Hierarchical policers for enforcing differentiated traffic behavior

Abstract

A hierarchical traffic policer may include a first policer configured to pass first packets when a first condition is met. The first policer also may alter selection information within the passed first packets. A second policer may be configured to pass second packets when a second condition is met. The second policer may be further configured to pass all of the passed first packets from the first policer based on the altered selection information within the passed first packets.

1 - 28 . (canceled) 
     
     
         29 . A device comprising:
 a first component to:
 sort a plurality of packets; and 
   a second component to:
 receive one of the plurality of packets sorted by the first component of the device, 
 pass, based on a first condition, the one of the plurality of packets to a third component of the device, and 
 drop, based on a second condition, the one of the plurality of packets. 
   
     
     
         30 . The device of  claim 29 , the first component further to:
 set a bit of data of each of the plurality of packets to a first value; and   where the second component of the device is further to:
 change, based on the first condition, the bit of data of the one of the plurality of packets from the first value to a second, different value. 
   
     
     
         31 . The device of  claim 29 , where each of the plurality of packets include a bit of data set to a common value, and
 where the second component is further to:
 set the bit of data of the one of the plurality of packets to a different value. 
   
     
     
         32 . The device of  claim 31 , where the first component is further to:
 set the bit of data of each of the plurality of packets to the common value.   
     
     
         33 . The device of  claim 31 , where the bit of data of each of the plurality of packets is set when a header of each of the plurality of packets is created. 
     
     
         34 . The device of  claim 31 , where the third component is to:
 receive the one of the plurality of packets from the second component of the device,   determine that the bit of the data of the one of the plurality of packets is set to the different value, and   pass, based on the bit of data of the one of the plurality of packets being set to the different value, the one of the plurality of packets.   
     
     
         35 . The device of  claim 29 , where the third component is to:
 pass, based on a third condition, the one of the plurality of packets received from the second component of the device.   
     
     
         36 . A network device comprising:
 a policer to:
 receive a first type of data from a sorter, 
 pass, based on a first factor, the first type of data to another policer, 
 drop, based on a second factor, the first type of data; and 
   the other policer to:
 receive a second type of data from the sorter, and 
 receive, when passed by the policer, the first type of data from the policer. 
   
     
     
         37 . The network device of  claim 36 , where the first type of data comprises data representing a first type of packet. 
     
     
         38 . The network device of  claim 37 , where the data representing the first type of packet comprises a notification associated with the first type of packet. 
     
     
         39 . The network device of  claim 36 , where each of the first and the second types of data include a bit of data,
 where the sorter is to:
 set the bit of data of each of the first and the second types of data to a common value; and 
   where the policer is further to:
 change, prior to passing the first type of data, the bit of data of the first type of data to a different value. 
   
     
     
         40 . The network device of  claim 39 , where the sorter is further to:
 sort the first and the second types of data from a plurality of data received by the sorter, and   pass the second type of data to the other policer.   
     
     
         41 . The network device of  claim 40 , where the other policer is further to:
 police, based on a determination that the bit of data of the second type of data is set to the common value, the second type of data, and   pass, based on a determination that the bit of data of the first type of data received from the policer is set to the different value and without policing, the first type of data.   
     
     
         42 . A method comprising:
 sorting, by a first component of a device and based on a first condition, a plurality of packets including a first packet and a second packet;   receiving, by a second component of the device, the first packet from the first component of the device;   determining, by the second component of the device, whether the first packet meets a second condition;   determining, by the second component of the device and when the first packet is determined not to meet the second condition, whether the first packet meets a third condition;   passing, by the second component of the device and when the first packet meets the second condition, the first packet to a third component of the device; and   dropping, by the second component of the device and when the first packet meets the third condition, the first packet.   
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 42 , further comprising:
 setting, by the first component of the device and prior to the receiving, a bit of data in the first packet and a corresponding bit of data in the second packet to a same value; and   setting, by the second component of the device and when the first packet meets the second condition, the bit of data in the first packet to a different value.   
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 42 , where a first bit of data in the first packet and a corresponding bit of data in the second packet are set to matching values, and
 where the method further comprises:
 altering, by the second component of the device and when the first packet meets the second condition, the bit of data in the first packet. 
   
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 42 , further comprising:
 receiving, by the third component of the device, a plurality of packets, the plurality of packets including the second packet from the first component of the device and the first packet from the second component of the device;   determining, by the third component, whether any of the plurality of packets comply with a fourth condition.   
     
     
         46 . The method of  claim 45 , further comprising:
 passing, by the third component and without policing, any of the plurality of packets determined to comply with the fourth condition.   
     
     
         47 . The method of  claim 46 , further comprising:
 determining, by the third component, whether any of the plurality of packets determined not to comply with the fourth condition comply with a fifth condition; and   passing, by the third component, any of the plurality of packets determined to comply with the fifth condition.   
     
     
         48 . The method of  claim 47 , further comprising:
 dropping, by the third component, any of the plurality of packets determined not to comply with the fourth and the fifth conditions.