Abstract: A network switch has a plurality of data tables accessible to a plurality of networking protocols. Each of the plurality of data tables contains a plurality of entries. One of the plurality of data tables is selected in which to reserve a respective one of the plurality of entries as an entry for use by one of the plurality of networking protocols. The utilization of each of the plurality of data tables is compared responsive to an operation of the one of the plurality of networking protocols that causes a need to reserve the entry, and one of the plurality of data tables is selected in which to reserve the entry, based on the comparison.

Abstract: The subject matter described herein includes a packet forwarding device that implements next hop scaling. Rather than storing a complete set of next hop bindings at each packet processor, the storage of next hop bindings is distributed among packet processors in the packet forwarding device such that each packet processor stores next hop bindings for the hosts that are directly connected to the packet processor. For hosts that are not directly connected to a packet processor, the packet processor stores relay entries. Because of the distributed storage of next hop bindings, the number of hosts that can be served by a single packet forwarding device is increased over packet forwarding devices where each packet processor stores a complete set of next hop bindings for all connected hosts.

Abstract: The subject matter described herein includes methods, systems, and computer readable media for next hop scaling with link aggregation. According to one aspect of the subject matter described herein, a system for next hop scaling is provided. The system includes a packet forwarding device including a plurality of packet processors for performing next hop and link aggregation group (LAG) selection operations. Within this plurality of packet processors, ingress packet processors are configured to indicate, for received packets that have a next hop on a different packet processor, that an egress next hop selection operation is needed. Egress packet processors of the plurality of packet processors are configured to perform the egress next hop and member selection operations for the packets for which an egress next hop selection operation is indicated, wherein forwarding of the packets is limited to active LAG group members local to the egress packet processor.

Abstract: The subject mailer described herein includes methods, systems, and computer readable media for automatically selecting between Internet protocol switching modes on a per-module basis in a packet forwarding device. According to one aspect, a method may include determining capacities of hardware longest prefix matching (LPM) tables located on each input/output (I/O) module in a multi-module IP packet forward device. The number of routes currently stored in a software LPM table may be determined. If the software LPM table can be stored within the hardware LPM table for an I/O module, an LPM mode may be automatically selected for that I/O module. If the contents of software LPM table cannot be stored within the hardware LPM table for a particular I/O module, the I/O module may be automatically transitioned to operate in an Internet protocol forwarding database (IPFDB) mode.

Abstract: The subject matter described herein includes methods, systems, and computer readable media for next hop scaling. According to one aspect of the subject matter described herein, a system for next hop scaling is provided. The system includes a plurality of I/O modules, each having at least one I/O port for communicating packets to and receiving packets from hosts external to the packet forwarding device. The packet forwarding device further includes a plurality of packet processors associated with the I/O modules for performing packet forwarding operations.

Abstract: The subject matter described herein includes methods, systems, and computer readable media for next hop scaling with link aggregation. According to one aspect of the subject matter described herein, a system for next hop scaling is provided. The system includes a packet forwarding device including a plurality of packet processors for performing next hop and link aggregation group (LAG) selection operations. Within this plurality of packet processors, ingress packet processors are configured to indicate, for received packets that have a next hop on a different packet processor, that an egress next hop selection operation is needed. Egress packet processors of the plurality of packet processors are configured to perform the egress next hop and member selection operations for the packets for which an egress next hop selection operation is indicated, wherein forwarding of the packets is limited to active LAG group members local to the egress packet processor.

Abstract: An indication of a host route to be added to a forwarding database table as an entry is received. The host route is added to a first hardware table or a second hardware table if a space is available in the second hardware table or in a first storage area of the first hardware table. The first hardware table has both a first storage area and a second storage area. If a space is not available in the second hardware table or the first storage area of the first hardware table, the first storage area of the first hardware table is automatically expanded to include unused space in the second storage area of the first hardware table. The host route is then added to a space in the expanded first storage area of the first hardware table.

Abstract: The subject matter described herein includes methods, systems, and computer readable media for automatically selecting between Internet protocol switching modes on a per-module basis in a packet forwarding device. According to one aspect, the subject matter described herein includes a packet forwarding device including at least one input/output (I/O) module. The at least one I/O module includes a longest prefix matching (LPM) table, an Internet protocol forwarding database (IPFDB) and the packet forwarding device includes an IP routing table and an IPFDB. When the I/O module operates in an LPM mode, the IPFDB on the I/O module is populated with entries corresponding to active hosts, the LPM table on the I/O module is populated from the IP routing table with routes learned from IP routing protocols, and layer 3 packets received by the I/O module are routed using the IPFDB and LPM table of the I/O module. An automatic mode-selection module determines a capacity of the LPM table on the I/O module.

Abstract: The subject matter described herein includes methods, systems, and computer program products for routing packets at a multi-mode layer 3 packet forwarding device. According to one aspect, the subject matter described herein includes operating a first of at least two modules in a host mode, and operating a second of at least two modules in a longest prefix matching (LPM) mode. Operating a module in a host mode includes populating a host table and an LPM table with entries corresponding to hosts and routing layer 3 packets received by the first module using the host and LPM tables. Operating a module in an LPM mode includes populating a host table with entries corresponding to hosts, populating an LPM table with entries corresponding to variable length Internet protocol (IP) addresses and next hop addresses, and routing layer 3 packets received by the second module using the host and LPM tables.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer program products for controlling updating of a layer 3 host table based on packet forwarding miss counts are disclosed. According to one method, layer 3 packets are routed using at least one of a layer 3 host table containing entries corresponding to remote hosts and a longest prefix matching table containing prefixes corresponding to remote hosts. For each layer 3 destination address for which a lookup in at least one table fails, a number of packets received within a time period are counted. Remote destination entries in the host table are replaced based on the counts.

Abstract: Methods and systems for efficiently delivering data to multiple destinations in a computer network are disclosed. Data to be delivered to multiple destinations is stored in memory. The stored data is divided into blocks. Checksums are pre-calculated for each block. Pre-calculated checksums are used to calculate the data checksums for data to be inserted in each packet to be delivered to data destinations.

Abstract: Methods and systems for efficiently delivering data to multiple destinations in a computer network are disclosed. Data to be delivered to multiple destinations is stored in memory. The stored data is divided into blocks. Checksums are pre-calculated for each block. Pre-calculated checksums are used to calculate the data checksums for data to be inserted in each packet to be delivered to data destinations.

Abstract: A method for providing redundancy to an Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) emulated local-area network (LAN) is disclosed. The ATM emulated LAN is served by a primary LAN Emulation Server, a Broadcast and Unknown Server (LES/BUS), and a LAN Emulation Configuration Server (LECS). A backup LES/BUS is coupled to the ATM emulated LAN. A logical redundancy virtual channel connection (VCC) is then established between the primary LES/BUS and the backup LES/BUS. When the redundancy VCC is present between the primary LES/BUS and the backup LES/BUS, the backup LES/BUS is placed in a dormant mode. However, when the redundancy VCC is absence between the primary LES/BUS and the backup LES/BUS, the backup LES/BUS is activated to serve any request generated by the ATM emulated LAN.

Abstract: Provided are a method and system for use within at least one network wherein broadcast occurs. The method and system achieve their objects as follows. In response to reception of a data frame with at least one destination indicator ordinarily requiring broadcast to a first defined group of stations, at least one attribute of the received data frame is examined. In response to the step of examining, the received data frame is transmitted to a defined second group of stations, smaller in number than the first group of stations.