Claims:WE CLAIM
1. A method of improved switching capacity in a software-based network switch, the method comprising:
receiving, by a Network Interface Controller (NIC) of the software-based network switch, a data packet;
storing, by the NIC, the data packet in a first local buffer of the NIC and one or more header fields associated with the data packet in a second local buffer of the NIC, wherein the data packet stored in the first local buffer and the one or more header fields stored in the second local buffer are assigned a common identifier;
directly accessing, by a CPU associated with the software-based network switch, the one or more header fields from the second local buffer through a system bus;
modifying, by the CPU, at least one header field of the one or more header fields based on flow control information pre-defined for the data packet;
overwriting, by the NIC, the one or more header fields with the at least one modified header field in the data packet stored in the first local buffer of the NIC based on the common identifier; and
routing, by the NIC, the data packet based on the at least one modified header field.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the CPU accesses a buffer descriptor associated with the data packet in Random Access Memory (RAM) to determine a buffer address of the second local buffer, wherein the buffer descriptor is mapped to the buffer address of the second local buffer.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the CPU modifies the one or more header fields based on flow control information from Random Access Memory (RAM) associated with the software-based network switch.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the CPU periodically polls the second local buffer of the NIC to read one or more header fields of a subsequent data packet.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein an interrupt is generated by the NIC to the CPU on storing the one or more header fields in the second local buffer and wherein the CPU reads the one or more header fields from the second local buffer of the NIC in response to the interrupt.

6. A system of improved switching capacity in a software-based network switch, the system comprising:
a Network Interface Controller (NIC) comprises:
an interface port to receive a data packet; and
a plurality of local buffers comprise:
a first local buffer to store the data packet and a second local buffer to store one or more header fields associated with the data packet, wherein the data packet stored in the first local buffer and the one or more header fields stored in the second local buffer are assigned a common identifier;
a CPU to:
directly access the one or more header fields from the second local buffer through a system bus; and
modify at least one header field of the one or more header fields based on flow control information pre-defined for the data packet,
wherein the NIC is to:
overwrite the one or more header fields with the at least one modified header field in the data packet stored in the first local buffer of the NIC based on the common identifier; and
route the data packet based on the at least one modified header field.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the CPU accesses a buffer descriptor associated with the data packet in Random Access Memory (RAM) to determine a buffer address of the second local buffer, wherein the buffer descriptor is mapped to the buffer address of the second local buffer.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the CPU modifies the one or more header fields based on flow control information from Random Access Memory (RAM) associated with the software-based network switch.

9. The system of claim 6, wherein the CPU periodically polls the second local buffer of the NIC to read one or more header fields of a subsequent data packet.

10. The system of claim 6, wherein an interrupt is generated to the CPU on storing the one or more header fields in the second local buffer of the NIC, and wherein the CPU reads the one or more header fields from the second local buffer of the NIC in response to the interrupt.

Dated 26th day of March, 2019

R Ramya Rao
Of K&S Partners
Agent for the Applicant
IN/PA-1607
, Description:TECHNICAL FIELD
[001] This disclosure relates generally to packet-switching device in a communication network, and more particularly to improving switching capacity in software-based network switches in access networks.