A computer-implemented system and method for a lock-less, zero data copy messaging mechanism in a multi-core processor for use on a modem in a telecommunications network are described herein. The method includes, for each of a plurality of processing cores, acquiring a kernel to user-space (K-U) mapped buffer and corresponding buffer descriptor, inserting a data packet into the buffer; and inserting the buffer descriptor into a circular buffer. The method further includes creating a frame descriptor containing the K-U mapped buffer pointer, inserting the frame descriptor onto a frame queue specified by a dynamic PCD rule mapping IP addresses to frame queues, and creating a buffer descriptor from the frame descriptor.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The exemplary embodiments of the invention relate to a zero-copy, lock-less, and non-blocking messaging scheme for multi-cell support on a single modem board using a multi-core processor. While the invention is particularly directed to the art of wireless telecommunications, and will be thus described with specific reference thereto, it will be appreciated that the invention may have usefulness in other fields and applications.

By way of background, LTE (Long Term Evolution) is a rapidly evolving 3GPP project that aims to improve the UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunications System) mobile phone standard to cope with future communication network demands. LTE improves wireless network efficiency and bandwidth, lowers costs and enhances service experience. Specifically, LTE makes use of new spectrum opportunities and offers better integration with other open standards. LTE generally includes an LTE RAN (Radio Access Network) (also known as E-UTRAN) along with an EPS (Evolved Packet System, also called Evolved Packet Core).

Communication systems are generally split into two primary functions: data plane functions and control plane functions. In previous LTE products, at least two processors were used on the modem board: one to support the control plane functions (non-real time, e.g., Operations, Administration, and Management (or OA&M), and call processing management-related functionalities), and another to terminate and support the data plane functions (real time, e.g., LTE Layer 2 processing). Both the control and data planes use different operating system (OS) instances, such as Linux for the control plane and a real-time OS such as vXWorks (made and sold by Wind River Systems of Alameda, Calif.) for the data plane core. Typically, one modem board supports one sector or cell. So to support multi-cell (e.g., 3-cells or 6-cells) configurations, it would be necessary to provide as many modem boards as the number of cells.

A multi-core processor may be used in an LTE wireless base station on a modem board. An operating system such as SMP Linux with a PREEMPT RT patch may run on one SMP partition containing all eight cores. In this configuration the control plane (non-real time threads/processes) and the data plane (real time threads/processes) share the same operating system instances even though they are bound to run on different cores. The use of the Linux protocol stack to send/receive TCP/UDP packets from the real time processes/threads, such as the LTE L2 scheduler running on the data plane core, may result in unbounded latency spikes that may break down the processing of the LTE L2 scheduler. This is due to the fact that the Linux protocol stack is not designed to be lock-less, and since it is also used by the non real time processes/threads such as OAM, and CALLP running on the control plane core.

In an SMP environment, a lock taken by a non-real-time process or thread on one core (such as found on the control plane) may cause a latency spike for a real time thread or process waiting for that lock to be released on a different core (such as found on the data plane). Thus, there is a need for a lock-less, zero copy, non-blocking messaging scheme that does not use the Linux Protocol stack for the fast data path on the data plane core to meet the performance needs of a multi-core processor-based modem board that uses one partition. Without such a scheme the system may be subject to unbounded latency spikes that could break down the entire system, especially with respect to the processing of the LTE L2 scheduler.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one aspect of the exemplary embodiment, a computer-implemented method for lock-less, zero data copy messaging in a multi-core processor is provided. The method includes, for each of a plurality of processing cores, acquiring a kernel to user-space (K-U) mapped buffer and corresponding buffer descriptor, inserting a data packet into the buffer; and inserting the buffer descriptor into a circular buffer.

In another aspect, an apparatus for providing lock-less, zero copy access to buffers between user-space processes and kernel space processes is provided. The apparatus includes a modem board, and a multi-core processor having a plurality of processor cores attached to the modem board. The modem board includes kernel space, user space, and a circular buffer for each processor core adapted to store kernel space to user space (K-U) mapped buffer descriptors.

