Early cache eviction in a multi-flow network processor architecture

摘要

Described embodiments provide an input/output interface of a network processor that generates a request to store received packets to a system cache. If an entry associated with the received packet does not exist in the system cache, the system cache determines whether a backpressure indicator of the system cache is set. If the backpressure indicator is set, the received packet is written to the shared memory. If the backpressure indicator is not set, the system cache determines whether to evict data from the system cache in order to store the received packet. If an eviction rate of the system cache has reached a threshold, the system cache sets a backpressure indicator and writes the received packet to the shared memory. If the eviction rate has not reached the threshold, the system cache determines an available entry and writes the received packet to the available entry in the system cache.