Abstract: Given a large number of traffic matrices, the matrices are divided into M clusters, where M is a relatively small number. A load-balancing apparatus is implemented as an application over the SDN controller. Such an application is executed to configure and reconfigure the switches to achieve near-optimal load balancing, even when the traffic load changes. For each cluster, a near-optimal explicit routing configuration is determined. The combination of explicit routing (cluster-specific) and destination-based routing (same for all clusters) is used to achieve near-optimal load balancing for each cluster.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to systems and methods for allocating spectrum of a flexible-grid optical network to a plurality of virtual links. Given a set of optical channels of different line rates and channel widths, a user can reserve one of the optical channels as a long-term reservation. The user can later elect to downgrade its optical channel to a smaller optical channel with lower line rate and less spectrum, for example, when the user's traffic demands decrease. The user may return (e.g., sell or de-allocate) an amount of unused spectrum to the carrier, and the carrier creates and manages a resource pool to gather unused spectrum from users. When the user's traffic increases, the user may obtain (e.g., purchase) additional spectrum from the carrier's resource pool and/or upgrade the user's optical channel to an optical channel having a higher line rate.

Abstract: An apparatus is configured to perform a method for in-band control traffic load balancing in a software defined network (SDN). The method includes generating one or more Markovian traffic statistics for one or more control traffic and data traffic statistics. The method also includes constructing a queueing network system based on the Markovian traffic statistics. The method further includes determining a control traffic load balancing problem based on the Markovian traffic statistics. In addition, the method includes solving the control traffic load balancing problem using one or more primal-dual update rules.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the technical field of transportation devices. Provided is a laser automatically guided vehicle (AGV) without a reflecting panel, comprising: a laser scanner (1), a vehicle (2), an upper computer system, a lower computer system, an execution mechanism (3) and an input/output device; the upper computer system receives electric signals from the laser scanner (1) and processes the electric signals to make an original map and an effective map, and plans a route to obtain the shortest route, and then sends a control instruction to the execution mechanism (3); a turning encoder and an angle sensor transmit data such as turning speed and angle to the upper computer system to realize feedback control, thereby conducting autonomous navigation of the vehicle.

Abstract: A controller having an application optimally routing traffic to balance fluctuating traffic loads in a SDN network. A processor is configured to control the data plane to establish routing through the plurality of routers, wherein the processor is configured to establish hybrid routing comprising both explicit routing and destination-based routing. The processor utilizes a set of traffic matrices representing the fluctuating traffic load over time. A destination-based multi-path routing algorithm is configured to improve load balancing of the traffic load based on the set of representative traffic matrices. The destination based routing is calculated based on linear programming. The processor comprises a traffic categorization algorithm configured to identify a set of key flows, wherein the processor is configured to explicitly route the set of key flows.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus that allocate controllers in an SDN are described. The SDN may comprise a plurality of switches, each switch having a selection likelihood and one or more assignment likelihoods. Possible values of the selection likelihood and the assignment likelihoods of each switch may be identified subject to allocation constraint imposed on one or more controllers of the SDN. A set of values from the possible values of the selection likelihood and the assignment likelihoods of each switch can be selected. The set of values selected can be rounded to integer values respectively. And the controllers of the SDN can be allocated based on the integer values.

Abstract: An apparatus comprising a processor configured to obtain estimated processing requirements, estimated memory requirements, estimated storage requirements, and estimated network communication requirements for a plurality of data center (DC) tenants; determine a Minimum Resource Schedulable Unit (MRSU) for the tenants, the determined MRSU comprising a dynamically allocatable group of processor resources, processing memory resources, storage resources, and network resources comprised in at least one of a plurality of DC servers, wherein the MRSU is determined such that each DC tenant's estimated processing requirements, estimated memory requirements, estimated storage requirements, and estimated network communications requirements are met by allocation of a corresponding integer value of MRSUs; and allocate the corresponding integer value of MRSUs to each DC tenant as an MRSU allocation; and a transmitter coupled to the processor and configured to transmit the MRSU allocation to the DC servers for allocation to

