Abstract: Various example embodiments for supporting data center management are presented herein. Various example embodiments for supporting data center management may be configured to support fabric service management for a data center fabric including a set of servers and a fabric network configured to support communications of the servers. Various example embodiments for supporting fabric service management within a data center may be configured to support a capability for configuring a fabric network of the data center fabric of the data center based on merging and unmerging of underlay and overlay configurations. Various example embodiments for supporting fabric service management within a data center may be configured to support a capability for debugging a fabric network of the data center fabric of the data center based on use of probes.

Abstract: Various example embodiments for supporting intent-based networking within a communication network are presented herein. Various example embodiments for supporting intent-based networking within a communication network may be configured to support a management system configured to support various network deployment scenarios, including greenfield deployment scenarios for enabling customers to deploy and activate new networks, brownfield deployment scenarios for enabling customers to apply intent-based networking to existing networks based on intelligent reconstruction of the original intent(s) of the network and configuration of the network to ensure satisfaction of the original intent(s) of the network, or the like, as well as various combinations thereof.

Abstract: Various example embodiments for supporting multicast are presented. Various example embodiments for supporting multicast are configured to support multicast, on a multicast tree for a multicast group, based on use of penultimate hop popping (PHP) on the multicast tree. Various example embodiments for supporting multicast are configured to support multicast, on a multicast tree for a multicast group, based on use of PHP on the multicast tree where the multicast tree is Point-to-Multipoint (P2MP) Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) tree that is formed based on a TREE-SID multicast solution (although it will be appreciated that PHP may be applied on other types of multicast trees (e.g., other than P2MP MPLS multicast trees), on multicast trees formed based on other multicast solutions (e.g., other than TREE-SID), or the like, as well as various combinations thereof).

Abstract: Various example embodiments for supporting data center management are presented herein. Various example embodiments for supporting data center management may be configured to support fabric service management for a data center fabric including a set of servers and a fabric network configured to support communications of the servers. Various example embodiments for supporting fabric service management within a data center may be configured to support a capability for configuring a fabric network of the data center fabric of the data center based on merging and unmerging of underlay and overlay configurations. Various example embodiments for supporting fabric service management within a data center may be configured to support a capability for debugging a fabric network of the data center fabric of the data center based on use of probes.

Abstract: Various example embodiments for supporting data center management are presented herein. Various example embodiments for supporting data center management may be configured to support fabric service management for a data center fabric including a set of servers and a fabric network configured to support communications of the servers. Various example embodiments for supporting fabric service management within a data center may be configured to support a capability for configuring a fabric network of the data center fabric of the data center based on merging and unmerging of underlay and overlay configurations. Various example embodiments for supporting fabric service management within a data center may be configured to support a capability for debugging a fabric network of the data center fabric of the data center based on use of probes.

Abstract: Various example embodiments for supporting device telemetry control are presented. Various example embodiments may provide a customer of a device, which is monitoring the device based on device telemetry whereby the device exposes device data of the device based on device telemetry control information of the device such that the data of the device may be accessed by the customer, with control over device telemetry of the device. Various example embodiments may provide a customer, which may access device data of a device based on device telemetry supported by the device, with additional control over access to the device data of the device via device telemetry by providing the customer with control over the device telemetry including enabling the customer to insert customer device telemetry control information into the device telemetry control information of the device that controls device telemetry on the device.

Abstract: Various example embodiments for providing device application support are presented. In at least some example embodiments, device application support may be configured to support device programmability. In at least some example embodiments, device application support may be configured to support device programmability for enabling a customer that operates a device to develop a customer application for the device and to run the customer application on the device. In at least some example embodiments, device application support may be provided in a manner for enabling a customer to develop and run a customer application for a device without a need for the customer to use a software development kit (SDK) to develop the customer application.

Abstract: Various example embodiments for supporting multicast are presented. Various example embodiments for supporting multicast are configured to support multicast, on a multicast tree for a multicast group, based on use of penultimate hop popping (PHP) on the multicast tree. Various example embodiments for supporting multicast are configured to support multicast, on a multicast tree for a multicast group, based on use of PHP on the multicast tree where the multicast tree is Point-to-Multipoint (P2MP) Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) tree that is formed based on a TREE-SID multicast solution (although it will be appreciated that PHP may be applied on other types of multicast trees (e.g., other than P2MP MPLS multicast trees), on multicast trees formed based on other multicast solutions (e.g., other than TREE-SID), or the like, as well as various combinations thereof).

Abstract: Various example embodiments for supporting intent-based networking within a communication network are presented herein. Various example embodiments for supporting intent-based networking within a communication network may be configured to support a management system configured to support management of a network based on use of change management for management of the network. Various example embodiments for supporting intent-based networking within a communication network may be configured to support a management system configured to support management of a network based on use of change management for management of the network where the change management is based on validation of changes in the network before the changes are permanently effected in the network (e.g., based on application of the changes in the network for validation of the changes, based on application of the changes in a network that mirrors the real network before applying the changes to the real network, or the like).

Abstract: The present disclosure generally discloses a multicast capability configured to support multicast that is based on use of Bit Indexed Explicit Replication (BIER). The multicast capability may be configured to support deployment of BIER into a network in a manner that continues to support use of Protocol Independent Multicast (PIM) for multicast control within the network. The multicast capability may be configured to support deployment of BIER, into a network including an Interior Gateway Protocol (IGP) area, using a BIER domain that is commensurate with the IGP area or that is only a portion of the IGP area. The multicast capability may be configured to support deployment of BIER into a network in a manner supporting stitching of traditional PIM access networks via a BIER core network.

