Patent ID: 7529191

Claim:
A network device for processing data on a data network, the network device comprising: a plurality of ports, configured to receive data from a data network and to send processed data to the data network via an egress port; a controller interface, configured to communicate with an external controller; a memory management unit, in communication with and controlling memory external to the network device, wherein the memory management unit is configured to forward data comprising said received data to said external memory to be stored and to process data retrieved from the memory; and a metering unit, in communication with the plurality of ports, the controller interface and the memory management unit, configured to police a flow of the processed data to be sent to the egress port; wherein the metering unit comprises programmable registers in communication with the controller interface, wherein the registers are configured to be programmed through controller signals sent through the controller interface from the external controller, and wherein the external controller is configured to control the flow of the processed data wherein the metering unit is configured to mark data packets of the processed data according to color to police the flow of the processed data based on the controller signals.