Abstract: A network controller comprising a processor configured to obtain topology information of a network, wherein the topology information indicates a plurality of non-software-defined networking (non-SDN) network elements (NEs) interconnected by a plurality of links in the network, analyze each non-SDN NE according to the topology information to determine whether the non-SDN NE is a candidate NE for establishing a backup tunnel to protect a single-link failure at one of the plurality of links, and select a plurality of target NEs from the candidate NEs to protect against all single link-failures in the network, and a transmitter coupled to the processor and configured to send a first message to a first of the target NEs to dynamically enable software-defined networking (SDN) functionalities at the first target NE in order to facilitate single-link failure protection in the network.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention are directed to systems and methods for allocating spectrum of a flexible-grid optical network to a plurality of virtual links. Given a set of optical channels of different line rates and channel widths, a user can reserve one of the optical channels as a long-term reservation. The user can later elect to downgrade its optical channel to a smaller optical channel with lower line rate and less spectrum, for example, when the user's traffic demands decrease. The user may return (e.g., sell or de-allocate) an amount of unused spectrum to the carrier, and the carrier creates and manages a resource pool to gather unused spectrum from users. When the user's traffic increases, the user may obtain (e.g., purchase) additional spectrum from the carrier's resource pool and/or upgrade the user's optical channel to an optical channel having a higher line rate.

Abstract: The claimed subject matter is directed to novel methods and systems for a network topology wherein an Internet Protocol (IP) network is partially integrated and enhanced with a relatively small number of Software Defined Network (SDN)-Openflow (SDN-OF) enabled network devices to provide a resilient network that is able to quickly recover from a network failure and achieves post-recovery load balancing while minimizing cost and complexity. The SDN-OF Controller, or a management node, determines such a minimum set of SDN-OF enabled devices and establishes IP tunnels to route traffic from nodes affected by failure to designated SDN-OF switches and finally to the final destination without looping back to the failed link or node. By combining SDN-OF enabled switches with IP nodes such as routers, a novel network architecture and methods are described herein that allows for ultra-fast and load balancing-aware failure recovery of the data network.

Abstract: A network apparatus for coupling control plane controllers and data plane switches in a global software service defined network (SSDN), wherein the global SSDN comprises a plurality of local SSDNs, comprising a network software service layer (NSSL) service bus comprising a processor, wherein the NSSL service bus is coupled to a plurality of network controllers and to a plurality of network switches, wherein the NSSL service bus is configured to coordinate the actions of the plurality of network controllers, wherein the NSSL service bus is configured to expose the plurality of controllers as services addressable by service names, wherein the NSSL service bus is configured to extend a local SSDN into a global SSDN network; and wherein the NSSL service bus is configured to provide the network controllers with global network information, such that the network controllers provide end-to-end service routing in the global SSDN network.

Abstract: Given a large number of traffic matrices, the matrices are divided into M clusters, where M is a relatively small number. A load-balancing apparatus is implemented as an application over the SDN controller. Such an application is executed to configure and reconfigure the switches to achieve near-optimal load balancing, even when the traffic load changes. For each cluster, a near-optimal explicit routing configuration is determined. The combination of explicit routing (cluster-specific) and destination-based routing (same for all clusters) is used to achieve near-optimal load balancing for each cluster.

Abstract: The claimed subject matter is directed to novel methods and systems for a network topology wherein an IP network is partially integrated and enhanced with a relatively small number of SDN-OF enabled network devices to provide a resilient network that is able to quickly recover from a network failure and achieves post-recovery load balancing while minimizing cost and complexity. By combining SDN-OF enabled switches with traditional IP nodes such as routers, a novel network architecture and methods are described herein that allows for ultra-fast and load balancing-aware failure recovery of the data network.