In yet another aspect, a non-transitory computer-usable data carrier is provided that stores instructions which cause a computer to, for each of a plurality of processing cores, acquire a circular buffer for storing buffer descriptors. The buffer descriptors stored in the circular buffer contain information about buffers that are kernel space to user space (K-U) mapped. The instructions also cause the computer to perform the following using one or more kernel space threads in conjunction with one or more hardware components: receive a data packet at an ethernet interface, acquire a K-U mapped buffer and corresponding pointer, insert the received data packet into the K-U mapped buffer, en-queue a frame descriptor comprising of the K-U mapped buffer pointer containing the data packet into a frame queue, and after the data packet arrives at the front of the frame queue, generate an interrupt signal invoking a process that creates a buffer descriptor from the frame descriptor. The buffer descriptor associated with the data packet is then inserted into the specified circular buffer as per a frame queue to circular buffer mapping.

Further scope of the applicability of the present exemplary embodiment will become apparent from the detailed description provided below. It should be understood, however, that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention exists in the construction, arrangement, and combination of the various parts of the device, and steps of the method, whereby the objects contemplated are attained as hereinafter more fully set forth, specifically pointed out in the claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1?illustrates one embodiment of a platform architecture in accordance with aspects of the present invention;

FIG. 2?illustrates an exemplary architecture for implementing the core abstraction layer shown in?FIG. 1;

FIG. 3?illustrates an exemplary BED DPAA-based system for providing ingress data flow of data packets;

FIG. 4?represents a high-level description of the process flow with respect o an incoming data packet;

FIG. 5?illustrates an exemplary BED DPAA-based system o providing egress data flow of data packets; and

FIG. 6?represents a high-level description of he process flow with respect to an outgoing (egress) data packet.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring now to the drawings wherein the showings are for purposes of illustrating the exemplary embodiments only and not for purposes of limiting the claimed subject matter,?FIG. 1?provides a view of a system into which the presently described embodiments may be incorporated.

With reference now to?FIG. 1, an exemplary platform architecture?100?is shown. This architecture is generally used on a modem board, but it is to be understood that it may be used in other applications. In this embodiment one partition is defined with all eight cores in it. It is to be appreciated, however, that the multi-core processor?100?may have any number of cores. With this embodiment, it is thus possible to use a single symmetric multiprocessing (SMP) operating system (OS) instance?102?that runs on all of the cores (e.g., eight cores). Since the control and data planes are under one OS instance, care is generally needed to ensure that a problem with the data plane will not bring down the control plane as well.

In this example, the multi-core processor?100?serves three cells (shown as?104,106, and?108?in the figure). Each cell requires an uplink (UL) scheduler (shown as?110,?112, and?114?in the figure) and a downlink (DL) scheduler (shown as116,?118, and?120?in?FIG. 1).

It is known that the Radio Link Control (RLC) layer is used to segment, concatenate and correct errors on packet frames sent and received across the LTE air interface. The Radio Link Control and Medium Access Control (RLC/MAC) software is used in the GPRS (2.5G) wireless stack. It provides acknowledged and unacknowledged data transfer between the mobile station and the base station controller (BSC). Thus, also included is an RLC/MAC block122, which is the basic transport unit on the air interface that is used between the mobile and the network. The RLC/MAC block?122?is used to carry data and RLC/MAC signaling.

The multi-core processor?100?also provides Operations, Administration, and Management (OA&M)?124?and a CALLLP module?126?that provides non real time call management related services.

In addition, the multi-core processor?100?includes a core abstraction layer (CAL)128, which hides the core specific details from the Layer 2 (L2) application software. Layer 2 is the Data Link Layer of the seven-layer OSI model of computer networking. The Data Link Layer is the protocol layer that transfers data between adjacent network nodes in a wide area network or between nodes on the same local area network segment. The Data Link Layer provides the functional and procedural means to transfer data between network entities and might provide the means to detect and possibly correct errors that may occur in the Physical Layer. Examples of data link protocols are Ethernet for local area networks (multi-node), the Point-to-Point Protocol (PPP), HDLC and ADCCP for point-to-point (dual-node) connections. In this case, L2 generally refers to the L2 scheduler processing that is needed for the LTE air interface, which has very tight real time requirements.

