Abstract: A method is executed by a network device in a network including a plurality of network devices. The network device implements a software defined networking (SDN) controller, where the SDN controller controls a first switch and a second switch in a network. The method improves packet processing performance in the network by reorganizing flow entries to decrease time to match active flows. The method includes receiving flow statistics for a first flow from the first switch, determining, based on the flow statistics for the first flow, that the first flow has a traffic usage that exceeds a pre-defined threshold, and in response to determining that the first flow has a traffic usage that exceeds the pre-defined threshold, programming the second switch to create a new flow table for processing the first flow or to increase a priority for matching a flow entry for the first flow within an existing flow table.

Abstract: A method is implemented by a network device acting as a border gateway protocol (BGP) speaker in a network including a plurality of network devices. The method implements selective route refresh for BGP link state (BGP-LS) to reduce communication overhead in sharing network topology information with other BGP speakers in the network. The method includes receiving an advanced route refresh message from a peer BGP speaker, where the advanced route refresh message includes an address family identifier (AFI), a subsequent address family identifier (SAFI), and one or more parameters associated with the AFI and the SAFI. The method further includes determining a subset of network topology information that matches the AFI, the SAFI, and the one or more parameters in the received advanced route refresh message and transmitting the subset of network topology information to the peer BGP speaker.

Abstract: A method is implemented by a network device acting as a border gateway protocol (BGP) speaker in a network including a plurality of network devices. The method implements selective route refresh for BGP link state (BGP-LS) to reduce communication overhead in sharing network topology information with other BGP speakers in the network. The method includes receiving an advanced route refresh message from a peer BGP speaker, where the advanced route refresh message includes an address family identifier (AFI), a subsequent address family identifier (SAFI), and one or more parameters associated with the AFI and the SAFI. The method further includes determining a subset of network topology information that matches the AFI, the SAFI, and the one or more parameters in the received advanced route refresh message and transmitting the subset of network topology information to the peer BGP speaker.

Abstract: A method is executed by a network device in a network including a plurality of network devices. The network device implements a software defined networking (SDN) controller, where the SDN controller controls a first switch and a second switch in a network. The method improves packet processing performance in the network by reorganizing flow entries to decrease time to match active flows. The method includes receiving flow statistics for a first flow from the first switch, determining, based on the flow statistics for the first flow, that the first flow has a traffic usage that exceeds a pre-defined threshold, and in response to determining that the first flow has a traffic usage that exceeds the pre-defined threshold, programming the second switch to create a new flow table for processing the first flow or to increase a priority for matching a flow entry for the first flow within an existing flow table.

Abstract: Exemplary methods for upgrading route processor virtual machines (RP VMs) and line card virtual machines (LC VMs) include upgrading a second RP VM serving as a standby RPVM with a new RP VM image. The methods further include spawning, using a new LC VM image, a second set of LC VMs to serve as standby LC VMs. The methods also include performing incubation of standby VMs, by configuring a switch to forward data traffic to both the first and second set of LC VMs, thereby allowing system states of the standby VMs to be auto-populated by the data traffic. The methods further include, after the incubation has completed, swapping roles of VMs at the virtual router, such that data traffic are exchanged only between the switch and the upgraded VMs.

Abstract: Methods and systems are described for redundant storage of a data block from a data source into a distributed file system over a software-defined network. According to one embodiment, the methods and system describe a cloud manager in the network that identifies a first and second storage server in a network, along with the clusters that the servers are in, and the in-cluster network elements (NEs) of those clusters. The cloud manager calculates best paths through the NEs of the network to reach the identified storage servers, reserves bandwidth along the best paths so that the data block can be sent, configures the forwarding tables of the NEs in these best paths to forward the data block to the storage servers, and sends the data block through the best paths.

Abstract: Exemplary methods for upgrading route processor virtual machines (RP VMs) and line card virtual machines (LC VMs) include upgrading a second RP VM serving as a standby RPVM with a new RP VM image. The methods further include spawning, using a new LC VM image, a second set of LC VMs to serve as standby LC VMs. The methods also include performing incubation of standby VMs, by configuring a switch to forward data traffic to both the first and second set of LC VMs, thereby allowing system states of the standby VMs to be auto-populated by the data traffic. The methods further include, after the incubation has completed, swapping roles of VMs at the virtual router, such that data traffic are exchanged only between the switch and the upgraded VMs.