Abstract: Techniques for operating a network device for increasing the logical multi-path size of a hardware forwarding table are provided. In some embodiments, the network device may determine that a number of data points in a first node is greater than a maximum node capacity; generate second nodes; update the first node to refer to the second nodes; distribute the data points among the second nodes; and program a hardware table with the updated first node and the second nodes.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention relate to methods and systems for processing network traffic data units. The methods and systems may include functionality for generating a first network traffic data unit comprising an indication that the first network traffic unit should be delayed for a time before re-transmission to a client device; and transmitting the first network traffic data unit to a first edge device.

Abstract: A method for managing networking devices. The method includes receiving, by a second management system, first network device state information (NDSI) for a first plurality of network devices, where the first NDSI is obtained by a first management system and where the first management system manages the first plurality of network devices. The method further includes initiating performance of a management action based on a result, wherein the result is obtained by processing at least the first NDSI.

Abstract: A method of managing inter-branch communication is a network, including generating an end-to-end path, wherein the end-to-end path starts in a first computing device in a first branch and ends at a second computing device in a second branch, wherein the end-to-end path is generated using a plurality of flow records and a plurality of path records and the end-to-end path includes a wide area network (WAN) segment, and issuing, based on the generating, a notification to a network administrator, wherein the notification specifies the end-to-end path and a latency associated with at least one segment in the end-to-end path.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer-readable media are disclosed for receiving a template made up of various components. Multiple stage rules are provided including action bundles as well as network device specifications. The action bundles include primary actions and stage rule execution orders for generating change controls. Generating change controls involves several steps. The network devices are enumerated based on respective network device specifications. Next, the action bundles are associated with each of the respective network devices. Finally, the change control is provided to a network management backend, and the network management backend applies the change control to the network devices.

Abstract: A method and apparatus of a network device that allocates a shared memory buffer for an object is described. In an exemplary embodiment, the network device receives an allocation request for the shared memory buffer for the object. In addition, the network device allocates the shared memory buffer from shared memory of a network device, where the shared memory buffer is accessible by a writer and a plurality of readers. The network device further returns a writer pointer to the writer, where the writer pointer references a base address of the shared memory buffer. Furthermore, the network device stores the object in the shared memory buffer, wherein the writer accesses the shared memory using the writer pointer. The network device further shares the writer pointer with at least a first reader of the plurality of readers. The network device additionally translates the base address of the shared memory buffer to a reader pointer, where the reader pointer is expressed in a memory space of the first reader.

Abstract: Certain network switch device can use pluggable transceivers to send and receive data. Transceiver may be capable of operating in multiple different operating modes defined by parameters such as speed. Application data indicating one or more operational modes supported by the transceiver may be read from a memory of a transceiver. An interface may be provided by a network switch device that indicates the one or more operational modes and identifiers of the one or more operational modes. The transceiver may be configured by the network switch device to operate in a selected operational mode based on a selection of an identifier corresponding to the selected operational modes. The selected operational mode, which may require multiple parameters to be configured on the transceiver, may be set using a single command based on the identifier.

Abstract: A method for processing state information updates. The method includes receiving, by a coordination point, a plurality of state information from a plurality of network elements; processing at least one of the plurality of state information to generate a result; and applying the result to at least one of the plurality of network elements in order to modify an operation of the at least one of the plurality of network elements.

Abstract: Cryptographically identifying a device to a service includes: providing the cloud service with a cryptographically signed token, the token being embedded in the device when the device was manufactured, the token including first information and second information. The cloud service verifies the token using a public key associated with the second information and determines a user using the first information. The device receives, from the cloud service, provisioning information customized for the user and including a client certificate for communicating with the cloud service.

Abstract: In response to receiving an ASR message, a VTEP generates a specially modified control plane message advertising the IP-to-MAC binding of the ASR message. The control plane message may be modified to indicate that it is not to be used for MAC learning. The control plane message is advertised over the network. When an intended recipient receives the message, it uses that message just for the IP-to-MAC binding. When an unintended recipient receives the message, it may drop it as invalid.

Abstract: A review and retry mechanism ensures a port channel can be configured to provide and maintain a minimum data speed. A timer-based review sequence reviews the constituent interfaces of a port channel to determine if a minimum speed requirement is met. If the minimum speed cannot be fulfilled, the port-channel member interfaces are un-programmed and removed from the port-channel, rendering the port-channel functionally inactive, thereby preventing network traffic loss. A timer-based retry sequence attempts to program the constituent interfaces. The minimum speed requirement of the interfaces is checked in the next review cycle. If the minimum speed requirement is met, then the review and retry mechanism halts and the port channel continues to remain active; otherwise, the interfaces are un-programmed and the process repeats.

