Abstract: The present invention provides a method and system for managing communication in a data network. The method and system involves monitoring the communication channels at the host level. The hosts are updated with the monitoring information following which they take a coordinated decision in cases of failure of a channel. The data network comprises a plurality of hosts, which are connected to each other through a plurality of channels. A monitor host is elected out of the plurality of hosts to periodically broadcast a system state packet to the plurality of hosts. The system state packet contains information about the state of the plurality of channels and the plurality of hosts for a given channel. Each of the plurality of hosts compares the observed state of channels, as observed by it, with the reported state as reported in the system state packet.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and system for managing communication in a data network. The method and system involves monitoring the communication channels at the host level. The hosts are updated with the monitoring information following which they take a coordinated decision in cases of failure of a channel. The data network comprises a plurality of hosts, which are connected to each other through a plurality of channels. A monitor host is elected out of the plurality of hosts to periodically broadcast a system state packet to the plurality of hosts. The system state packet contains information about the state of the plurality of channels and the plurality of hosts for a given channel. Each of the plurality of hosts compares the observed state of channels, as observed by it, with the reported state as reported in the system state packet.

Abstract: Methods and systems for determining paths for flows within a multi-stage network made up of clusters of processing nodes. The flow paths may be determined without knowledge of whether or not packets of a particular flow will actually traverse specific ones of the clusters within the multi-stage network. In various implementations, the nodes of the multi-stage network may be coupled to one or more physical network switches through respective physical interfaces and a virtual connectivity grid superimposed thereon and configured through the use of a flow routing framework and system management framework to group the nodes into a number of clusters. The nodes of each cluster are configured to perform similar packet processing functions and the clusters are interconnected through virtual networks to which the nodes are communicatively coupled via virtual interfaces overlaid on top of the physical network interfaces.

Abstract: One embodiment of the invention includes a method of managing network communications in a network device. The network device includes software components and modules. Some of the components control the interaction between modules, while other components perform specific functions for associated modules. A module manager component controls the creation and destruction of modules as well as their interactions. A communications manager component manages network communications in the network device. The network communications is supported by creating a number of modules that are associated with components that implement different parts of a network protocol. As a result of the use of the modules, a component need not know which other component(s) it depends upon, nor need it know which other component(s) depend upon it. This allows components to be used together very easily in many different configurations. The modules also allow the same component to be used by multiple modules.

Abstract: One embodiment of the invention includes a method of managing network communications in a network device. The network device includes software components and modules. Some of the components control the interaction between modules, while other components perform specific functions for associated modules. A module manager component controls the creation and destruction of modules as well as their interactions. A communications manager component manages network communications in the network device. The network communications is supported by creating a number of modules that are associated with components that implement different parts of a network protocol. As a result of the use of the modules, a component need not know which other component(s) it depends upon, nor need it know which other component(s) depend upon it. This allows components to be used together very easily in many different configurations. The modules also allow the same component to be used by multiple modules.

Abstract: Network traffic from a central device across a communication link to a remote device is controlled based upon central traffic management resources in the central device. The central traffic management resources are coupled to a communication link and monitor data packets received across the communication link to learn characteristics of the remote network. Based on the learned characteristics, traffic management messages are generated in the central traffic management resources. These messages are forwarded to an interface device on the remote network, where traffic on the communication link is controlled in response to the traffic management messages. Thus, the remote interface is configured automatically by central traffic management resources running in the central device without human intervention at the remote network. The traffic management messages manage traffic across a communication link of two types.

Abstract: A reverse address resolution protocol for use in a communication network which allows resolution logic to provide a higher level protocol information (such as an IP address) to a source of a request for such information, independent of the physical network address of such source. The protocol is used in a processor having a plurality of ports, at least one of such ports connected by a point-to-point channel to a remote network device. Reverse address resolution protocol is responsive to a resolution request from the remote network device across the point-to-point channel to supply the higher level protocol information based upon the port through which the resolution request is received, rather than the physical network address of the requesting device. Thus, a remote device may be coupled to a network, and connected to a central management site across a point-to-point communication link, in a "plug and play" mode.