Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure provide a method for collecting distributed counter values in a packet-switched system having multiple distributed packet processors. The method includes receiving a probe packet at a packet processor, storing a counter value corresponding to a flow processed by the packet processor for subsequent delivery to a management controller, and forwarding the probe packet to a next packet processor. The next packet processor stores a counter value of the next packet processor for subsequent delivery to the management controller.

Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure provide a method that includes receiving a first packet through a network at a first device. The first packet includes a first message generated according to a precision time protocol and a first encapsulation that encapsulates one or more fields of the first message. Further, the method includes security-verifying the first packet based on the first message and the first encapsulation, and processing the first message according to the precision time protocol after the first packet is security-verified.

Abstract: Linked list profiling and updating techniques define subsets of linked list entries that are executed upon various resource calls. The subsets are defined by linked list profiles. The techniques can add/remove linked list entries to/from these profiles in a flexible update manner, in which a profile table is used to store profiles, or in atomic manner, in which each linked list entry itself contains profile data. Implemented in a communication system network device, the techniques are used to define and update profiles of physical or virtual ports used for packet-based egress and ingress communications.

Abstract: In a method for processing data packets in accordance with a timing protocol, a data packet that includes i) a checksum and ii) a timestamp is received. The timestamp is modified to generate a modified timestamp and a checksum trailer value is determined to maintain correctness of the checksum in the data packet having the modified timestamp. Additionally, at least a portion of a field of the data packet is set to the checksum trailer value, where the field is defined by the timing protocol for use other than a checksum trailer.

Abstract: A network switch device includes a plurality of ingress processors, each ingress processor has a packet memory to store packets received via a plurality of ingress ports. A plurality of egress processors are coupled to the plurality of ingress processors via a switch fabric. Each egress processor has a plurality of egress ports. Each ingress processor is configured to create descriptors for packets received via ingress ports, each descriptor having a smaller size than the corresponding packet, store the packets in the packet memory, process each descriptor to determine at least the appropriate egress processor among the egress processors to which to forward the descriptor, transmit, via the switch fabric, descriptors to egress processors, and, in response to receiving PULL messages from the egress processors, transmit packets to the egress processors via the switch fabric.

Abstract: Techniques to avoid polarization in a communication network include a network switch or device having a first interface to receive a data unit or packet, and a second interface via which the packet is transmitted from the network device. The network device includes a hash value generator configured to generate, using a depolarizer, a depolarized key from an initial key (where the initial key is based on contents of the packet and the depolarizer is unique to the network device), and to generate a hash value based on the depolarized key and the packet by using a hash function that is common to all network devices in the network. The hash value may be optionally modified to load balance egress traffic of the network device. The network device selects an egress link or port, such as by determining an index into an egress table based on the (modified) hash value.

Abstract: Devices, systems, methods, and other embodiments associated with cascaded memory tables for searching are described. In one embodiment, an integrated chip is implemented with two or more address tables. The two or more address tables are implemented with separate memory tables to store addresses. The two or more address tables are comprised of a first address table and a second address table. Connection lines connect the first address table and the second address table to create a cascaded address table. Search logic initiates a search of the first address table for an address. If the address is not found, the search logic initiates a search of the second address table through the connection lines.

Abstract: A multi-stage engine for processing Operations, Administration, and Maintenance (OAM) data units in a network device that includes a memory and an ingress interface from which an OAM data unit is received, includes a first processing stage in a network device, such that the first processing engine is configured to identify a flow of communication traffic to which the OAM data unit belongs, where the flow of communication traffic is identified from among a plurality of flows of communicate traffic received by the network device, and a second processing stage includes an action identification module to identify in the memory an action corresponding to the identified flow using the OAM data unit, and a processing module to process the OAM data unit in accordance with the identified action.

Abstract: Techniques to avoid polarization in a communication network include a network switch or device having a first interface to receive a data unit or packet, and a second interface via which the packet is transmitted from the network device. The network device includes a hash value generator configured to generate, using a depolarizer, a depolarized key from an initial key (where the initial key is based on contents of the packet and the depolarizer is unique to the network device), and to generate a hash value based on the depolarized key and the packet by using a hash function that is common to all network devices in the network. The hash value may be optionally modified to load balance egress traffic of the network device. The network device selects an egress link or port, such as by determining an index into an egress table based on the (modified) hash value.

Abstract: A packet transmitted by a master clock via a network is received via a port of a network device. The packet includes a time stamp from the master clock. It is determined via which one of a plurality of communication path in the network the packet was received. An application layer module of the network device uses (i) the time stamp in the packet and (ii) the determination of the communication path to determine time information.