Abstract: A network apparatus for coupling control plane controllers and data plane switches in a global software service defined network (SSDN), wherein the global SSDN comprises a plurality of local SSDNs, comprising a network software service layer (NSSL) service bus comprising a processor, wherein the NSSL service bus is coupled to a plurality of network controllers and to a plurality of network switches, wherein the NSSL service bus is configured to coordinate the actions of the plurality of network controllers, wherein the NSSL service bus is configured to expose the plurality of controllers as services addressable by service names, wherein the NSSL service bus is configured to extend a local SSDN into a global SSDN network; and wherein the NSSL service bus is configured to provide the network controllers with global network information, such that the network controllers provide end-to-end service routing in the global SSDN network.

Abstract: A controller having an application optimally routing traffic to balance fluctuating traffic loads in a SDN network. A processor is configured to control the data plane to establish routing through the plurality of routers, wherein the processor is configured to establish hybrid routing comprising both explicit routing and destination-based routing. The processor utilizes a set of traffic matrices representing the fluctuating traffic load over time. A destination-based multi-path routing algorithm is configured to improve load balancing of the traffic load based on the set of representative traffic matrices. The destination based routing is calculated based on linear programming. The processor comprises a traffic categorization algorithm configured to identify a set of key flows, wherein the processor is configured to explicitly route the set of key flows.

Abstract: A client is provided with information that defines a virtual network for the client, where the virtual network is implemented on a physical network. A label is assigned to the virtual network. The label is sent to packet-handling devices in the physical network that are part of the virtual network. The label is also sent to a controller of the virtual network. The first label is then included in data packets sent over the virtual network. The packet-handling devices handle the data packets on the virtual network according to a policy associated with the label.

Abstract: A method for distributing routing instructions to a plurality of nodes within an OpenFlow Software Defined Network (SDN) using a logically centralized multi-controller that comprises a plurality of controllers, wherein the method comprises receiving a plurality of incoming data packets, storing a plurality of current flow tables, queuing the incoming data packets, wherein the incoming data packets are queued based on the order received, processing the incoming data packets based on the order the incoming data packets were queued, wherein the incoming data packets that are first to be queued are the first to be processed, generating a plurality of flow tables by processing the incoming data packets, and transmitting the flow tables to the plurality of nodes when the flow tables have not been previously generated.

Abstract: A method for managing a pool of bandwidth resources available over a communication network as executed by a processor. The method includes receiving a plurality of wholesale bandwidth values requesting bandwidth from the pool of bandwidth resources from a plurality of computing resources associated with the plurality of customers, wherein the wholesale bandwidth values are guaranteed over a predetermined period, and wherein the pool has a maximum capacity. The method includes tracking bandwidth resource usage throughout the predetermined period. The method includes allocating a first portion of available bandwidth from the pool to a first customer based on a reselling rate ratio applicable to the plurality of customers at a particular point in time during the predetermined period. Available bandwidth is generated by purchasing unused bandwidth from the plurality of customers over the predetermined period.

Abstract: A generalized network controller in a software defined network (SDN), controlling a network with mixed switches based on different and even incompatible OpenFlow (OF) standard versions, comprising a first transceiver connected to a first OF switch comprising a first OF standard version configured to receive messages from the first OF switch and to transmit messages to the first OF switch; a second transceiver connected to a second OF switch comprising a second OF standard version configured to receive messages from the second OF switch and to transmit messages to the second OF switch, wherein the first OF standard version is different from the second OF standard version, and wherein the first OF standard version is incompatible with the second OF standard version; and a processor coupled to the first and second transceivers and configured to control the first and the second OF switches.

Abstract: A method for distributing routing instructions to a plurality of nodes within an OpenFlow Software Defined Network (SDN) using a logically centralized multi-controller that comprises a plurality of controllers, wherein the method comprises receiving a plurality of incoming data packets, storing a plurality of current flow tables, queuing the incoming data packets, wherein the incoming data packets are queued based on the order received, processing the incoming data packets based on the order the incoming data packets were queued, wherein the incoming data packets that are first to be queued are the first to be processed, generating a plurality of flow tables by processing the incoming data packets, and transmitting the flow tables to the plurality of nodes when the flow tables have not been previously generated.