Abstract: Various example embodiments relate generally to supporting Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS)-based multicast over a Bit Index Explicit Replication (BIER) domain. Various example embodiments for supporting MPLS-based multicast over a BIER domain may be configured to support MPLS point-to-multipoint (P2MP) label switched paths (LSPs) over a BIER domain. Various example embodiments for supporting MPLS-based multicast over a BIER domain may be configured to support establishment and transport of P2MP LSPs over a BIER domain (e.g., signaling MPLS via the BIER domain, stitching the MPLS datapath to the BIER domain based on identification of P2MP LSPs within the BIER domain, and so forth).

Abstract: Various example embodiments for supporting intent-based networking within a communication network are presented herein. Various example embodiments for supporting intent-based networking within a communication network may be configured to support a management system configured to support various network deployment scenarios, including greenfield deployment scenarios for enabling customers to deploy and activate new networks, brownfield deployment scenarios for enabling customers to apply intent-based networking to existing networks based on intelligent reconstruction of the original intent(s) of the network and configuration of the network to ensure satisfaction of the original intent(s) of the network, or the like, as well as various combinations thereof.

Abstract: Various example embodiments for supporting intent-based networking within a communication network are presented herein. Various example embodiments for supporting intent-based networking within a communication network may be configured to support a management system configured to support management of a network based on use of change management for management of the network. Various example embodiments for supporting intent-based networking within a communication network may be configured to support a management system configured to support management of a network based on use of change management for management of the network where the change management is based on validation of changes in the network before the changes are permanently effected in the network (e.g., based on application of the changes in the network for validation of the changes, based on application of the changes in a network that mirrors the real network before applying the changes to the real network, or the like).

Abstract: Various example embodiments for supporting intent-based networking within a communication network are presented herein. Various example embodiments for supporting intent-based networking within a communication network may be configured to support a management system configured to support management of a network based on use of scalability for management of the network. Various example embodiments for supporting intent-based networking within a communication network may be configured to support a management system configured to support management of a network based on use of scalability for management of the network where the scalability is based on use of partitioning of topics in a publisher-subscriber model used for exchange of information between elements of the management system that support management of the network based on intent-based networking.

Abstract: Various example embodiments for supporting intent-based networking within a communication network are presented herein. Various example embodiments for supporting intent-based networking within a communication network may be configured to support management of a network based on use of redundancy for management of the network. Various example embodiments for supporting intent-based networking within a communication network may be configured to support management of a network based on use of redundancy for management of the network where the redundancy is based on use of mirroring of message buses associated with instances of the management system, thereby enabling an active message bus to take over handling of data exchanges for a topic previously handled by an unavailable message bus that became unavailable to handle data exchanges for the topic.

Abstract: Various example embodiments for supporting multicast in communication systems are presented. In at least some example embodiments, supporting multicast in communication systems may include supporting use of multicast domain information of a penultimate hop router of the multicast domain by an egress leaf router associated with the multicast domain for multicast service signaling to a root router of the multicast domain. In at least some example embodiments, in which the multicast domain is based on Bit Index Explicit Replication (BIER), supporting multicast in communication systems may include supporting use of BIER domain information (e.g., a BIER Forwarding Router Identifier (BFR-ID) or the like) of a PH BIER router by an egress leaf router associated with the BIER domain for multicast service signaling to a root BIER router of the BIER domain.

Abstract: Various example embodiments for supporting multicast in communication systems are presented. In at least some example embodiments, supporting multicast in communication systems may include supporting use of multicast domain information of a penultimate hop router of the multicast domain by an egress leaf router associated with the multicast domain for multicast service signaling to a root router of the multicast domain. In at least some example embodiments, in which the multicast domain is based on Bit Index Explicit Replication (BIER), supporting multicast in communication systems may include supporting use of BIER domain information (e.g., a BIER Forwarding Router Identifier (BFR-ID) or the like) of a PH BIER router by an egress leaf router associated with the BIER domain for multicast service signaling to a root BIER router of the BIER domain.

Abstract: Various example embodiments for supporting data retrieval flexibility are presented. Various example embodiments for supporting data retrieval flexibility may include supporting data retrieval flexibility for retrieval of data from a device that does not maintain that data using a relational database data format by supporting operation of the device as a device that supports retrieval of that data in a relational database data format using a structured query language. Various example embodiments for supporting data retrieval flexibility may include supporting data retrieval flexibility for retrieval of data from a device by supporting retrieval of data maintained at the device based on a first data format based on generation of a database storing that data in a second data format different than the first data format and using a structured query language configured to support retrieval of the data in the second data format from the database.

Abstract: A first network device adapted for communication with one or more other network devices is configured to determine a number of receivers of a multicast, and to control switching of traffic between selective and inclusive routes for the multicast based at least in part on the determined number of receivers. For example, in some embodiments the first network device is configured to control switching of traffic between the selective and inclusive routes for the multicast by utilizing a selective route for the multicast responsive to a determination that traffic for the multicast is at or above a bandwidth threshold and the number of receivers is below an add threshold, and utilizing an inclusive route for the multicast responsive to a determination that traffic for the multicast is below the bandwidth threshold or the number of receivers is above a delete threshold.

Abstract: Various example embodiments relate generally to supporting Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS)-based multicast over a Bit Index Explicit Replication (BIER) domain. Various example embodiments for supporting MPLS-based multicast over a BIER domain may be configured to support MPLS point-to-multipoint (P2MP) label switched paths (LSPs) over a BIER domain. Various example embodiments for supporting MPLS-based multicast over a BIER domain may be configured to support establishment and transport of P2MP LSPs over a BIER domain (e.g., signaling MPLS via the BIER domain, stitching the MPLS datapath to the BIER domain based on identification of P2MP LSPs within the BIER domain, and so forth).