Communicating packets between forwarding contexts using virtual interfaces
US7522595B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 16, 2006 |
| Grant date | Apr 21, 2009 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Nov 5, 2026 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04L45/586
- WIPO fieldDigital communication
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
Packets are communicated between forwarding contexts (e.g., virtual routers, logical routers, and/or private networks) using virtual interfaces in communications and computing systems, especially routers, packet switching systems, and other devices. A virtual interface refers to the interface infrastructure (e.g., buffers, memory locations, other data structures), but does not connect to an external cable or other communications mechanism such as is a physical interface. Packets are moved between forwarding contexts by automatically moving a packet placed in a first virtual interface associated with a first forwarding context to a second virtual interface associated with a second forwarding context (assuming the packet is not dropped by a feature applied to the packet at the first virtual interface).
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.