Abstract: An example method for touchless multi-domain VLAN based orchestration in a network environment is provided and includes receiving mobility domain information for a virtual machine associated with a processor executing the method in a network environment, the mobility domain information comprising a mobility domain identifier (ID) indicating a scope within which the virtual machine can be moved between servers, generating a virtual station interface (VSI) discovery protocol (VDP) message in a type-length-value (TLV) format with the mobility domain information, and transmitting the VDP message to a leaf switch directly attached to the server, wherein the leaf switch provisions a port according to the mobility domain information.

Abstract: An example method for touchless multi-domain VLAN based orchestration in a network environment is provided and includes receiving mobility domain information for a virtual machine associated with a processor executing the method in a network environment, the mobility domain information comprising a mobility domain identifier (ID) indicating a scope within which the virtual machine can be moved between servers, generating a virtual station interface (VSI) discovery protocol (VDP) message in a type-length-value (TLV) format with the mobility domain information, and transmitting the VDP message to a leaf switch directly attached to the server, wherein the leaf switch provisions a port according to the mobility domain information.

Abstract: Presented herein are techniques to handle data packets received at a top-of-rack (ToR) switch in an underlay network hosting one or more tenant networks. The underlay network may comprise a plurality of ToR switches each connected to each of a plurality of spine switches. The data packet may be received from a virtual machine in a tenant network, and have a header with a data packet identifier. A mobility domain identifier may be determined that corresponds to the network portion within which the virtual machine can be migrated. The mobility domain may be configured on the ToR switch on a per-port basis based on the virtual machine connected to the ToR switch port. A unique identifier may be formed based on the data packet identifier and mobility domain identifier. Using this unique identifier, provisioning information may be obtained for the tenant network on the ToR switch.

Abstract: At a physical device in a network configured to host a virtual switch and one or more virtual machines, a packet is received at the virtual switch from a source virtual machine that is directly attached to that virtual switch. A destination Media Access Control (MAC) address is identified from the packet indicating a destination virtual machine for the packet. In response to determining that the destination MAC address of the packet is not present in a database of MAC addresses accessible by the virtual switch, the destination MAC address of the packet is replaced with a shared MAC address associated with a plurality of physical switches in the network.

Abstract: Techniques are provided for detecting and identifying host devices in a network. At a switch device, a packet is received from a server that is interfaced with a switch device and is configured to host a virtual machine that is a source of the packet. A Media Access Control (MAC) address or an Internet Protocol (IP) address is identified. The MAC address and IP address are associated with the virtual machine. In response to identifying the MAC or IP addresses, the switch device determines whether a binding between the IP and MAC addresses of the virtual machine is present in a database of addresses accessible by the switch device. If the association is not present, based on the fields obtained from the packet header, a request message is sent to the virtual machine to resolve the association between the IP address and the MAC address of the virtual machine.

Abstract: Techniques are provided for provisioning network resources for virtual machines. At a first switch device, a configuration request message is received from a virtual switch to provision virtual network segmentation resources for a virtual machine managed by the virtual switch. The first switch device provisions the virtual network segmentation resources for the virtual machine. The first switch devices sends to a second switch device a first synchronization message that includes information describing the virtual network segmentation resources. The second switch device is a peer of the first switch device. The first switch device also sends to the second switch device a second synchronization message that includes state information indicating that the first switch device is in an active state for servicing the virtual machine and that the second switch device is to be placed in a dormant state for servicing the virtual machine.

Abstract: A method of dynamic server assignment in a VoIP network includes detecting a telecommunication device on the VoIP network and querying a geo-location server for geographic information related to the telecommunication device's location and receiving the geographic information. Based on the geographic information a server assignment is determined. A configuration file for the telecommunication device including the server assignment and location is created and the configuration is provided to the telecommunication device over the network. The configuration file may also include features related to local customs or practice.

Abstract: Techniques are provided for provisioning network resources for virtual machines. At a first switch device, a configuration request message is received from a virtual switch to provision virtual network segmentation resources for a virtual machine managed by the virtual switch. The first switch device provisions the virtual network segmentation resources for the virtual machine. The first switch devices sends to a second switch device a first synchronization message that includes information describing the virtual network segmentation resources. The second switch device is a peer of the first switch device. The first switch device also sends to the second switch device a second synchronization message that includes state information indicating that the first switch device is in an active state for servicing the virtual machine and that the second switch device is to be placed in a dormant state for servicing the virtual machine.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for load balancing across member ports for traffic egressing out of a port channel are provided herein. An example method according to one implementation may include: assigning a quantized value based on current load to each of the network ports in the port channel; receiving a data packet addressed to egress through the port channel; identifying a traffic flow with which the received data packet is associated; determining whether the identified traffic flow is a new traffic flow; and selecting one of the network ports in the port channel as an egress port. Selection of the egress port may be weighted according to the quantized value of each of the network ports in the port channel.

Abstract: Techniques are provided for optimizing storage of address information in switch device databases. A control packet is received from a source host. An address associated with a host is determined. The address comprises a first and second address component. The first address component is stored in a first database and is mapped to an index value that is stored in the first database. The index value is also stored in a second database along with the second address component. The first database may also be examined to determine whether the first address component is stored in the first database. If the first address component is stored in the first database, the index value mapped to the first address component is retrieved. The second database is examined to determine whether the index value and the second address component are stored in the second database.