Abstract: Embodiments described herein relate to techniques for state export for a network device. The method may include receiving a state export request; selecting a state hierarchy walk starting location based on the state export request; initiating a state hierarchy walk beginning at the state hierarchy walk starting location; making a first determination that a state export pause condition exists; pausing the state hierarchy walk in response to the first determination; making a second determination that a state export resume condition exists; and resuming the state hierarchy walk in response to the second determination.

Abstract: A network manager manages a network topology. The network manager includes storage for storing a signature of a network device of the network topology. The network manager also includes a device state manager that obtains a signature of a device that participates in the network topology, the signature indicating that the device is operating in an undesired manner; makes a determination, based on signature, that the device should be in a quarantined state; in response to making the determination: generates a quarantine state update that indicates that the device is in the quarantined state; and sends, by the network manager, the quarantine state update to the device. The quarantine state update does not indicate how the quarantined state is implemented.

Abstract: A method for network traffic forwarding using multi-virtual routing and forwarding instances forwarding lookups is provided. The method includes: receiving network traffic on an interface of a network device associated with a first virtual routing and forwarding instance (VRF) fallback policy specifying a first set of rules; making a first determination that the network traffic includes network traffic information matching the first set of rules; initiating execution of VRF lookups in a plurality of VRFs programmed in the network device to obtain a set of VRF lookup results; making a second determination, using the set of VRF lookup results and the first VRF fallback policy, that the network traffic is to be forwarded using a first VRF among the plurality of VRFs; and initiating, based on the second determination, forwarding of the network traffic using the first VRF.

Abstract: A network device having improved thermal cooling is provided. The network device includes a first printed circuit board (PCB) having a plurality of common connectors and one or more second PCBs, each second PCB coupled to the first PCB by a respective common connector of the plurality of common connectors. Each second PCB may include a set of ports, each port in the set of ports coupled to the respective common connector via the second PCB. The one or more second PCBs may be arranged vertically parallel on a front side of the first PCB such that each second PCB forms a 90 degree angle with the first PCB to allow air to flow in spaces defined between vertically adjacent second PCBs.

Abstract: Some embodiments provide a method, executable by a network device, that receives a first set of commands instructing the network device to allow network traffic to egress out of an authentication port of the network device. The authentication port is configured to belong to a first virtual local area network (VLAN). An unauthenticated device is connected to the authentication port. The method further receives a second set of commands instructing the network device to add ports belonging to the first VLAN to a broadcast domain of a second VLAN. The method also broadcasts an address request to the broadcast domain of the second VLAN. The method further receives, from the unauthenticated device, a response to the address request.

Abstract: Various embodiments are described herein to track and/or update the state of components within a network element. One embodiment provides for a network management system comprising a collector node including an ingest gateway to receive configuration and status data of a set of network elements coupled to the collector node via the network, the collector node further to store the configuration and status data from the set of network elements in a distributed database; a search engine to locate and retrieve the configuration and status data of a specified subset of the network elements at a specified time period; and an interface server to receive a request for the configuration and status data from an external requester, the interface server to facilitate provision of the configuration and status data in response to the request.

Abstract: Various embodiments are described herein to enable physical topology independent dynamic insertion of a service device into a network. One embodiment provides for a network system comprising a set of network elements to interconnect a set of host devices, the set of network elements having a physical topology defined by the physical links between network elements in the set of network elements and a logical topology defined by a flow of network data between a network service device and a client of the network service device, wherein the physical topology differs from the logical topology, and a network management device including a service policy module to monitor a service policy of the network service device and automatically configure the logical topology of the network elements based on a change in the service policy.

Abstract: In general, the disclosure relates to a method for redirecting a user to a captive portal. The method includes trapping an incoming frame originating from a host, where the incoming frame comprises a L2 header and a payload, wherein the payload specifies information associated with an external server, wherein the user of the host has not been authenticated by the captive portal at a time when the incoming frame is trapped, extracting the L2 header, an L3 header, and the payload from the incoming frame, forwarding the L3 header and the payload towards a redirection server executing on the network device, wherein the redirection server is configured to generate a redirection response based on the payload; encapsulating the redirection response to obtain an L3 response packet, encapsulating the L3 response packet using information from the L2 header to obtain an output frame, and transmitting the output frame towards the host.

Abstract: In general, embodiments relate to a method, for managing a network, that includes determining an occurrence of an operational issue on a network device of the network, based on the determining, executing an encoding phase and a causal feature identification phase on a feature database, wherein the feature database is associated with the operational issue, identifying a plurality of potential root causes using the encoding phase and the causal feature identification phase, and performing an action based on the plurality of potential root causes.