Design of a Diversified Router: Common Router Framework

1
Design of aDiversified RouterCommon Router
Framework
John DeHartjdd_at_arl.wustl.edu http//www.arl.wust
l.edu/arl
2
Revision History

• 5/22/06 (JDD)
• Updates to data passing from Block to Block.
• Buffer descriptor stuff probably needs updating.
• 6/2/06 (JDD)
• Needs to be brought up to date, especially with
  regard to data going between blocks.

3
Outline

• JSTs original slides
• Schedule
• Model
• Traffic Types
• IP Addressing
• Components
• Switch
• MetaLink Loopback Block
• LC
• Substrate Link Types
• Packet Formats
• Focus is on wired Ethernet
• LC Rx/Tx Design Implementation
• Common Router Framework (CRF)
• Functional Blocks for implementing a Router
• Framework is meant to define how we would
  support
• Multiple MetaRouters running on a shared NP Blade
• A single MR running on a dedicated NP Blade could
  also use it.

4
Common Router Framework (CRF) Functional Blocks
Parse
HeaderFormat
Lookup
Tx
DeMux
Rx
MR-1
. . .
MR-n

• Lets look at
• What data passes from block to block
• What blocks touch the Buffer Descriptor
• For MR-specific code, an MR has memory access
  restricted to
• Packet Buffer
• Control Block
• Output Area
• We need a better definition of how an MR will use
  the Control Block and Output Area. Are they
  separate and distinct? What are they each
  intended for?

5
Common Router Framework (CRF) Functional Blocks
Parse
HeaderFormat
Lookup
Tx
DeMux
Rx
MR-1
. . .
MR-n
RBUF
Buf Handle(32b)
CRC (32b)

• Rx
• Function
• Coordinate transfer of packets from RBUF to DRAM
• Notes
• Well pass the Buffer Handle which contains the
  SRAM address of the buffer descriptor.
• From the SRAM address of the descriptor we can
  calculate the DRAM address of the buffer data.

6
Common Router Framework (CRF) Functional Blocks
Parse
HeaderFormat
Lookup
Tx
DeMux
Rx
MR-1
. . .
MR-n
Buf Handle(32b)
CRC (32b)

• DeMux
• Function
• Read Pkt Header from DRAM
• Use VLAN from Ethernet header to determine
  destination MR in order to locate
• MR Parse code
• MR specific memory pointers
• Write MR Id to Buffer Descriptor
• Write VLAN to Buffer Descriptor

7
Common Router Framework (CRF) Functional Blocks
Parse
HeaderFormat
Lookup
Tx
DeMux
Rx
MR-1
. . .
MR-n
Buf Handle(32b)
MR Id(16b)
MR Mem Ptr(32b)
MR Lookup Key(NB)

• Parse
• Function
• MR-specific header processing
• Generate MR-specific lookup key (16 Bytes) from
  packet
• Need CRF functionality to managed multiple MRs in
  shared PE.
• Notes
• Can Parse adjust the buffer/packet size and
  offset?
• Can Parse do something like, terminate a tunnel
  and strip off an outer header?
• MR ID and Input MI are included in MR Lookup Key
  also.

8
CRF Wrapper Around Parse
MR Selector
Buf Handle(32b)
Buf Handle(32b)
MR Id
MR Id
Input MI
MR Mem Ptr
MR Mem Ptr
MR Lookup Key
DRAM Buf Ptr
MR Lookup Key
Input MI
MR Mem Ptr
9
Common Router Framework (CRF) Functional Blocks
Parse
HeaderFormat
Lookup
Tx
DeMux
Rx
MR-1
. . .
MR-n
Buf Handle(32b)
Buffer Handle(32b)
MR Id(16b)
MR Id(16b)

• Lookup
• Function
• Perform lookup in TCAM based on MR Id and lookup
  key
• Result
• Output MI
• QID
• Stats index
• MR-specific Lookup Result (flags, etc. ?)
• How wide can/should this be?
• Notes
• MR ID and Input MI are included in MR Lookup Key
  also.

