Abstract: A temporary work group system may include one or more network devices and one or more working devices. The network device can allocate an access point in a network to provide network access to a temporary work group. Working devices may be selectively identified by the network device as being available for inclusion in the temporary work group based on a first predetermined criteria that includes proximity to the access point and authentication of each of the working devices. Selectively identified working devices can be associated with the temporary work group based on a second predetermined criteria that includes a respective relative location of the working devices and respective functionality of the working devices. The system may preempt working devices from association with the work group session until such devices meet both the first predetermined criteria and the second predetermined criteria.

Abstract: A device in an industrial environment may adapt communications to account for industrial noise in the industrial environment. The device may send a first communication to a destination device in the industrial environment using a first communication technology. The device may access noise prediction data for the industrial environment, and the noise prediction data may indicate predicted noise for one or more portions of the industrial environment, including a communication pathway to the destination device using the first communication technology. The device may adapt a subsequent communication to the destination device to account for the predicted noise along the communication pathway.

Abstract: A device for pre-emption in passive optical networks may include a first media access control (MAC) module configured to receive a first type of data traffic and transmit the first type of data traffic to a MAC merge module. The device may further include a second media access control (MAC) module configured to receive a second type of data traffic and transmit the second type of data traffic to the MAC merge module. The device may further include the MAC merge module configured to receive the first and second types of data traffic from the first and second MAC modules, respectively, and provide the first and second types of data traffic for transmission over a port. The MAC merge module may be configured to pre-empt the transmission of the first type of data traffic over the port in favor of the second type of data traffic.

Abstract: Certain aspects of a method and system for managing network power policy and configuration of data center bridging may include a network domain that comprises a single logical point of management (LPM) that coordinates operation of one or more devices, such as network interface controllers (NICs), switches, and/or servers in the network domain: The single LPM may be operable to manage one or both of a network power policy and/or a data center bridging (DCB) configuration policy for the network domain.

Abstract: A network device may implement a guard band for reducing latency of transmitting high priority data. The device may identify a scheduled communication time for high priority data, which may include a scheduled reception time of the high priority data by the network device or a scheduled communication time of the high priority data. The network device may initiate a guard band prior to the scheduled communication time, and even before the high priority data is received by the network device. When the guard band is active, the network device may prevent transmission of low priority data, which may include preempting an in-progress low priority packet when initiating the guard band. Upon receiving the high priority data, the network device may immediately transmit the high priority data without incurring additional latency for preempting a low priority packet.

Abstract: Devices implement encapsulation to support link layer preemption. The device may include a encapsulation logic that encapsulates data, such as an Ethernet frame, to produce an encapsulated frame. The encapsulated frame may include an encapsulation element that indicates whether the encapsulated data includes non-preemptible data, such as Distinguished Minimum Latency Traffic (DMLT), or preemptible data. The encapsulated frame may also indicate whether the encapsulated data comprises the last fragment of a preemptible frame.

Abstract: Ethernet network link partners may be configured for operation in a low power mode. The link partners may generate new frames and/or signals and/or may modify characteristics of existing frames and/or signals to be communicated via one or more channels of an Ethernet link during the low power mode. The new and/or modified frames and/or signals may be utilized as refresh frames and/or signals to control communication during low power mode and/or to enable refresh and/or synchronization of the link partners. The new and/or modified frames and/or signals may be generated and/or modified based on a desired frequency distribution and/or spectral density. New and/or modified frames and/or signals may comprise jitter, random and/or pseudo random bit patterns and/or varied bit patterns and/or energy levels. Data packets and/or active idle symbols may be forced during low power mode to mitigate undesired periodic energy.

Abstract: An Ethernet link may comprise a plurality of active and/or silent channels. Training of one or more link partners for one or more silent channels may be triggered based on monitoring training parameters for an active channel. The link partners may be trained for the silent channels and link partners corresponding to the silent channels may be configured according to the training. Training parameters for an active channel may be compared to a threshold or relative change value. The threshold or relative change value may be fixed, may be based on measurement results and/or may be programmable. The link partners may be configured for silent channels for an echo canceller, a far-end crosstalk canceller and/or a near-end crosstalk canceller. The silent channels may be trained based on transmitting a pulse or LDPC frame via the silent channels.

Abstract: It may be determined via monitoring whether a first link partner and/or a second link partner coupled via an Ethernet link has trained or refreshed circuitry and/or has updated at least one parameter. Based on the determination, a corresponding link partner may be trained, refreshed and/or updated. One or more of an echo canceller, a far-end crosstalk canceller and a near-end crosstalk canceller for one or more channels may be configured based on the training, refreshing and/or updating. One or more channels may be silent and/or one or more may be active. Link partners may communicate via one or more of in-band signaling, out-of-band signaling to determine which link partner may monitor and/or which may control or initiate operation. The controlling link partner may be assigned a master mode of operation. Training, refreshing and/or updating for the monitoring link partner may be based on a timer.

Abstract: It may be determined via monitoring whether a first link partner and/or a second link partner coupled via an Ethernet link has trained or refreshed circuitry and/or has updated at least one parameter. Based on the determination, a corresponding link partner may be trained, refreshed and/or updated. One or more of an echo canceller, a far-end crosstalk canceller and a near-end crosstalk canceller for one or more channels may be configured based on the training, refreshing and/or updating. One or more channels may be silent and/or one or more may be active. Link partners may communicate via one or more of in-band signaling, out-of-band signaling to determine which link partner may monitor and/or which may control or initiate operation. The controlling link partner may be assigned a master mode of operation. Training, refreshing and/or updating for the monitoring link partner may be based on a timer.