Abstract: Techniques to load balance traffic in a network device or switch include a network device or switch having a first interface to receive a data unit or packet, a second interface to transmit the packet, and a mapper to map between virtual ports and physical ports. The network device includes hash value generator configured to generate a hash value based on information included in the packet and based on at least one virtual port. The hash value may be optionally modified to load balance egress traffic of the network device. The network device selects a particular virtual port for egress of the packet, such as by determining an index into an egress table based on the (modified) hash value. The packet is transmitted from the network device using a physical port mapped to the particular virtual port.

Abstract: A data unit is received at a network device associated with a link aggregate group. An initial key is determined based on information included in the data unit. Another key is generated based on a first field of the initial key and a second field of the initial key. A hash function is applied to the other key to generate a hash value. A communication link in the link aggregate group is determined based on the hash value, and the data unit is transmitted over the communication link.

Abstract: Techniques to load balance traffic in a network device or switch include a network device or switch having a first interface to receive a data unit or packet, a second interface to transmit the packet, and a mapper to map between virtual ports and physical ports. The network device includes hash value generator configured to generate a hash value based on information included in the packet and based on at least one virtual port. The hash value may be optionally modified to load balance egress traffic of the network device. The network device selects a particular virtual port for egress of the packet, such as by determining an index into an egress table based on the (modified) hash value. The packet is transmitted from the network device using a physical port mapped to the particular virtual port.

Abstract: Techniques to load balance traffic in a communication network include a network switch or device having an interface to receive a data unit or packet. The network device includes a hash value generator configured to generate a symmetric key from an initial key that is based on the packet, and configured to generate a hash value based on the symmetric key and the packet. The hash value may be optionally modified to load balance egress traffic of the network device. The network device selects an egress link or port, such as by determining an index into an egress table based on the (modified) hash value. The techniques described herein allow packets or data units of a particular flow to travel in both directions along a same path through the communication network.

Abstract: An apparatus for forwarding packets includes a packet processing pipeline having a processing unit that processes packets compliant with a recognized communication protocol. A first port coupled to the packet processing pipeline is configured to receive a packet that does not comply with the recognized communication protocol and has a header that conforms to a second communication protocol. A data extraction unit extracts first destination information from the header of the packet and, based on the first destination information, generates second destination information that conforms to the recognized communication protocol. The processing unit determines, based on the second destination information, an egress interface to which the packet is to be forwarded.

Abstract: A packet processor is described that performs keep alive message processing using a bifurcated aging table approach. The packet processor includes an aging table, a binding module and an aging daemon. The aging table includes a plurality of records corresponding to a plurality of network links supported by the packet processor. Each record in the aging table is used to track an aging status of a corresponding network link. The binding module associates a received message with a record in the aging table based on information in the received message. The aging daemon scans the aging table, updates the aging status of each network link, and determines that a network link has failed when the updated status for the respective network link exceeds a predetermined threshold.

Abstract: A packet processing pipeline is configured to classify packets received via a network based on information in the received packets: (1) as belonging to one of a plurality of identified flows, or (2) as not belonging to any of the plurality of identified flows. For each received packet determined not to belong to one of the previously identified flows, the pipeline sends at least a portion of the packet or a corresponding packet descriptor to a processing unit. For each received packet determined not to belong to one of the previously identified flows, the processing unit defines a new flow corresponding to the packet based on an analysis of the portion corresponding packet descriptor, and configures the packet processing pipeline to handle the new flow.

Abstract: A method of configuring a plurality of aggregation queues for aggregating multicast network traffic includes configuring a first one of the plurality of aggregation queues to store at least data units associated with a first multicast group (MCG) and data units associated with a second MCG, and configuring a second one of the plurality of aggregation queues to store only those data units that are associated with a third MCG.

Abstract: A transparent edge Routing Bridge (RBridge) including a first communication unit configured to receive a data packet from an access segment of a network, the data packet including an egress device nickname and at least one Virtual Local Area Network (VLAN) tag, a TRansparent Interconnection of Lots of Links (TRILL) header constructing unit configured to construct a TRILL header based on the VLAN tag, and a second communication unit that transmits the data packet, including the TRILL header, to an egress device corresponding to the egress device nickname via a TRILL compliant interconnection layer.

Abstract: A method for processing network traffic in a modular switching device that includes a source device, a target device, and a plurality of connecting devices, includes generating a communication unit at the source device, where the communication unit is associated with a unique communication unit identifier, and where the communication unit is to be transmitted to the target device; dividing the communication unit into a plurality of transmission units, including assigning a respective position identifier to each of the plurality of transmission units, where the position identifier is indicative of a position of the transmission unit within the communication unit, and assigning the communication unit identifier to each of the plurality of transmission units; the method further comprising causing the plurality of transmission units to be transmitted in parallel to respective ones of the plurality of connecting devices, where each of the plurality of connecting devices connects the source device to the target dev