Patent ID: 7912939
Filing Date: 2011-03-22
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A method for selectively reading counter information in a network device, the method comprising the steps of: selectively setting ripeness indicators in an array of ripeness indicators, each of the ripeness indicators in the array including one or more bits and being associated with one or more of the counters and, when set, indicating that a value of at least one of the associated one or more counters has exceeded a threshold value, each of the counters containing information associated with statistics of traffic being handled by the network device; deciding which counters to read and which counters to not read by reading the array of ripeness indicators to determine a subset of the counters that have fullness levels above the subset of counters' respective thresholds; and reading only the subset of counters determined from reading the array of ripeness indicators; and iterating the steps of selectively setting ripeness indicators in the array of ripeness indicators, reading the array of ripeness indicators, and reading only the subset of counters determined from reading the array of ripeness indicators, wherein only counters identified as having fullness levels above respective thresholds by the ripeness indicators are harvested by the network device and counters not identified as having fullness levels above respective thresholds are skipped and not harvested by the network device.