Abstract: A method is provided in one example embodiment and includes receiving at a first network element a packet from a second network element; processing the packet at the first network element to obtain information regarding an identity of a virtual machine (“VM”) hosted by the second network element contained within the packet; and storing at the first network element the identifying information. The identifying information stored at the first network element is accessible by at least one third network element. In some embodiments, the first network element comprises a physical switch and the second network element comprises a virtual switch.

Abstract: Presented herein are techniques to handle data packets received at a top-of-rack (ToR) switch in an underlay network hosting one or more tenant networks. The underlay network may comprise a plurality of ToR switches each connected to each of a plurality of spine switches. The data packet may be received from a virtual machine in a tenant network, and have a header with a data packet identifier. A mobility domain identifier may be determined that corresponds to the network portion within which the virtual machine can be migrated. The mobility domain may be configured on the ToR switch on a per-port basis based on the virtual machine connected to the ToR switch port. A unique identifier may be formed based on the data packet identifier and mobility domain identifier. Using this unique identifier, provisioning information may be obtained for the tenant network on the ToR switch.

Abstract: A method is provided one example embodiment and includes receiving a packet including a source /32 address and a destination /32 address. The source /32 address can indicate an Internet Protocol (IP) address of a source host that sent the packet. The destination /32 address can indicate an IP address of a destination host to which the packet is destined. The method may also include looking up the destination /32 address and the source /32 address in a Forwarding Information Base/adjacency (FIB)/(ADJ) table implemented in a hardware of a leaf switch in a network. Additionally, the method may include adding the source /32 address and corresponding adjacency information to the FIB/ADJ table if the destination /32 address is found in the FIB/ADJ table, and the source /32 address is not found in the FIB/ADJ table. The method may also include forwarding the packet to the destination host.

Abstract: A skin care formulation which provides a skin lightening effect virtually immediately upon topical application to the skin and which includes a combination of one or more poly(ethylene) oxides and an acrylic emulsion polymer film former comprising emulsion polymers derived from one or more ethylenically unsaturated monomers.

Abstract: In some embodiments, a data packet may be received at a leaf switch. A port-channel associated with a destination port for the data packet may be identified, and the data packet may be transmitted to the destination port via the identified port-channel.

Abstract: An example method for implementation of virtual extensible local area network (VXLAN) in top-of-rack (ToR) switches in a network environment is provided and includes receiving a packet encapsulated with a VXLAN header having an unknown virtual tunnel endpoint (VTEP) Internet Protocol (IP) address in a network environment, and installing an entry at an index location of a forwarding table. The index location includes an encoding of the VTEP-IP address as a VTEP index (VTEP-IDX), and the entry maps a VXLAN interface to an IP address associated with a VXLAN network interface (VNI). In specific embodiments, the VTEP-IDX is logN bits, where N is a size of the forwarding table. The forwarding table indicates a destination VTEP IP address when encapsulating the packet, and the source VTEP IP address when decapsulating the packet.

Abstract: Techniques are provided for provisioning network resources for virtual machines. At a first switch device, a configuration request message is received from a virtual switch to provision virtual network segmentation resources for a virtual machine managed by the virtual switch. The first switch device provisions the virtual network segmentation resources for the virtual machine. The first switch devices sends to a second switch device a first synchronization message that includes information describing the virtual network segmentation resources. The second switch device is a peer of the first switch device. The first switch device also sends to the second switch device a second synchronization message that includes state information indicating that the first switch device is in an active state for servicing the virtual machine and that the second switch device is to be placed in a dormant state for servicing the virtual machine.

Abstract: At a physical device in a network configured to host a virtual switch and one or more virtual machines, a packet is received at the virtual switch from a source virtual machine that is directly attached to that virtual switch. A destination Media Access Control (MAC) address is identified from the packet indicating a destination virtual machine for the packet. In response to determining that the destination MAC address of the packet is not present in a database of MAC addresses accessible by the virtual switch, the destination MAC address of the packet is replaced with a shared MAC address associated with a plurality of physical switches in the network.

Abstract: A method for optimizing next-hop table space in a dual-homed network environment is provided and includes associating an Emulated Switch Internet Protocol (ES-IP) address and an Emulated Switch Media Access Control (ES-MAC) address with an Emulated Switch Identifier (ES-ID) of an emulated switch connected to a dual-homed host having a host IP address in a network environment, and populating a host route table with a mapping between the host IP address and the ES-IP address. The method further includes receiving an outgoing packet with the host IP address as a destination address, determining the ES-IP address corresponding to the host IP address, sending out an ARP request for a MAC address corresponding to the ES-IP address, receiving the ES-MAC address, determining the ES-ID corresponding to the ES-MAC address, encapsulating the outgoing packet with the ES-ID, and forwarding the packet.

Abstract: In some embodiments, a data packet may be received at a leaf switch. A port-channel associated with a destination port for the data packet may be identified, and the data packet may be transmitted to the destination port via the identified port-channel.