MR Mem Ptr(32b)
MR Mem Ptr(32b)
MR Lookup Key(NB)
Lookup Result(16B)
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Common Router Framework (CRF) Functional Blocks
Parse
HeaderFormat
Lookup
Tx
DeMux
Rx
MR-1
. . .
MR-n
Buffer Handle(32b)
MR Id(16b)

• Header Format
• Function
• MR specific packet header formatting
• MR specific Lookup Result processing
• Drop and Miss bits
• Need CRF functionality to managed multiple MRs in
  shared PE.
• Pulls out QID, Length and Port from MR Result,
  etc.
• Checks for Drop and Miss bits and deals with
  those actions.

MR Mem Ptr(32b)
Lookup Result(Nb)
Includes drop and miss bits
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CRF Wrapper Around Header Format
MR Selector
Buffer Handle
MR Id
MR Mem Ptr
Lookup Result
DRAM Buf Ptr
Output MI
Buffer Offset
Gets written to Buffer Descriptor May also cause
size(s) in Descriptor to be updated. (what about
trimming data, What if it is a buffers
worth Which would change the chaining, Can they
add/trim at either end?
MR Mem Ptr
MR Specific Lookup Result
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Common Router Framework (CRF) Functional Blocks
Parse
HeaderFormat
Lookup
Tx
DeMux
Rx
MR-1
. . .
MR-n
Buffer Handle(32b)
Buf Handle(32b)

• QM
• Function
• CRF queue management for Meta Interface queues
• For performance reasons, QM may actually be
  implemented as multiple instances
• Each instance on a separate ME would support a
  separate set of Meta Interfaces.
• See next slide for more details

QID(16b)
Size (16b)
Port(8b)
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QM/Scheduler on Multiple MEs
Output Hlpr (1 ME)
QM/Schd (1 ME)
Input Hlpr (1 ME)
HeaderFormat
Tx
. . .
QM/Schd (1 ME)
Buf Handle(32b)
Scratch Rings
Size (16b)
NN Ring
NN Ring
Port(8b)

• QID(32b)
• Reserved (8b)
• QM ID (4b)
• QID(20b) 1M queues per QM
• Input Hlpr would use QM ID to select Scratch ring
  on which to put request.
• Output Hlpr would process all Scratch rings
  coming from QM/Schd MEs and multiplex onto one NN
  ring to TX
• With 64 entries in Q-Array and 16 entries in CAM,
  max number of QM/Schds is probably 4 (2 bits).
• Well set aside 4 bits to give us flexibility in
  the future.

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QM/Scheduler on Multiple MEs
QM/Schd (1 ME)
Input Hlpr (1 ME)
HeaderFormat
Tx
QM/Schd (1 ME)
Tx
NN/Scratch Rings
Buf Handle(32b)
Size (16b)
NN Ring
Port(8b)
Port(8b)

• QID(32b)
• Reserved (8b)
• QM ID (4b)
• QID(20b) 1M queues per QM
• Input Hlpr would use QM ID to select Scratch ring
  on which to put request.
• QM/Sched then sends on its output NN/scratch ring
  to its associated Tx
• With 64 entries in Q-Array and 16 entries in CAM,
  max number of QM/Schds is probably 4 (2 bits).
• Well set aside 4 bits to give us flexibility in
  the future.

