of line cards communicatively coupled to the route processor; wherein the route processor includes a route processing mechanism, packet storage for storing packets received from the plurality of line cards, and one or more resource monitoring mechanisms for identifying one or more resource utilization values representative of traffic destined for the route processor and received from the plurality of line cards, wherein said one or more resource utilization values include a measurement of the storage utilization of packets stored in said storage; wherein each of the plurality of line cards includes one or more external interfaces for sending and receiving packets; a forwarding lookup mechanism for identifying packets of said received packets destined for the route processor; and an admission control enforcement mechanism for limiting traffic it respectively sends to the route processor; and wherein the route processor is configured to communicate with the plurality of line cards in order to cause said admission control enforcement mechanisms of one or more offending line card sources of said line cards to reduce traffic being sent to the route processing mechanism in response to said resource utilization values reaching or exceeding a predetermined value.