Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention provides a computing system. The computing system includes a processor, a memory, a logical switch management mechanism, and a layer-2 path management mechanism. The logical switch management mechanism operates the computing system in conjunction with a plurality of remote switches as a single logical switch. The layer-2 path management mechanism includes a path calculation mechanism and a layer-2 forwarding table. The path calculation mechanism calculates layer-2 shortest paths among the computing system and the remote switches. The layer-2 forwarding table is for a first switch in the plurality of remote switches and created based on one or more of the shortest paths, wherein a respective entry in the forwarding table corresponds to a layer-2 network address. The layer-2 path management mechanism suppresses advertisement of the shortest paths outside of the logical switch, thereby hiding internal paths of the logical switch.

Abstract: An apparatus comprising a path computation element (PCE) associated with a domain in a network and configured to find a segment of a Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) Traffic Engineering (TE) Label Switched Path (LSP) that crosses a plurality of domains in the network using a Constraint Shortest Path First (CSPF) algorithm or a reverse CSPF algorithm that computes a plurality of shortest paths in the domain of which the segment is selected, wherein the CSPF algorithm or the reverse CSPF algorithm is selected to reduce the number of shortest path computations in the domain based on the number of starting nodes and ending nodes that are considered for computing the shortest paths in the domain.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention provides a computing system. The computing system includes a processor, a memory, a discovery mechanism, a switch management mechanism, and a configuration management mechanism. The discovery mechanism discovers a remote switch. The switch management mechanism registers the remote switch and transmits a switch image to the remote switch, thereby allowing the remote switch to install the image. The configuration management mechanism configures the remote switch, thereby allowing the remote switch to be controlled by the computing system.

Abstract: A network node used to discover a topology-transparent zone (TTZ). In one example embodiment, the network node may obtain a TTZ identifier (ID) that is uniquely associated with the TTZ. Additionally, the network node may identify a link connected to a second network node that is also assigned the TTZ ID. In response to the command to initiate discovering the TTZ, the network node may generate a router information (RI) link-state advertisement (LSA) that comprises the TTZ ID and may distribute the RI LSA to the second network node using the link. In another example embodiment, the network node may not be configured as a TTZ edge node and may receive an RI LSA comprising the TTZ ID. The network node may store at least a portion of the information within the RI LSA and may flood the RI LSA using a plurality of links.

Abstract: A network node used to construct a topology-transparent zone (TTZ). The network node may obtain a TTZ identifier (ID) that is uniquely associated with a TTZ. Additionally, the network node may obtain a first link that couples the network node to a second network node that is also assigned the TTZ ID and a second link that couples the network node to a third network node that is not assigned the TTZ ID. The network node may generate a router information (RI) link-state advertisement (LSA) that indicates whether the network node is a TTZ edge node or a TTZ internal node and that indicates the TTZ associated with the TTZ. The network node may distribute the RI LSA to the second network node that is also assigned the TTZ ID using the first link.

Abstract: A method for internet traffic management, comprising receiving a request for a path set from an application at a network traffic controller, wherein the request contains an intended traffic destination endpoint, evaluating a plurality of network devices in a network, identifying a plurality of paths usable by the application to transmit traffic from the application to the intended traffic destination endpoint, including the plurality of paths in the path set, and sharing the path set with the application.

Abstract: Embodiments are provided herein to enable single level network abstraction for a service across one or more domains. The embodiments use a single network ID to identify a service and a corresponding virtual network topology across any number of domains at a physical network. A virtual network topology can be abstracted for each service, based on the physical underlying network topology. A network controller determines, for a service, the virtual network topology within a physical network, and binds the service to the virtual network topology via a virtual network ID, which defines a single forwarding domain of the virtual network topology across the physical network. The virtual network ID is then indicated to the nodes of the virtual network topology, thus enabling the nodes to identify and forward traffic for the service, within the single forwarding domain, between end clients from edge to edge of the physical network.

Abstract: An ingress node in a Software Defined Network (SDN) comprising a receiver for receiving a data packet, a processor coupled to the receiver and further configured to obtain the data packet from the receiver in a transport protocol agnostic manner, and encapsulate the data packet in an SDN packet header, wherein the packet header comprises SDN flow-specific information provided by an SDN controller, and a transmitter coupled to the processor and further configured to transmit the encapsulated data packet across a single SDN toward an egress node in the SDN.

Abstract: A network component for supporting packet forwarding in a United Router Farm (URF), the network component comprising a processor configured to receive a packet, encapsulate the packet using a URF header comprising a URF Layer Two (L2) header that indicates Media Access Control (MAC) addresses of current and next hops, an outer label that indicates a tunnel to a destination node in the URF, and an inner label that indicates an egress port on the destination node, and send the packet to a next hop in the URF after encapsulating the packet.

Abstract: In a receiver provider edge (PE) router, a method for supporting protocol independent multicast source-specific mode (PIM-SSM) using multicast resource reservation protocol-traffic engineering (mRSVP-TE) comprising the steps of receiving a protocol independent multicast (PIM) join message, in response to receiving the PIM join message sending a path message to a source PE router, wherein the path message is a multicast resource reservation protocol-traffic engineering (mRSVP-TE) message, and sending the PIM join message to the source PE router, wherein the path message and the PIM join message trigger setup of a data multicast data tree (MDT), creating a PIM state, and receiving multicast data traffic via the data MDT using the PIM state.

