Abstract: Disclosed is a method and a device for generating report data related to a status of an interface of a network element are presented. The method includes: activating a delay timer when the interface status changes, setting delay-based data to express the interface status at the end of a delay determined by the delay-timer, setting dampening-based data to express the interface status if a penalty value fulfils a pre-determined condition and otherwise to express that the interface is non-utilizable, and setting the report data to express that the interface is utilizable if both the delay-based data and the dampening-based data express that the interface is utilizable. The penalty value is decreased with a dampening rule, and the penalty value is increased when the interface becomes non-utilizable and increasing the penalty value within a time-window is below a desired limit.

Abstract: A transmission control system for controlling management processes, such as shaping, is presented. The management processes are directed to data streams that are parts of data traffic transmitted via a link aggregation group having egress ports in separate functional entities of a network element. For each data frame of the data traffic, it is detected whether the data frame belongs to any of the data streams. Data frames belonging to none of the data streams are forwarded so that these data frames are distributed between the functional entities according to a link aggregation rule. A management rule is maintained for indicating, for each of the data streams, a stream-specific functional entity that runs each management process directed to the data stream. Each data frame belonging to one of the data streams is forwarded to the appropriate stream-specific functional entity in accordance with the management rule.

Abstract: A network element includes control entities (102, 103) and controllable entities (104-105) such as line interface units. The control entities configure the controllable entities to enable the network element to operate in a data transfer network. Each control entity maintains a configuration data-set in accordance with configuration information based on data received from the data transfer network and transmits the configuration data-set to one or more controllable entities. The control entity applies a configuration rule on the configuration information and updates the configuration data-set on the basis of the result of the configuration rule. The configuration rule is stateless so that its result is independent of earlier results of the configuration rule and of earlier configuration information. The control entities are enabled to keep their configuration data-sets nearly congruent with each other because they use the same configuration information and the same stateless configuration rule.

Abstract: Disclosed is a device for maintaining a configuration data structure expressing configuration of a device. The configuration is maintained by an operative process making desired changes to the configuration and adding, to the configuration data structure, change descriptors indicative of the changes. When the configuration data structure is updated, an auxiliary process is run in parallel with the operative process. The auxiliary process includes requesting functional entities of the device to report their configurations prevailing at an update time instant, and constructing an auxiliary configuration data structure on the basis of the reported information. The configuration data structure is updated by replacing a portion of the configuration data structure corresponding to the update time instant with the auxiliary configuration data structure. There is no need to freeze the configuration during the update because the auxiliary process is run in parallel with the operative process.

Abstract: An electrical system includes modules and a frame structure for mechanically supporting the modules successively in an arrival direction of cooling air. Each module includes a cooling element in heat conductive relation with one or more electrical components. The frame structure mechanically supports the modules so that the cooling elements are substantially in the same attitude and successively in the arrival direction of the cooling air. The cooling elements are shaped so that, when the modules are mechanically supported by the frame structure, the cooling elements conduct cooling air in a direction deviating from the arrival direction of the cooling air. Furthermore, at least a part of a flank of the heat transfer portion of each cooling element is oblique with respect to the arrival direction of the cooling air. Thus, each of the cooling elements receives a fresh portion of the cooling air.

Abstract: A network element of a software-defined network includes a processing system for maintaining a control system for managing data. The control system is maintained in accordance with configuration data received from a controller of the software-defined network. In a case where the control system has no entry corresponding to frame information related to a received data frame, the processing system checks whether status information indicates availability of the frame information to the controller. If the status information does not indicate the availability, the processor system arranges the frame information to be available to the controller and updates the status information to indicate the availability. Thus, data traffic related to data-driven learning and occurring between the network element and the controller can be reduced with the aid of the above-mentioned status information.