Abstract: Certain aspects of a method and system for Fiber Channel and Ethernet interworking may include receiving by a central processing unit (CPU), one or more requests for discovery of one or more Fiber Channel (FC) switches based on a Fiber Channel initialization protocol (FIP). The CPU may be operable to facilitate, via a network switch, a proxy login into the one or more FC switches based on the FIP for one or more servers. The one or more servers may be operable to directly communicate and/or receive packets to/from the FC switches via the network switch. The network switch may be operable to determine a destination address of one or more servers based on the facilitated proxy login by the CPU if the one or more servers utilize fabric provided MAC addresses (FPMA) or utilize a MAC address table if the one or more servers utilize server provided MAC addresses (SPMA).

Abstract: Certain aspects of a method and system for minimum frame size support for a communication protocol encapsulated over Ethernet may include an encapsulated protocol over Ethernet (EPoE) frame comprising a start of padding (SP) field. In the EPoE frame, a size of an encapsulated protocol frame that is less than a size of an Ethernet frame may be adjusted by insertion of one or more padding bits so that the size of the encapsulated protocol frame is equal to the size of the Ethernet frame. The SP field may indicate a starting location of the insertion of one or more padding bits within the EPoE frame. The SP field comprises an offset value that may be relative to a location of a word in which the SP field is located or is relative to a location of a word corresponding to a fixed offset from a start of the encapsulated protocol frame.

Abstract: Certain aspects of a method and system for managing network power policy and configuration of data center bridging may include a network domain that comprises a single logical point of management (LPM) that coordinates operation of one or more devices, such as network interface controllers (NICs), switches, and/or servers in the network domain: The single LPM may be operable to manage one or both of a network power policy and/or a data center bridging (DCB) configuration policy for the network domain.

Abstract: Aspects of a method and system for programmable data rate thresholds for configurable data rate via inter-packet gap adjustment to support energy efficient networks. In this regard, an inter-packet gap may be adjusted to control a data rate on an Ethernet link. An IPG may be adjusted such that a data rate on a network link may be communicated at a non-standardized rate suited to an audio and/or video stream. An IPG may be adjusted such that data is communicated over the link at a standardized rate. In this regard, adjusting the IPG may compensate for a non-standardized data rate resulting from altering other parameters of the link. The IPG may be adjusted based on a control policy which may govern data rates on a network link. Each of a plurality of inter-packet gaps may be differently adjusted to achieve a desired average data rate on the link.

Abstract: Certain aspects of a method and system for managing network power policy and configuration of data center bridging may include a network domain that comprises a single logical point of management (LPM) that coordinates operation of one or more devices, such as network interface controllers (NICs), switches, and/or servers in the network domain: The single LPM may be operable to manage one or both of a network power policy and/or a data center bridging (DCB) configuration policy for the network domain.

Abstract: Certain aspects of a method and system for network configuration and/or provisioning based on open virtualization format (OVF) metadata may include accessing a set of port profiles for one or more virtual machines from a port profile database based on OVF metadata. One or more virtual machines may be configured, deployed, and/or managed based on the accessed set of port profiles. One or both of a uniform resource identifier (URI) to the profile data base and/or a port profile identification may be included in the OVF metadata to allow a virtual machine (VM) administrator device to access the set of port profiles for the one or more virtual machines from the port profile database. Alternatively, the set of port profiles may be included in the OVF metadata to allow the VM administrator device to access the set of port profiles for the one or more virtual machines from the port profile database.

Abstract: Certain aspects of a method and system for network configuration and/or provisioning based on open virtualization format (OVF) metadata may include accessing a set of port profiles for one or more virtual machines from a port profile database based on OVF metadata. One or more virtual machines may be configured, deployed, and/or managed based on the accessed set of port profiles. One or both of a uniform resource identifier (URI) to the profile data base and/or a port profile identification may be included in the OVF metadata to allow a virtual machine (VM) administrator device to access the set of port profiles for the one or more virtual machines from the port profile database. Alternatively, the set of port profiles may be included in the OVF metadata to allow the VM administrator device to access the set of port profiles for the one or more virtual machines from the port profile database.

Abstract: A local manager in a local networking domain may configure a plurality of logical switches by combining switching functions available in network devices and/or network switches in the local networking domain. The configuration may utilize vertical and/or horizontal combinations of the switching functions. The switching functions may comprise network switch-based switching functions, and/or hypervisor-level switching functions and/or network adapter-level switching functions available in network devices which may be configured as virtualized platforms. The local manager may provide interfacing services to enable exposing configured logical switches. The interfacing services may comprise an internal interface, which may be utilized, via the local manager, to control the switching functions corresponding to logical switches and/or to route messages sent to and/or from the logical switches.

Abstract: Certain aspects of a method and system for managing network power policy and configuration of data center bridging may include a network domain that comprises a single logical point of management (LPM) that coordinates operation of one or more devices, such as network interface controllers (NICs), switches, and/or servers in the network domain: The single LPM may be operable to manage one or both of a network power policy and/or a data center bridging (DCB) configuration policy for the network domain.

Abstract: Ethernet network link partners may be configured for operation in a low power mode. The link partners may generate new frames and/or signals and/or may modify characteristics of existing frames and/or signals to be communicated via one or more channels of an Ethernet link during the low power mode. The new and/or modified frames and/or signals may be utilized as refresh frames and/or signals to control communication during low power mode and/or to enable refresh and/or synchronization of the link partners. The new and/or modified frames and/or signals may be generated and/or modified based on a desired frequency distribution and/or spectral density. New and/or modified frames and/or signals may comprise jitter, random and/or pseudo random bit patterns and/or varied bit patterns and/or energy levels. Data packets and/or active idle symbols may be forced during low power mode to mitigate undesired periodic energy.