Abstract: In a source provider edge (PE) router, a method of forming a data multicast distribution tree (MDT) comprising the steps of monitoring a rate of multicast data traffic within a default MDT, determining that the rate exceeds a threshold, sending a join message to at least one receiver PE router in response to the determining, wherein the join message comprises a MDT number that identifies the data MDT, receiving a path message from the at least one receiver PE router and thereby forming the data MDT, and sending multicast data traffic via the data MDT.

Abstract: In a network node positioned inside a Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) core network, a method of establishing a multicast Virtual Private Network (MVPN) comprising receiving a packet for multicast data from a Virtual Private Network (VPN) via a provider edge (PE) node positioned on the edge of the MPLS core network, wherein the network node is a root node and the PE node is a leaf node of a multicast Label Switched Path (mLSP) established in the MPLS core network, swapping an upstream label in the packet that is assigned to the PE node with a downstream label assigned to a next hop of the mLSP, and forwarding the packet to the next hop.

Abstract: In a source provider edge (PE) router, a method for supporting protocol independent multicast sparse-mode (PIM-SM) using multicast resource reservation protocol-traffic engineering (mRSVP-TE) comprising the steps of creating a protocol independent multicast (PIM) state, sending a first unicast data message to a rendezvous point (RP) PE router using the PIM state, wherein the first unicast data message is a PIM register message encapsulated as a unicast multiprotocol label switching (MPLS) packet, receiving a PIM join message from the RP PE router, wherein the PIM join message triggers creating a second PIM state, sending a second unicast data message to the RP PE router via a default multicast distribution tree (MDT) using the second PIM state, receiving a PIM register-stop message from the RP PE router, wherein the PIM register-stop message suspends sending the second unicast data message.

Abstract: An apparatus comprising a memory, and a processor coupled to the memory and configured to transmit a backup Label Switched Path (LSP) multicast Resource Reservation Protocol-Traffic Engineering (mRSVP-TE) path request (PATH) message upstream, wherein the backup LSP PATH message requests reservation of a first backup LSP to protect a first primary LSP configured to transmit multicast data, and wherein the backup LSP PATH message is transmitted to support a facility mode one to many (1:N) fast reroute protocol.

Abstract: An apparatus comprising a memory, and a processor coupled to the memory and configured to transmit a multicast Resource Reservation Protocol—Traffic Engineering (mRSVP-TE) path request (PATH) message upstream, wherein the PATH message requests reservation of a backup Label Switched Path (LSP) to protect an active LSP configured to transmit multicast data. The disclosure also includes a computer program product comprising computer executable instructions stored on a non-transitory computer readable medium such that when executed by a processor cause a network element (NE) to receive a multicast PATH message from a downstream node, wherein the NE acts as a Point of Local Repair (PLR) along an active LSP, wherein the active LSP is configured to transmit multicast data, and wherein the PATH message requests reservation of a backup LSP to protect the active LSP.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention provides a computing system. The computing system includes a processor, a memory, a discovery mechanism, a switch management mechanism, and a configuration management mechanism. The discovery mechanism discovers a remote switch. The switch management mechanism registers the remote switch and transmits a switch image to the remote switch, thereby allowing the remote switch to install the image. The configuration management mechanism configures the remote switch, thereby allowing the remote switch to be controlled by the computing system.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention provides a computing system. The computing system includes a processor, a memory, a logical switch management mechanism, and a layer-2 path management mechanism. The logical switch management mechanism operates the computing system in conjunction with a plurality of remote switches as a single logical switch. The layer-2 path management mechanism includes a path calculation mechanism and a layer-2 forwarding table. The path calculation mechanism calculates layer-2 shortest paths among the computing system and the remote switches. The layer-2 forwarding table is for a first switch in the plurality of remote switches and created based on one or more of the shortest paths, wherein a respective entry in the forwarding table corresponds to a layer-2 network address. The layer-2 path management mechanism suppresses advertisement of the shortest paths outside of the logical switch, thereby hiding internal paths of the logical switch.

Abstract: A communication system, comprising a multicast group address allocator in communication with a plurality of nodes configured as at least one multicast group, wherein, upon creation of a new multicast group from among the nodes, the multicast group address allocator is configured to assign a multicast address to the new multicast group based on the assigned multicast address falling into a hash-bin for each group member of the new multicast group. A multicast group address allocator, comprising a network interface in communication with a plurality of nodes, a controller coupled to the network interface, and a storage medium coupled to the controller, wherein, upon request, the controller assigns a multicast address to a new multicast group from among the nodes, wherein the controller accesses hash-bin information for the nodes and selects the multicast address based on the hash-bin information, and wherein the hash-bin information is stored in the storage medium.

Abstract: An apparatus comprising at least one processor configured to implement a method comprising analyzing a plurality of tasks, determining a privilege level for each of the task, determining a schedule for each of the tasks, and scheduling the tasks for execution based on the privilege level and the schedule of each task. Included is a memory comprising instructions for determining a privilege level for each of a plurality of tasks, wherein the privilege levels comprise periodic real-time, aperiodic real-time, and non-real time, determining an execution time for each of the tasks, and scheduling the tasks for execution on a processor based on the privilege level and the execution time of each task.

Abstract: An apparatus comprising: a first Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) device configured to communicate with a second BGP device and implement grouped route withdrawals with the second BGP device. A method comprising: announcing, by a BGP speaker, a plurality of grouped routes, and withdrawing, by the BGP speaker, a plurality of previously announced grouped routes.