Abstract: A software-defined networking (“SDN”) capable forwarding switch includes ports for receiving and/or outputting data packets and a packet pipeline including a forwarding table. The forwarding table is configured to contain a number of flow table entries (“FTEs”), that determine the forwarding switch's configuration and control behavior. The switch further includes a control engine configured to manipulate the forwarding switch's forwarding tables by adding, updating, and/or removing FTEs in the forwarding tables. An FTE of a forwarding table is configured to contain a specific action part that includes an action instruction to create a control packet and to send it to the control engine. The control packet includes embedded control instructions that cause the control engine to change the forwarding switch's configuration and/or control behavior.

Abstract: A software-defined networking (“SDN”) capable forwarding switch includes ports for receiving and/or outputting data packets and a packet pipeline including a forwarding table. The forwarding table is configured to contain a number of flow table entries (“FTEs”), that determine the forwarding switch's configuration and control behavior. The switch further includes a control engine configured to manipulate the forwarding switch's forwarding tables by adding, updating, and/or removing FTEs in the forwarding tables. An FTE of a forwarding table is configured to contain a specific action part that includes an action instruction to create a control packet and to send it to the control engine. The control packet includes embedded control instructions that cause the control engine to change the forwarding switch's configuration and/or control behavior.

Abstract: A method for controlling an underlying physical network by a software defined network includes providing a physical network that comprises routers for routing data traffic on a data communication plane, providing a software defined network that comprises at least one controller and at least one feature on a control plane for controlling the data forwarding elements of the physical network, communicating, by the data forwarding elements of the data communication plane, with the controller of the control plane on a dedicated control channel, communicating, by the controller, with the at least one feature on a dedicated feature channel in the control plane, and exchanging, via the data communication plane, at least a portion of the data traffic in the control plane.

Abstract: A method for detecting interactions on a forwarding element in a network, the element adapted to forward data according to rules, a rule set installed on the element, and including a match set and corresponding action set, the match set including at least one match field and the action set including one or more actions wherein action to be performed when matching a match set includes determining one or more relations between match sets based on match field relations, determining one or more relations between action sets, determining one or more interactions between rules based on determined relations between match sets and action sets, each rule being tested against another rule for determining the interaction, and reducing the rule set to an actual rule set according to determined interactions so that the actual rule set includes only rules with no interactions among them.

Abstract: A method for controlling an underlying physical network by a software defined network includes providing a physical network that comprises routers for routing data traffic on a data communication plane, providing a software defined network that comprises at least one controller and at least one feature on a control plane for controlling the data forwarding elements of the physical network, communicating, by the data forwarding elements of the data communication plane, with the controller of the control plane on a dedicated control channel, communicating, by the controller, with the at least one feature on a dedicated feature channel in the control plane, and exchanging, via the data communication plane, at least a portion of the data traffic in the control plane.

Abstract: A method of supporting power control in a communication network, the network including a plurality of network elements (1) that perform packet forwarding, wherein each network element (1) includes one or more ports—element ports (2)—, is characterized in the steps of assigning a flow table (4) to each of the network elements (1), wherein the flow table (4) includes flow entries (5) that specify via which element ports (2) to forward packets the network element (1) receives, deriving target sets from the flow tables (4), wherein a target set characterizes either a network element (1) as a whole—element target set—or an individual element port (2)—port target set—in terms of its utilization, and based on changes in the respective target sets, deciding on the enforcement of power states on the network elements (1) and/or the element ports (2).

Abstract: Method for detecting interactions on a forwarding element in a network, the element adapted to forward data according to rules, a rule set installed on the element, and including a match set and corresponding action set, the match set including at least one match field and the action set including one or more actions wherein action set to be performed when matching a match set and a priority assigned to each rule, includes: determining one or more relations between match sets based on match field relations; determining one or more relations between action sets; determining one or more interactions between rules based on determined relations between match sets and action sets, each rule being tested against another rule for determining the interaction; and reducing the rule set to an actual rule set according to determined interactions so that the actual rule set includes only rules with no interactions among them.

Abstract: A communication network includes a plurality of network elements—communicating nodes—that are enabled to request the establishment of connections—flows—among each other, and a plurality of network elements—switches (3)—that support the routing of the flows. The network further includes elements for intercepting requests for flow establishment, at least one calculation module configured to preselect for each flow a set of possible network paths that are compliant with the flow's performance requirements and/or quality constraints, wherein each path includes a specific set of switches the flow has to traverse, and at least one selection module configured to apply a selection algorithm that analyzes the load of switches that are contained in any network path of the preselected set of network paths for determining a single network path from the preselected set of network paths that is most suitable in terms of energy efficiency.

Abstract: A method of supporting power control in a communication network, the network including a plurality of network elements (1) that perform packet forwarding, wherein each network element (1) includes one or more ports—element ports (2)—, is characterized in the steps of assigning a flow table (4) to each of the network elements (1), wherein the flow table (4) includes flow entries (5) that specify via which element ports (2) to forward packets the network element (1) receives, deriving target sets from the flow tables (4), wherein a target set characterizes either a network element (1) as a whole—element target set—or an individual element port (2)—port target set—in terms of its utilization, and based on changes in the respective target sets, deciding on the enforcement of power states on the network elements (1) and/or the element ports (2).

Abstract: A communication network includes a plurality of network elements—communicating nodes—that are enabled to request the establishment of connections—flows—among each other, and a plurality of network elements—switches (3)—that support the routing of the flows. The network further includes elements for intercepting requests for flow establishment, at least one calculation module configured to preselect for each flow a set of possible network paths that are compliant with the flow's performance requirements and/or quality constraints, wherein each path includes a specific set of switches the flow has to traverse, and at least one selection module configured to apply a selection algorithm that analyses the load of switches that are contained in any network path of the preselected set of network paths for determining a single network path from the preselected set of network paths that is most suitable in terms of energy efficiency.