To meet the real time performance needs of the base station, which is responsible for handling traffic and signaling between a mobile communication device and the network switching subsystem, an OS such as SMP Linux with PREEMPT_RT patch may be used. Of course, it is to be understood that other operating systems may be used. An open source OS such as SMP Linux with Preempt_RT is chosen over a hard core real time OS such as vxWorks since vxWorks has very high licensing fees for its usage. To achieve deterministic behavior in such an SMP configuration, the system is preferably implemented in a manner that employs core reservation and core affinity constructs to achieve an AMP-like system behavior. This is also desirable to get the best performance out of SMP Linux with PREEMPT_RT OS, for example. Use of lockless zero copy services, such as buffer management, and messaging services may also help address any latency issues that may be posed by the use of SMP Linux with PREEMPT_RT OS.

One of the main functions of the core abstraction layer (128) as shown in?FIG. 1is to provide high-level applications, such as L2 processing, with various services that utilize the full capabilities of the multi-core platform. The core abstraction layer is thus designed to achieve several goals. First, it should support a BED (Backplane Ethernet Driver) DPAA-Based Interface, while hiding DPAA and multi-core specific implementation from higher-level application software (i.e., L2 software). Second, it should utilize the P4080‘s DPAA hardware components to provide an accelerated data path for user-plane data in both the ingress and egress directions. Third, it should provide as much flexibility as possible so to easily adapt to configuration changes (i.e., without requiring code changes). An example of a CAL configuration is a DPAA resources configuration for buffer pools, ingress frame queues, and egress frame queues.

To summarize, an implementation of the present invention uses all of the processor cores in one partition. This will require the use of only one OS instance, and no need to use a hypervisor. Since it may be difficult for simple Linux to meet all of the hard real-time processing needs, an OS such as SMP Linux with PREEMPT_RT patch is preferred. An open source OS is also used to reduce the cost. The system further incorporates core affinity and CPU reservation capabilities of SMP Linux to define an AMP like system behavior within the SMP configuration, which permits 6-cell or even 9-cell configurations. Because the OS instance is shared between non-real time cores (such as the control plane) and real time cores (such as the data planes), problems arise when a lock is taken by a non-real time thread/process which causes a delay for a real time thread/process since the real time thread/process has to wait for the release of the lock for the data plane core(s). Since the standard Linux protocol stack does not guarantee a lock-less implementation, this invention defines a lock-less messaging scheme for a real time process (LTE L2 scheduler) running on data plane cores, to send/receive TCP/UDP IP packets while avoiding the use of the protocol stack. The non-real time process such as OA&M running on control plane core will continue to use the Linux protocol stack for its normal operation. Due to Linux GPL issues, our proprietary LTE L2 scheduler is operated in user space. So to send and receive TCP/UDP IP data from the LTE L2 scheduler, data has to cross the user-kernel space boundary that typically requires a data copy. Thus, consuming processor power to copy data from one memory location to another wastes precious resources. Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a method and system that allows for an efficient lock-less, zero copy and non blocking messaging service for the real time threads/processes running on the data plane cores while allowing the control plane to operate in its normal manner (such as by using the traditional Linux protocol stack).

With reference now to?FIG. 2, an exemplary architecture?200?that achieves these and other goals is shown. It is known that a conventional computer operating system usually segregates virtual memory into kernel space and user space. Kernel space is strictly reserved for running the kernel, kernel extensions, and most device drivers. In contrast, user space is the memory area where all user mode applications work and this memory can be swapped out when necessary. In this regard, a core abstraction layer (CAL)?201?includes various modules in user space, including, but not limited to: a core abstraction layer initialization (CALInit) module?202?that loads the LTE network configuration and any static PCD rules to the frame managers (FMAN)?230?and?232?and sets up the CAL framework based on a set of configuration files, a core abstraction layer buffer (CALBuf) module?204, a core abstraction layer messaging (CALMsg) module?206?that provides messaging services to L2 software to send and receive user-plane data to or from another board (i.e., eCCM) without the use of the Linux protocol stack, a core abstraction layer parsing, classifying and distributing (CALPcdFmc) module?208?that provides Parsing, Classification and Distribution (PDC) rules and configurations to be used by each FMAN (230,?232) for routing ingress frames to appropriate cores, and a core abstraction layer DPAA trace (CALDpaaTrace) module?210?that provides tracing capabilities for enabling and disabling traces in the core abstraction layer DPAA driver (CALDPAADriver)?212, which is a kernel space module.

The architecture?200?further includes a suitable operating system?214?such as SMP Linux with Preempt RT patch. The operating system?214, in turn, supports various drivers, such as the aforementioned CALDPAADriver?212, at least one frame manager (FMAN) driver?216, at least one buffer manager (BMAN) driver?218, and at least one queue manager (OMAN) driver?220.