15
Common Router Framework (CRF) Functional Blocks
Parse
HeaderFormat
Lookup
Tx
DeMux
Rx
MR-1
. . .
MR-n
TBUF
Buffer Handle(32b)
Port(8b)

• Tx
• Function
• Coordinate transfer of packets from DRAM to TBUF

16
Common Router Framework (CRF) Functional Blocks
Parse
HeaderFormat
Lookup
Tx
DeMux
Rx
MR-1
. . .
MR-n

• Whats missing?
• Multicast
• RFC 1812 An IP router SHOULD support forwarding
  of IP multicast packets,
• Default IPv4 MR SHOULD support Multicast
• It would be nice if our IPv4 MR was implemented
  using the CRF.
• Thus, CRF SHOULD provide support for MRs that
  support Multicast.
• Does PlanetLab make any use of Multicast?
• Statistics/Monitoring
• Exact definition of format for
• Data between blocks
• Lookup result
• Mapping of MRMI to QID
• Is queueing done strictly on a per MI basis?

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Multicast Alternatives

• At least Three Options
• Force MRs that need Multicast to be Dedicated
  Blade MRs and do their own Multicast
• For our short term goals this is probably
  sufficient and the best course.
• Perhaps longer term we can look at adding it to
  the CRF
• Treat as exception and send to Xscale
• Provide support in CRF for Multicast
• Use Multi-Hit Lookup capability of the TCAM
• MI Bit mask defined in Lookup Result
• Will put a bound on the number of MIs that can be
  supported on an MR because of the size of the
  lookup result.
• Has issues of mapping bits in the bit mask to
  actual MIs.
• Lookup Result contains an index into a table
  containing MI bit masks
• Allow but do not force MRs to provide code to
  interpret Lookup Result.
• This would also allow other possible extensions
  on an MR-specific basis
• This carries with it the problem of bounding the
  execution time of the MR-specific code in the
  Lookup block. For general multicast, this could
  be a serious issue.
• There are also issues with generating a QID based
  on an MI when the QID is not included in the
  Lookup Result.
• Other options?

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Common Router Framework (CRF) Functional Blocks
Parse
HeaderFormat
Lookup
Tx
DeMux
Rx
MR-1
. . .
MR-n

• Whats missing?
• Multicast
• Statistics/Monitoring
• Exact definition of format for
• Data between blocks
• Lookup result
• Mapping of MRMI to QID
• Is queueing done strictly on a per MI basis?

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Statistics and Monitoring

• MetaRouter Counters
• What support is needed to allow MetaNets access
  to counters at individual MRs?
• Substrate Counters
• Per Frame Counters
• As part of design we have to enumerate these
• They can probably be managed by the corresponding
  Micro Block, for example
• Number of Received Frames
• RX Block Counts each received frame, stores
  counter in SRAM
• XScale can retrieve value from SRAM
• Number of Transmitted Frames
• TX Block Counts each received frame, stores
  counter in SRAM
• XScale can retrieve value from SRAM
• Dropped Frame Counters
• Drops will probably occur at multiple places
• RX Badly formed Frame
• QM Queue Overflow
• Lookup Result indicates frame is to be dropped
• Etc.
• Etc.

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Common Router Framework (CRF) Functional Blocks
Parse
HeaderFormat
Lookup
Tx
DeMux
Rx
MR-1
. . .
MR-n

• Whats missing?
• Multicast
• Statistics/Monitoring
• Exact definition of format for
• Data between blocks
• Lookup result
• Mapping of MRMI to QID
• Is queueing done strictly on a per MI basis?

21
Common Router Framework (CRF) Functional Blocks
Parse
HeaderFormat
Lookup
Tx
DeMux
Rx
MR-1
. . .
MR-n

• Whats missing?
• Multicast
• Statistics/Monitoring
• Exact definition of format for
• Data between blocks
• Lookup result
• Mapping of MRMI to QID
• Is queueing done strictly on a per MI basis?

22
Common Router Framework (CRF) Functional Blocks
Parse
HeaderFormat
Lookup
Tx
DeMux
Rx
MR-1
. . .
MR-n

• Whats missing?
• Multicast
• Statistics/Monitoring
• Exact definition of format for
• Data between blocks
• Lookup result
• Mapping of MRMI to QID
• Is queueing done strictly on a per MI basis?
• What is the limit on number queues and/or MIs?