Abstract: A method for optimizing entity-specific configuration systems for functional entities of a network element of a software-defined network is presented. The entity-specific configuration systems are based on a network element-specific configuration system related to the whole network element and comprising configuration entries for determining operations to be carried out by the network element. The method comprises forming (401) relation data that indicates, for each of the functional entities, those of the configuration entries which are irrelevant to the functional entity under consideration so that operation of the functional entity is independent of these configuration entries. The relation data enables the entity-specific configuration systems to be constructed (402) so that the entity-specific configuration system of each functional entity is free from those configuration entries which, according to the relation data, are irrelevant to the functional entity under consideration.

Abstract: A software-defined network includes a database (105) that is accessible to a controller system (108, 109) of the software defined network and also to network elements (101-014) of the software defined network. The controller system determines configuration data and delivers it to the database. Each network element retrieves its part of the configuration data from the database and implements the retrieved part of the configuration data into its own configuration system that enables the network element to operate as a part of the software-defined network. The commonly used database facilitates maintaining the congruence between the network elements and the controller system of the software-defined network.

Abstract: An electrical device includes a magnetic sensor circuitry (101) for detecting magnetic field and for generating a detection signal in response to the detected magnetic field, and a control circuitry (102) for controlling operation of the electrical device in accordance with the detection signal. The magnetic sensor circuitry is configured to detect a direction related to a deviation of the magnetic field from the magnetic field of the earth, and the control circuitry is configured to control the operation of the electrical device in accordance with the detected direction. The electrical device can be controlled by using e.g. a permanent magnet (105) for directing, to the magnetic sensor circuitry, magnetic field deviating from the magnetic field of the earth and having a desired orientation. Thus, the electrical device can be controlled without an electrical connector or a radio interface.

Abstract: A configuration system for configuring the control-plane of a software-defined network is presented. The configuration system determines an entity-specific group of control-plane functionalities for each of controller entities located in a distributed way in the software-defined network. The control-plane functionalities are suitable for configuring data forwarding network elements, such as routers, to support services to be provided by the software-defined network. The configuration system composes, on the basis of the entity-specific groups, entity-specific portions of control data and transmits the entity-specific portions of the control data to the controller entities so as to configure each controller entity to support the corresponding entity-specific group of the control-plane functionalities.

Abstract: A method and a device for defining implementation of a look-up table for a network element of a software-defined network “SDN” is presented. The network element includes hardware for implementing the look-up table in two or more mutually alternative ways. The method includes selecting (301) an optimal, or at least a suitable, one of the mutually alternative ways to implement the look-up table on the basis of a) the hardware available for implementing the look-up table, b) information about one or more look-up keys, and c) at least one of the following: the maximum number of entries of the look-up table, an average time between successive look-ups, an average time between successive modifications of the look-up table. The method enables the network element to be configured in a way that the hardware resources of the network element are utilized in an optimal or at least a suitable way.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a circuit board system comprising mechanical protection of electrical components is presented. The circuit board system comprises a circuit board (101) furnished with electrical components (103-111) and a protection element (102) attached to areas of the circuit board which are free from the electrical components. The protection element has thickness in the direction perpendicular to the circuit board and it is shaped to leave the electrical components unscreened in the direction perpendicular to the circuit board. Thus, the protection element constitutes barriers protecting the electrical components but still allows the electrical components to be accessed from the direction perpendicular to the circuit board for example in a flying probe testing. Furthermore, the protection element provides electrical connections between functional entities of the circuit board system.

Abstract: A device-frame for telecommunication devices includes a body-section that includes plug-in unit places for the telecommunication devices. The device-frame further includes an air-guide element movably supported to the body-section so that a flow area of an air-intake of the device-frame is increasable by changing the position of the air-guide element with respect to the body-section so that the height of the device-frame increases and the flow area is decreasable by changing the position of the air-guide element so that the height of the device-frame decreases. The height of the device-frame can be adjusted to be smaller in cases where the circumstances are not the most demanding from the viewpoint of the cooling and therefore, in less demanding circumstances, it is possible to have more device-frames in a rack.