As shown in?FIG. 2, the architecture?200?may suitably include a P4080 CoreNet fabric?222, which is an interconnect architecture suitable for scalable on-chip network to connect multiple power architecture processing cores with caches, stand-alone caches and memory subsystems.

The P4080 processor includes an implementation of the new Data Path Acceleration Architecture (DPAA). Thus, the architecture?200?may further include a P4080 DPAA?224. The DPAA?224?is designed to optimize multicore network processing such as load spreading and sharing of resources, including network interfaces and hardware accelerators. As shown, the DPAA?224?generally includes various managers such as a BMAN?226, a QMAN?228, and a first and second FMAN?230?and?232, respectively.

The CALInit module?202?typically loads the LTE network configuration and any static PCD rules to the frame managers?230and?232?and sets up the CAL framework based on a set of configuration files. The CALInit module?202?interfaces with an FMC (FMan Configuration Tool) (not shown) or any number of FMan API(s) (not shown) to configure the FMan PCD, and the CALDPAADriver?212?to load and setup the CAL configuration (e.g., user plane DPA resources).

The CALPcdFmc module?208?provides Parsing, Classification and Distribution (PDC) rules and configurations to be used by each FMan (230,?232) for routing ingress frames to appropriate cores.

The CALInit module?202?is responsible for providing various functionalities. For the master core at startup, the CALInit module?202?sets up a CAL framework to support "fast path" processing. This step may include initializing the CALDPAADriver?212, which in turn would (a) create various DPAA resources needed to process user-plane data (e.g., buffer pools, FQs (or frame queues) and (b) create CAL infrastructure needed to support buffer management and messaging services via DPAA (e.g., internal tables that maintain buffer pool configuration, FQs, and association between ingress FQs and DL Scheduler IP addresses, etc.). The CALInit module?202?also loads LTE FMC‘s (static) PCD rules and network configurations.

It is known that in a wireless multiple-access communication system, transmitters and receivers may communicate using a multiple layer communication stack. The layers may include, for example, a physical layer, a medium access control (MAC) layer, a radio link control (RLC) layer, a protocol layer (e.g., packet data convergence protocol (PDCP) layer), an application layer and so on. The RLC layer receives service data units (SDU) from the PDCP layer, and concatenates or segments the SDUs into RLC protocol data units (PDU) for transmission to the MAC layer.

Accordingly, the CALBuf module?204?facilitates lock-less buffer management services for L2 applications for use in the RLC SDU processing. As known in the art, a non-blocking algorithm ensures that threads competing for a shared resource do not have their execution indefinitely postponed by mutual exclusion. A non-blocking algorithm is lock-less (or lock-free) if there is guaranteed system-wide progress. The CALBuf module?204?also supports querying for buffer pool statistic data (e.g., pool depletion state, depletion count, pool availability state, pool allocation error count, etc). The CALBuf module?204?interfaces with the CALDPAADriver?212?to implement the services. The CALBuf module?204?provides a lock-less buffer management scheme that is extremely critical for proper system operation in a multi-core environment, where a lock taken by a non-real time process may cause latency issues for a real time process waiting for the release of that lock.

The CALDPAADriver?212?is the kernel space component of the CAL?201?and helps implement and provide buffer management services and messaging services using BMAN and OMAN APIs. As used herein, the term API (or application programming interface) refers to an interface implemented by a software program, which enables it to interact with other software. It facilitates interaction between different software programs similar to the way the user interface facilitates interaction between users and computers. An API is implemented by applications, libraries, and operating systems to determine their vocabularies and calling conventions, and is used to access their services. It may include specifications for routines, data structures, object classes, and protocols used to communicate between the consumer and the implementer of the API.

The CALDPAADriver?212?is responsible for managing DPAA resources (buffer pools and frame queues) to be used for user-plane data distributing; providing user space interface to other CAL modules via various file operations such as open, release, i-o-control (ioctl) for initialization, buffer management, and messaging services; performing kernel-to-user-space (K-U) buffer mapping; providing DPAA buffer pool and receiver and transmitter statistical data; and implementing services for managing ring buffers. It should be noted that ring buffers represent the CAL‘s L2 software queue, and they are generally used to store FDs destined for a specific L2 DLT. The CALMsg module?206?provides APIs for L2 to retrieve buffer descriptors from a ring.

