Port Merging

Feature Set N-ANL9

Platform
Napatech SmartNIC
Content Type
Feature Description
Capture Software Version
N-ANL9

In this chapter

This chapter describes the port merging process, where frames from multiple ports on a single accelerator are merged.

General operation

Each MAC outputs frames from a port on the accelerator. The port merger combines the frames from different ports and forwards them to the subsequent blocks.

Time-stamping

The frames are time-stamped with the end-of-frame time when forwarded by the port merger.This is done with an internal resolution of 1 ns. If two frames have exactly the same time stamp, they are forwarded in port order (0, 1, ...)

Line-rate performance based on frame length

Line-rate frame handling is provided for frames according to the table in Performance. Undersized frames (shorter than 64 bytes) might be discarded in the port merger, if such frames are received frequently. However, the port merger contains a small buffer for each port, so bursts of short frames can be handled and forwarded in the processing pipe.
Note: NT200A01-2×100 and NT200A01-2×100/40 running at 2 × 100 Gbit/s ignore all frames shorter than 64 bytes.