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Packet Buffer Descriptor Tradeoffs

• Why use a Buffer Descriptor at all?
• QM needs something to link packets/buffers in
  queues
• ME-to-ME communications costs vs. SRAM access
  costs

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Packet Buffer Descriptor def

• Meta Data structure of Packet Buffers (LSB to
  MSB)
• buffer_next 32 bits Next Buffer Pointer (in a
  chain of buffers)
• offset 16 bits Offset to start of data in
  bytes
• BufferSize 16 bits Length of data in the
  current buffer in bytes
• header_type 8 bits type of header at offset
  bytes in to the buffer
• rx_stat 4 bits Receive status flags
• free_list 4 bits Freelist ID
• packet_size 16 bits (Total packet size across
  multiple buffers)
• output_port 16 bits Output Port on the egress
  processor
• input_port 16 bits Input Port on the ingress
  processor
• nhid_type 4 bits Nexthop ID type.
• reserved 4 bits Reserved
• fabric_port 8 bits Output port for fabric
  indicating blade ID.
• nexthop_id 16 bits NextHop IP ID
• color 8 bits Qos Color
• flow_id 24 bits QOS flow ID or MPLS label/flow
  id
• reserved 16 bits Reserved
• class_id 16 bits Class ID
• packet_next 32 bits pointer to next packet
  (unused in cell mode)

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Packet Buffer Descriptor Gets

• buffer_next tx
• Offset rx, tx, fwd
• BufferSize tx, fwd
• header_type tx, fwd
• rx_stat NONE
• free_listpacket_size NONE
• output_port qm(?), tx
• input_port rx, fwd
• nhid_type NONE
• fabric_port qm(?), tx
• nexthop_id
• color
• flow_id
• class_id
• packet_next

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Meta Data Caching

• Meta Data can be cached in one of three places
• SRAM Xfer Registers
• DRAM Xfer Registers
• GPR Registers
• Size of Meta Data Cache is controlled by define
  META_CACHE_SIZE
• Macro dl_meta_load_cache loads meta data cache
• buffer_handle buffer handle for which meta data
  is to be fetched
• dl_meta read transfer register prefix
• Xbuf_alloc should be used to allocate the
  needed registers
• signal_number
• START_LW starting long word for fetch
• NUM_LW number of long words to fetch
• Each microengine (microblock?) can use Meta Data
  Caching differently.

27
Meta Data Caching

• In the ipv4_v6_forwarder sample app,
• dl_meta_load_cache() used in
• Egress
• ethernet_arp.uc
• pkt_tx_16p.uc
• statistics_util.uc
• tx_helper.uc
• Ingress
• ethernet_arp.uc
• pkt_tx_16p.uc
• statistics_util.uc
• tx_helper.uc
• dl_meta_get_ used in
• Egress
• ethernet_arp.uc
• pkt_tx_16p.uc
• tx_helper.uc
• Ingress
• Ether.uc

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Buffer Handle
29
Buffer Descriptor Usage

• Is there a different Buffer Descriptor defn for
  LC and PE?
• Will we support Multi-Buffer Packets?
• If not, we do not need buffer_next(32b) or
  buffer_size(16b)
• QM uses packet_next for its packet chaining in
  qarray.
• Output Port and Input Port probably translate to
  TxMI and RxMI
• Next Hop fields (nhid_type(4b) and
  nexthop_id(16b)) probably can go away.
• QOS fields (color(8b) and flow_id(24b)) probably
  can go away.
• Two reserved fields 4b and 16b can go away.
• class_id(16b) (virtual queue id?) can probably go
  away.
• fabric_port can probably go away.