All of the CAL components described above are generally platform middleware (running in user space), with the exception of the CALDPAADriver?212. The CALDPAADriver?212?is a custom driver that runs in kernel space, and it is designed to implement and provide services needed by the CAL user space middleware—in particular those services that depend on the P4080 DPAA hardware components.

The CALBuf module?204?provides buffer management services to be used exclusively for "fast path" data processing. The CALBuf module?204?provides user space APIs to L2 application. The CALBuf module?204?collaborates with the CALDpaaDriver?212?to provide zero copy and lock-less buffer management service for buffers that the CALDpaa driver?212creates but are managed by the BMAN?226.

The CALMsg module?206?provides services to receive (ingress) RLC SDUs and send (egress) RLC SDUs via DPAA. The CALMsg module?206?also supports query for Tx/Rx Ethernet interface statistic data (e.g., number of FDs received or transmitted, number of FDs dropped, various types of bad FDs, etc). The CALMsg module?206?interfaces with the CALDPAADriver?212?to implement the services. The CALMsg module?206?provides a zero-copy lock less messaging service to the LTE L2 application to send or receive TCP/UDP IP packets without the use of the protocol stack. This ensures that the application software does not encounter un-bounded latency spikes that may break down the proper system behavior of the LTE system, which has very strict real time processing requirements.

The CALMsg module?206?provides messaging services to L2 software to send and receive user-plane data to or from another board (i.e., eCCM). The CALMsg module?206?generally interfaces with the CALDPAADriver?212?to provide lock-less zero copy messaging services via DPAA. This feature allows the L2 application software to send and receive TCP/UDP IP packets without the use of a protocol stack to avoid un-bounded latency delays.

The CALMsg module?206?implements and provides APIs that support various services, such as the ones described in the following paragraphs.

One possible service is registration of (L2) application entities with the CALMsg service whereby an entity can receive incoming packets via "fast path." During this registration process, a CAL‘s L2 software queue (i.e., a ring of buffer descriptors, or in other words, a circular buffer for buffer descriptors) is created to maintain received buffer descriptors destined for the entity. Also during this registration, the CALMsg module?206?creates an association between the ingress FQ to the IP address and ring of buffer descriptor IDs for later reference in other processing (e.g., determining which ring of buffer descriptors to push a buffer descriptor to when a frame arrives on a FQ). The CALMsg module?206?also performs kernel to user-space mapping of relevant rings of buffer descriptors, and configures PCD rule for the application entity (if not yet done via static rules). Further, at the beginning of registration process, the CAL?201?implements a defense strategy for ensuring that all buffers acquired by application are properly released when a thread crashes.

A second service provided by the CALMsg module?206?is retrieving a frame destined for the application entity. The returned buffer address points to the start of the payload starting with the Ethernet header.

A third service provided by the CALMsg module?206?is sending a message to an external entity via DPAA on the Ethernet interface configured for processing User plane data (e.g., eth0). It is expected that L2 populates all headers (Ethernet, IP, UDP) needed; and the hardware is properly configured to generate and populate an IP checksum and a UDP checksum.

A fourth service is querying for receiver and transmitter port statistical data.

A fifth service is deregistering an application entity from the CALMsg module?206. Once an application entity is deregistered, it will no longer be able to receive packets via the "fast path." As part of the deregistration process, CAL will release all buffers acquired by the application software. For the case where the CALMsg module?206?is used to receive frames via fast path, the associated ring of buffer descriptors and PCD rule will also be removed.

With reference to?FIG. 3, a high-level overview of an exemplary Backplane Ethernet Driver (BED) DPA-based system?300adapted to provide for ingress data flow of data packets is shown. The left side of?FIG. 3?illustrates the path taken by packets destined to go to the control plane core X using a traditional protocol stack. The right hand side of the diagram illustrates the packet traversal for the data plane core Y where the LTE L2 Scheduler is running.

For purposes of illustration, the LTE L2 scheduler consists of two real time threads. The two threads include a DL Scheduler shown as DL SCHEDULER?324?in?FIG. 3?that comes into action for ingress packets flow, and an uplink scheduler shown as UL SCHEDULER which comes into action for egress packet flow.

