Parallel lookup engine and method for fast packet forwarding in network router

摘要

PURPOSE: A method for performing a parallel forwarding lookup process is provided to forward packets through many parallel lookup engines, in order to reduce lookup time, and to perform a forwarding lookup in parallel by using a prefix tree, thereby improving forwarding lookup performance in a packet switched router. CONSTITUTION: Information on a lookup-key searching for all lookup engines is supplied(1410). Checkers decide whether the lookup-key exists in a self lookup engine(1420). If so, controllers search a prefix tree, and return information on a desirous key to a selector(1430). The selector selects a prefix having the longest length among values returned from each lookup engine(1440), and outputs the selected prefix value as a lookup result of a forwarding engine(1450).