30
Buffer Descriptor Usage

• PE Buffer Descriptor
• MR_ID (16b)
• TxMI (16b)
• VLAN (16b)
• buffer_next 32 bits Next Buffer Pointer (in a
  chain of buffers)
• offset 16 bits Offset to start of data in
  bytes
• BufferSize 16 bits Length of data in the
  current buffer in bytes
• header_type 8 bits type of header at offset
  bytes in to the buffer
• rx_stat 4 bits Receive status flags
• free_list 4 bits Freelist ID
• packet_size 16 bits (Total packet size across
  multiple buffers)
• output_port 16 bits Output Port on the egress
  processor
• input_port 16 bits Input Port on the ingress
  processor
• nhid_type 4 bits Nexthop ID type.
• reserved 4 bits Reserved
• fabric_port 8 bits Output port for fabric
  indicating blade ID.
• nexthop_id 16 bits NextHop IP ID
• color 8 bits Qos Color

31
Buffer Descriptor Usage

• PE Buffer Descriptor
• LW0 buffer_next 32 bits Next Buffer Pointer
  (in a chain of buffers)
• LW1 offset 16 bits Offset to start of data
  in bytes
• LW1 BufferSize 16 bits Length of data in the
  current buffer in bytes
• LW2 reserved 8 bits reserved/unused
• LW2 reserved 4 bits reserved/unused
• LW2 free_list 4 bits Freelist ID
• LW2 packet_size 16 bits (Total packet size
  across multiple buffers)
• LW3 MR_ID 16 bits Meta Router ID
• LW3 TxMI 16 bits Transmit Meta Interface
• LW4 VLAN 16 bits VLAN
• LW4 reserved 16 bits reserved/unused
• LW5 reserved 32 bits reserved/unused
• LW6 reserved 32 bits reserved/unused
• LW7 packet_next 32 bits pointer to next packet
  (unused in cell mode)
• Leave multi-buffer fields there as a template for
  the dedicated blade implementation of a
  jumbo-frame MR.
• Also reduces changes to Rx, Tx, and QM and
  reduces potential problems.

32
Extra

• The next set of slides are for templates or extra
  information if needed

33
Text Slide Template
34
Image Slide Template
35
CRF Support for Multicast
Default/Unicast path
MR Interp
HeaderFormat
Parse
MR-Specific Path
Post Process
Lookup
MR-1
. . .
MR-n
36
CRF Support for Multicast
Default path
MR Interp
MR-Specific Path
Post Process
Lookup
DRAM Buf Ptr
MR Id
MR Lookup Key
MR Ctrl Blk Ptr
MR Mem Ptr

• We will need some kind of copy count or multicast
  bit and last copy bit to let TX know when it can
  release the DRAM buffer that holds the packet.

37
CRF Support for Multicast
Default path
MR Interp
MR-Specific Path
Post Process
Lookup
DRAM Buf Ptr
DRAM Buf Ptr
MR Id
MR Lookup Key
MR Lookup Key
MR Specific Lookup Result
MR Ctrl Blk Ptr
MR Ctrl Blk Ptr
MR Mem Ptr
MR Mem Ptr

• We will need some kind of copy count or multicast
  bit and last copy bit to let TX know when it can
  release the DRAM buffer that holds the packet.

38
OLD

• The rest of these are old slides that should be
  deleted at some point.

39
Common Router Framework (CRF) Functional Blocks
Parse
HeaderFormat
Lookup
Tx
DeMux
Rx
MR-1
. . .
MR-n
RBUF
Buf Handle(32b)

• Rx
• Function
• Coordinate transfer of packets from RBUF to DRAM
• Notes
• Well pass the Buffer Handle which contains the
  SRAM address of the buffer descriptor.
• From the SRAM address of the descriptor we can
  calculate the DRAM address of the buffer data.