From a hardware perspective each core has a software portal?316. Each portal has a specified number of channels. Each channel has eight priority based work-queues (WQ) that comprise of plurality of Frame queues (FQ).

At a high level, when the FMAN?302?receives a data packet?304, it acquires a suitable size Kernel-User space mapped buffer from BMAN?226, and copies the received packet into the buffer, the FMAN?302?determines (as per the PCD rules) which ingress FQ?306?to en-queue the packet, and uses the OMAN API?308?to en-queue the data packet?304?onto the appropriate FQ?306. When the data packet?304?makes its way up to the hardware register DQRR?328, a portal interrupt is generated for the specified core (such as Core Y?312). In other words, the QMAN handles all the FQs for the various channels. The WQs are there to implement quality of service (QoS). So each arriving packet once en-queued onto a FQ goes through internal hardware queuing within the QMAN. The FQs that make it to the front of the queue, and are ready for processing are put into the DQRR register by the QMAN. The DQRR register has a depth of?15?entries. As each entry (which is a frame queue descriptor that contains info about the FQ, such as the pointer to the packet buffer, an associated callback function, etc), is serviced by the registered callback function?330?in the Interrupt service routine (ISR), the QMAN308?automatically en-queues the next FQ descriptor onto the DQRR.

The registered callback function "UplaneDispatcher"?330?which is a part of the CAL DPA Driver?314?for the FQ?306?then runs in the kernel space and performs appropriate packet processing. The ring of buffer descriptors?320?for each instance of DL Scheduler has a Ring ID. The ring of buffer descriptor?320?is also kernel to user space (K-U) mapped to allow the user space (such as CALMSG?326), and kernel space (such as CAL DPA Driver?314) components of CAL?128?to access it without any addressing problems, and the need for data copy. During cell initialization the CALMSG?326?provides a service to the user application DL Scheduler?324?to register itself with CALMSG?326. At that time a mapping association between the ingress FQ?306, and the ring ID?320?was also created. The callback function?330?determines which ring ID?320?this particular frame queue descriptor belongs to, and creates a buffer descriptor by copying the kernel-user space mapped buffer pointer (along with any book-keeping info) and en-queuing the buffer descriptor on to the appropriate kernel-user space mapped ring of buffer descriptors?320?for later processing by the associated user space DL scheduler thread?324?on a particular data plane core Y?312.

The DL Scheduler process?324?runs in an endless "Run to Completion" mode in user space. The real time thread wakes up every Delta T time, and invokes the CALMSG?326?API to inquire, if there are packets en-queued for its consumption on the ring of buffer descriptors?320. If there are, the DL Scheduler?326?processes (or consumes) the packets on the ring?320. Since the received packet has not gone through the standard protocol stack, it contains the entire packet header (TCP/UDP/IP/Ethernet). The DL Scheduler?324?ignores the packet header, and operates on the packet payload. When done, it releases the buffer using the CALBUF?204?APIs. Once there are no more packets for the DL scheduler?324?to process, the DL scheduler thread?324?goes back to sleep. Since there is only one producer (CAL DPADriver?314), and one consumer (a specific DL Scheduler thread?324) for each ring of buffer descriptors?320, this scheme may be implemented with atomic operations that do not require any software locks. A further advantage is achieved by using buffers mapped from kernel to user space together with a ring of buffer descriptors such as the ring of buffer descriptors?320. The use of kernel to user-space mapped buffers obviates any need for data copy because the packet will traverse from the kernel-space device drivers to its eventual destination in user space.

In the exemplary embodiment, the control plane traffic and data plane traffic are isolated from each other and are directed to separate Ethernet interfaces. A FMAN?302?may support multiple Ethernet interfaces. The Linux protocol stack is bound to and runs on the control plane core X?332. The CAL PCD module sets up static PCD rules that allows the FMAN?302?to en-queue all packets?304?arriving on the control plane ethernet interface to a Frame Queue (FQ)?334?that will be handled by the FSL DPA driver?336?that runs in Kernel space. This driver?336?hands over the packets to the Linux protocol stack?338. A data copy is also involved as the packet crosses the kernel space to user space boundary. This is shown on the left side ofFIG. 3.

A high-level view of the process flow with respect to an incoming data packet for a data plane core is illustrated in?FIG. 4. The method of?FIG. 4?may be implemented by the apparatus illustrated in?FIG. 3.

