Next hop chaining for forwarding data in a network switching device
US8014317B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Aug 21, 2008 |
| Grant date | Sep 6, 2011 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Nov 4, 2028 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04L45/50
- WIPO fieldDigital communication
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A route for a data unit through a network may be defined based on a number of next hops. Exemplary embodiments described herein may implement a router forwarding table as a chained list of references to next hops. In one implementation, a device includes a forwarding table that includes: a first table configured to store, for each of a plurality of routes for data units in a network, a chain of links to next hops for the routes; and a second table configured to store the next hops. The device also includes a forwarding engine configured to assemble the next hops for the data units based on using the chain of links in the first table to retrieve the next hops in the second table and to forward the data units in the network based on the assembled next hops.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.