METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR A PACKET CLASSIFIER USING A TWO-STEP HASH MATCHING PROCESS

摘要

In one embodiment, a method for efficiently classifying packets for a multi-processor/mutli-thread environment is provided. The method initiates with receiving a packet. Then, header information is extracted form the received packet. Next, a first hash value is calculated. Then, a field of interest in a lookup table is determined from the first hash value. Next, a second hash value is calculated. Then, the second hash value is compared to stored hash values in the field of interest of the lookup table to determine a match between the second hash value and one of the values in the field of interest of the lookup table. If there is a match, the received packet is transmitted to a processor corresponding to the one of the values in the row location of the lookup table. A network interface card and a system for efficiently classifying packets in a multicore/multithread environment are also provided.