Abstract: Network traffic flows can be processed by routers, switches, or service nodes. Service nodes may be ASICs that can provide the functionality of a switch or a router. Service nodes can be configured in a circular replication chain, thereby providing benefits such as high reliability. The service nodes can implement methods that include receiving a first packet that includes a source address in a source address field and that includes a destination address in a destination address field, routing the first packet to a selected service node that is in a circular replication chain that includes a plurality of service nodes that have local flow tables and are configured for chain replication of the local flow tables, producing a second packet by using a matching flow table entry of the first packet to process the first packet, and sending the second packet toward a destination indicated by the destination address.

Abstract: A system may include a device that receives requests to initiate a videoconference call. The requests may include an indication of a service priority tier that should be applied to the call and first and second client devices for the call. The system may determining bandwidth availability in a network and determine, based on the bandwidth availability and based on the indication of the service priority tier of the call, whether to admit the videoconference call to the network. The device may provision, when it is determined to admit the call to the network, traffic policies corresponding to one or more network devices, where the policies are determined based on the service priority tier of the videoconference call.

Abstract: In one example, a method includes receiving, with a network device, a portion of a subscriber session packet flow for a subscriber session, and reassembling application-layer data from data packets in the subscriber session packet flow into one or more application flows for the subscriber session. The method includes identifying, from the application flows, application identity information for the application flows, and applying a first session policy to the subscriber session. Applying the first session policy includes applying one or more application policies to the application flows in the subscriber session based on subscriber information and the application identity information for the application flows. The method includes processing the application flows in the subscriber session for accessing a packet data network in accordance with the application policies.