40
Common Router Framework (CRF) Functional Blocks
Parse
HeaderFormat
Lookup
Tx
DeMux
Rx
MR-1
. . .
MR-n
Buf Handle(32b)

• DeMux
• Function
• Read Pkt Header from DRAM
• Use VLAN from Ethernet header to determine
  destination MR in order to locate
• MR Parse code
• MR specific memory pointers
• Write MR Id to Buffer Descriptor
• Write VLAN to Buffer Descriptor

41
Common Router Framework (CRF) Functional Blocks
Parse
HeaderFormat
Lookup
Tx
DeMux
Rx
MR-1
. . .
MR-n
Buf Handle(32b)
DRAM Buf Ptr(32b)
Buffer Offset(16b)
MR Id(16b)
Input MI(16b)
MR Mem Ptr(32b)
MR Lookup Key(16B)

• Parse
• Function
• MR-specific header processing
• Generate MR-specific lookup key (16 Bytes) from
  packet
• Need CRF functionality to managed multiple MRs in
  shared PE.
• Notes
• Can Parse adjust the buffer/packet size and
  offset?
• Can Parse do something like, terminate a tunnel
  and strip off an outer header?

42
CRF Wrapper Around Parse
MR Selector
43
Common Router Framework (CRF) Functional Blocks
Parse
HeaderFormat
Lookup
Tx
DeMux
Rx
MR-1
. . .
MR-n

• Lookup
• Function
• Perform lookup in TCAM based on MR Id and lookup
  key
• Result
• Output MI
• QID
• Stats index
• MR-specific Lookup Result (flags, etc. ?)
• How wide can/should this be?

44
Common Router Framework (CRF) Functional Blocks
Parse
HeaderFormat
Lookup
Tx
DeMux
Rx
MR-1
. . .
MR-n
Buffer Handle(32b)
DRAM Buf Ptr(32b)

• Header Format
• Function
• MR specific packet header formatting
• MR specific Lookup Result processing
• Drop and Miss bits
• Need CRF functionality to managed multiple MRs in
  shared PE.
• Pulls out QID, Length and Port from MR Result,
  etc.
• Checks for Drop and Miss bits and deals with
  those actions.

Buffer Offset(16b)
MR Id(16b)
MR Mem Ptr(32b)
Lookup Result(Nb)
Includes drop and miss bits
45
CRF Wrapper Around Header Format
MR Selector
Buffer Handle
DRAM Buf Ptr(32b)
Buffer Offset
MR Id
MR Mem Ptr
Buffer Offset
Gets written to Buffer Descriptor May also cause
size(s) in Descriptor to be updated. (what about
trimming data, What if it is a buffers
worth Which would change the chaining, Can they
add/trim at either end?
Lookup Result
46
Common Router Framework (CRF) Functional Blocks
Parse
HeaderFormat
Lookup
Tx
DeMux
Rx
MR-1
. . .
MR-n
Buffer Handle(32b)
Buf Handle(32b)

• QM
• Function
• CRF queue management for Meta Interface queues
• For performance reasons, QM may actually be
  implemented as multiple instances
• Each instance on a separate ME would support a
  separate set of Meta Interfaces.
• See next slide for more details

QID(16b)
Size (16b)
Port(8b)
47
QM/Scheduler on Multiple MEs
Output Hlpr (1 ME)
QM/Schd (1 ME)
Input Hlpr (1 ME)
HeaderFormat
Tx
. . .
QM/Schd (1 ME)
Buf Handle(32b)
Scratch Rings
Size (16b)
NN Ring
NN Ring
Port(8b)

• QID(32b)
• Reserved (8b)
• QM ID (4b)
• QID(20b) 1M queues per QM
• Input Hlpr would use QM ID to select Scratch ring
  on which to put request.
• Output Hlpr would process all Scratch rings
  coming from QM/Schd MEs and multiplex onto one NN
  ring to TX
• With 64 entries in Q-Array and 16 entries in CAM,
  max number of QM/Schds is probably 4 (2 bits).
• Well set aside 4 bits to give us flexibility in
  the future.

48
Common Router Framework (CRF) Functional Blocks
Parse
HeaderFormat
Lookup
Tx
DeMux
Rx
MR-1
. . .
MR-n
TBUF
Buffer Handle(32b)

• Tx
• Function
• Coordinate transfer of packets from DRAM to TBUF