Proprietary and Confidential to PMC-Sierra, Inc and for its Customers
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Internal Use
Document ID: PMC-2010146, Issue 4
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PM2329 ClassiPI Network Classification Processor Datasheet
1.4 Architectural Overview
The PM2329 architecture supports the requirements of networking protocols pertaining to high-speed
search and classification. It supports the implementation of several protocols in the same equipment to
achieve wire-speed performance at Gigabit/OC-48 rates. This architecture permits sequential, parallel and
conditional operations. The PM2329 device can also be cascaded to allow searches consisting of a large
number of rules. The PM2329 architecture is tuned to high-speed yet sophisticated classification operation.
Networking protocol processing requires performing searches and lookups in data structures based on
information contained in the header of a packet. In IPv4 packets, this is typically the Source and
Destination IP address (Layer 3), the IP Protocol Field, and the Source and Destination Port Numbers
(Layer 4). A lookup operation would consist of extracting the header of a packet and conducting a search
in a data structure using this and some specific search criterion. As the sophistication of network protocols
has increased, data lookups using information contained in the data payload of the packet (Layer 5 to Layer
7) has also become necessary. The PM2329 supports high-speed lookups using this (Layer 5 to Layer 7)
data.
To perform these lookups at wirespeed packet rates, the accelerator engine must have algorithmic support,
architectural support and software model support. The PM2329 provides this support in an optimized
manner as outlined below.
1.4.1 Algorithmic Support
The PM2329 provides algorithmic support for searches and examination of packet contents. Based on the
information provided by the PM2329, the associated packet content manipulation is performed by an
external Packet Processor.
Key capabilities of the PM2329 for algorithmic support are as listed below:
Flexible key extraction
Search Prioritization
Single or Multiple Match identification
Range Searches
Counters/Statistics (Packet and Byte Count) and Timestamps
Longest Prefix Search
Aging support