At step?410, a DL Scheduler?320?registers itself with the CALMSG?326. The system also creates a ring of buffer descriptors?320?that are kernel-to-user-space (K-U) mapped to allow both the kernel space entity (such as the CALDPAADriver?314), and the user space entity (such as the CALMSG?326) to access the ring. This step may be performed by the CALMSG?326?in conjunction with the CALDPAADriver module?314?for each configured cell on the modem board. Accordingly, if there are three cells supported on a modem board, then there are three separate rings of buffer descriptors?320?(one for each cell), and the CALDPAADriver?314?will have a mapping between the ingress FQ?306?to a specific ring of buffer descriptors?320. In the exemplary embodiment, there is one ring of buffer descriptors?320?for each DL SCHEDULER instance?324. The ring of buffer descriptors has a read pointer and a write pointer. Since there is only one producer (such as, for example, the uplaneDispatcher?330?of CALDPAADriver?314?in Kernel space), and one consumer (such as the specific DL Scheduler?324?in user space), the ring of buffer descriptors?320?is implemented in a lock-less fashion using atomic operation.

At step?420, the dedicated data plane Ethernet interface receives a data packet?304.

At step?430, the FMAN?302?acquires a kernel-to-user spaced mapped buffer/token from the BMAN (FIG. 2,?226).

At step?440, the FMAN?302?inserts the received data packet?304?into the acquired buffer.

At step?450, per the dynamic PCD rules setup by the CAL module (CALMSG?206) during cell initialization (providing a mapping between an IP address and an ingress FQ?306), the FMAN?302, with help from QMAN?308, en-queues the packet onto the appropriate FQ?306.

At step?460, when the packet makes it way onto the hardware DQRR register?328, the system, via a P4080 multi-core processor, generates an interrupt for the software portal?316?for Core Y?312?(the data plane core). The callback function that is registered for the specified FQ (in this case the uplaneDispatcher?330) will run as the ISR routine in kernel space to process the packet. In essence, the callback function creates a buffer descriptor from the information contained in the Frame Queue Descriptor (FD) of the DQRR entry being processed. The buffer pointer from the FD is copied into the buffer descriptor, along with some additional book-keeping info.

At step?470, the CALDPAA driver?314?en-queues the generated buffer descriptor from step?460?into the ring of buffer descriptors?320?associated with core Y?312.

Steps?410?through?470?are performed by hardware (FMAN, and QMAN) in conjunction with the kernel thread of CALDPAADriver?314?(e.g., the uplaneDispatcher?330). In the exemplary embodiment, steps?480?through?495?are performed in a process or thread independent from the process(es) or thread(s) that performed steps?410?to?470. In this manner, steps?480-495?are performed by user space threads such as the DL Scheduler?324?on the data plane core Y?312.

Contemporaneous with steps?410?through?470, the DL Scheduler?324?runs in end-less run to completion mode, and wakes up at a TTI (Time-To-Interrupt) interval. At step?480, once awake, the DL Scheduler?324?invokes a CALMSG API?326?to query whether there are any unprocessed packets on the ring of buffer descriptors?320?for consumption. If there are no unprocessed data packets on the ring of buffer descriptors?320, the DL SCHEDULER?324?will receive a non-blocking response from CALMSG module?326?which indicates no unprocessed packets. The DL Scheduler thread?324?then sleeps until the next TTI.

At step?485, if the DL Scheduler?324?determines that there are unprocessed data packets, then the method proceeds to step?490, else the method proceeds to?495.

At step?490, the DL Scheduler?324?processes the next data packet on the ring of buffer descriptors?320. The next packet is indicated by the read pointer of the ring. After the data packet is processed, the DL Scheduler?324?releases the K-U mapped buffer using the CALBUF?204?APIs. In the exemplary embodiment, the data packet to be processed contains both of one or more headers and a payload. The DL Scheduler?324?ignores the header and operates on the payload. The header is used to route the packet to its destination, which is achieved in the exemplary embodiment without the use of a protocol stack. Once DL SCHEDULER?324?processes all packets, the method proceeds to step?495?where the DL SCHEDULER sleeps.

