Importance

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Abstract

A device and method for filtering addresses being transported through a high performance network, and rendering forwarding decisions for data frames corresponding to the address. Such data frames might correspond to multicast addresses wherein filtering is needed to prevent undesired data frames from being uploaded and processed by a receiving machine. The incoming address is hashed into an index for retrieving values from a table with a frame status. If the frame is valid, the same index is used to retrieve a table entry having address and address status information. If multiple data frames have been hashed into the same index, then further filtering is performed by the host machine or a processing device. Otherwise, the incoming address is compared with the address in the table entry. If a match occurs then the data frame is uploaded, and if no match then the frame is discarded. Frame status indicators in a bit register are used to direct actions performed on the frame. Further filtering, uploading, or discarding of the frames can be handled by a host driver, or by an on-board processor on a network interface device or card, via direction from the frame status indicators.

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First Claim