Abstract: A system using the Ethernet OAM functionality for finding the smallest of hop-specific data transfer speeds related to a data transfer path from a first network element (101) to a second network element (102) is presented. The first network element is configured to transmit, to the second network element, first data including an Ethernet OAM message. Each intermediate network element (104, 105) located on the data transfer path is configured to update the first data to indicate so far smallest of the hop-specific data transfer speeds when the first data passes through the intermediate network elements. After receiving the first data, the second network element transmits, to the first network element, second data indicating the smallest of the hop-specific data transfer speeds. Thus, the first network element can be made aware of capacity changes taking place on the data transfer path.

Abstract: An electrical device includes a circuit board (101), a light source (104), and a light guide (105). The light guide receives light from the light source and conducts the received light to an end of the light guide so that the light crosses, in a direction parallel with the circuit board, an edge of the circuit board. The end of the light guide constitutes a display surface for showing the light to a user. On a fringe area extending from the edge of the circuit board a distance (D) towards the opposite edge of the circuit board, the light guide is between geometrical planes parallel and coinciding with surfaces of the circuit board. Hence, the light guide does not require room in directions perpendicular to the circuit board. Therefore, for example, more connectors, key buttons, and/or other instruments can be placed on a control panel of the electrical device.

Abstract: A circuit board system according to the invention comprises a circuit board (101), at least one element (102) mechanically supported with respect to the circuit board, and a spring-fastener (106) arranged to mechanically support the at least one element with respect to the circuit board. The spring-fastener comprises a pressing portion (107) pressing the at least one element and a latching portion (108) extending from an end of the pressing portion and being shape-locked in one or more apertures (109-110) of the circuit board. The latching portion and the one or more apertures of the circuit board are shaped to provide shape-locking whose opening requires at least a first movement of the latching portion in a first direction against the spring-force of the spring fastener and, subsequently, a second movement of the latching portion in a second direction against the spring-force of the spring fastener.

Abstract: A method for configuring network elements of a software-defined network includes receiving (401) configuration data at one of the network elements, constructing (402) a configuration system of the network element on the basis of the configuration data, addressing (403) by the network element the configuration data or an appropriate portion of it to at least one other of the network elements, and transmitting (404) in accordance with the configuration system at least the appropriate portion of the configuration data to the other network element. The other network element, in turn, constructs its configuration system on the basis of the configuration data received by it and possibly transmits at least a portion of the configuration data to still one or more other network elements. Thus, the network elements represent a single entity from the viewpoint of a controller of the software-defined network. Hence, the scalability of the software-defined network is improved.

Abstract: A network element of a software-defined network includes a data transfer interface (211) for receiving and transmitting data and a processing system (212) for constructing, in accordance with configuration data received from a controller system of the software-defined network, a configuration system for managing data to be forwarded. The processing system is adapted to configure a first portion of the configuration system to associate, with data received at the network element, a configuring entity-specific identifier (CEID) that identifies a configuring entity, for example an application, related to the received data. The configuring entity-specific identifier constitutes at least a part of metadata associated with the received data. Appropriate other portions of the configuration system are configured to use this metadata when determining actions to be carried out in conjunction with the received data.

Abstract: A network element (101-104) of a software-defined network is adapted to construct a configuration system on the basis of configuration data received from a controller (105, 106) of the software-defined network. The network element is arranged to transmit, in response to an event indicating a need to verify the configuration system, status information to the controller. The event may include for example a loss and a subsequent reestablishment of a connection between the network element and the controller. The status information indicates a first portion of the configuration data which has been implemented in the configuration system prior to the event. After receiving the status information, the controller is able transmit an appropriate second portion of the configuration data to the network element so as to enable verification of an appropriate portion of the configuration system. Thus, there is no need to verify the whole configuration system after the event.

Abstract: In a data transfer network, a network device (102) receives at its first data interface an identifier message transferred via a first data transfer path from another network device (106). The network device compares the identifier message to earlier received identifier messages. If the identifier message matches an earlier received identifier message received at another data interface and transferred via a second data transfer path from the other network device, the network device updates its forwarding database to express that the other network device is accessible also via the first data interface, and transmits address information related to the other network device via the first data interface so as to determine the first data transfer path to be an alternative for the second data transfer path. The first and second data transfer paths can be used for protecting each other and/or for load sharing.