The exemplary embodiment supports three cells (scalable up to six cells). Each cell will have its own DL Scheduler (DL SCHEDULER thread?324) that is bound to and run on its own dedicated data plane core. Accordingly, in the exemplary embodiment, there is a minimum of three DL SCHEDULER (FIGS. 1,?116,?118, and?120) threads running on three different data plane cores. Similarly each cell needs a UL L2 scheduler (UL SCHEDULER). Thus, there are three UL SCHEDULER threads (FIGS. 1,?110,?112, and?114) running on three different data plane cores.

During cell setup, the dynamic PDC rules (i.e., the mapping of IP addresses to ingress FQs) are set up by the CALMSG module?326. The CALMSG module?326?may also perform bookkeeping functions, such as mapping ingress FQs to ring of buffer descriptors IDs. The PCD rules enable the FMAN to examine the IP address of each packet, and determine in which FQ to en-queue the packet. Additional book-keeping information (such as the ingress FQ?306?to ring of buffer descriptors320?ID mapping) allows the uplaneDispatcher kernel thread?330?to decide in which ring of buffer descriptors?320?it should put a given buffer descriptor associated with an incoming data packet. Thus a lock-less, and zero copy messaging scheme is achieved that allows the ingress packets to reach a DL scheduler thread?324?running on the data plane core Y?312without the use of a conventional protocol stack.

With reference to?FIG. 5, a high-level overview of an exemplary Backplane Ethernet Driver (BED) DPA-based system?500adapted to provide for egress data flow of data packets is shown. The exemplary embodiment?500?provides a solution that does not use the Linux protocol stack to transmit the egress data plane traffic. The left side of?FIG. 5?illustrates the path taken by packets sent from the control plane core X?532?using a traditional protocol stack?538. The non real time user space application such as OAM&M?124?running on control plane core x?532?sends TCP/UDP IP packets using the protocol stack?538. The protocol stack?538?forwards the packet to the FSL DPA driver?536?in kernel space. The process of forwarding the packet from the core x?532?in user space to the FSL DPA driver?536?in kernel space requires a data copy. The FSL DPA driver?536?en-queues the packet on a FQ?534?that is eventually serviced by FMAN?506?with help from QMAN508, and the packet is transmitted on the Ethernet interface. The right hand side of the diagram illustrates the packet traversal for packets originating at the data plane core Y?512?where the LTE L2 UL Scheduler?502?is running without the use of the protocol stack?538. Thus the egress data flow also uses a lock-less zero copy messaging scheme that does not incur un-bounded latency spikes.

A high-level view of the process flow with respect to an outgoing data packet (i.e., egress data flow for the data plane core) is illustrated in?FIG. 6. The method of?FIG. 6?may be implemented by the apparatus illustrated in?FIG. 5.

At step?610, the UL scheduler?502?acquires kernel to user space mapped buffers from the CALBUF?522.

At step?620, when the UL scheduler?502?is ready to transmit a TCP/UDP IP packet, the UL scheduler?502?prepares the entire packet (with header, and payload), and then invokes the CALMSG API?522.

At step?630, the CALMSG?522, with help from the CALDPAADriver?524, en-queues the prepared packet onto the appropriate egress FQ?504?of the channel CHB associated with the data plane ethernet interface. This enqueing is performed without the use of the protocol stack and instead relies on a lock-less, zero messaging scheme to avoid unbounded latency spikes.

At optional step?640, the QMAN?508?determines a status of whether the en-queue operation was successful or not, and this response is sent all the way back to the user application UL Scheduler?502?if it so desires to receive the status.

At step?650, the FMAN?506, with help from QMAN?508, processes all packets from the various FQ?504. Even though there is a context switch involved whenever the packet is traversing the user-space to kernel space boundary, there is no data copy involved. Thus, the processing of the packets by the FMAN?506?is performed in a hardware efficient manner so that each individual core has negligible or no performance penalty. Each UL Scheduler?302?has a dedicated FQ?504?on the target channel (CH B?526) to transmit the packets onto the Ethernet interface. There is also one producer (a specific UL SCHEDULER thread?502?instance in user space), and one dedicated egress FQ?504?that is consumed by the FMAN?506?in hardware.

At step?660, once the packet is transmitted, the FMAN?506?releases the buffer back to BMAN (FIG. 2,?226).

SRC=https://www.google.com.hk/patents/US8737417

Lock-less and zero copy messaging scheme for telecommunication network applications