Abstract: In some embodiments, a method processes a first packet and generates a first copy of the first packet as a second packet. The method sends second copies of the first packet to a first group of multiple destinations defined by a first address. Also, the method sends the second packet to an interface with a loopback function. The interface recirculates the second packet for further processing. The second packet is processed where the second packet is assigned a destination of a second address. Then, the method sends copies of the second packet to a second group of multiple destinations defined by the second address.

Abstract: Some embodiments provide techniques for optimized programming of forwarding data in network device hardware. An operating system executing on the network device receives information associated with a network topology of a network(s) to which the network device belongs. Based on this information, the operating system can generate various data structures that facilitate the routing and forwarding of data through the network device. Based on the generated data structures, the operating system may then program hardware resources in the network device in order to implement routing and forwarding operations stored in the data structures. During generation of the data structures, the operating system may perform some operations to optimize the programing of the hardware resources in a manner that reduces the amount of hardware resources that would otherwise be used without such optimizations.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided herein for implementing multi-table OpenFlow flows that have combinations of packet edits. This may be accomplished by a network device receiving a first flow entry with a first set of actions to be installed into a flow table. The network device may determine that the first set of actions includes edits to a plurality of fields of a matched data packet. In response, the network device may change the first set of actions of the first flow entry to edit a first field of the data packet and create a second flow entry with a second set of actions to edit a second field of the data packet. The network device may install the first and second flow entries into one or more flow tables of the network device.

Abstract: Techniques described herein relate to performing an analysis of application of a routing policy to a route. Specifically, the techniques relate to a command that may be executed to evaluate the steps of the routing policy (e.g., a route map). A copy of a live route map may be made. Receipt of the command may cause the steps of the routing policy to be simulated using the copy. The simulation may return results of analyzing the outcome of each step in the routing policy. Based on the results, an updated routing policy copy may be generated that changes one or more steps in the routing policy. The updated routing policy copy may then be re-simulated to determine if the changes caused the intended effect. If so, the live routing policy may be replaced with the updated routing policy copy.

Abstract: In some implementations, a method is provided. The method includes determining a plurality of field sets and a plurality of field set groups. Each field set of the plurality of field sets comprises one or more packet characteristics. Each field set group of the plurality of field set groups comprises one or more field sets from the plurality of field sets. Each field set group is associated with one or more packet classifier rules. The method also includes determining a set of encoded labels for the plurality of field sets based on a set of rule costs and intersections between field set groups. Each encoded label of the set of encoded labels is associated with a respective field set of the plurality of field sets. The method further includes generating a plurality of entries in a memory based on the set of encoded labels. At least one entry comprises an encoded label from the set of encoded labels and at least a portion of a packet classifier rule.

Abstract: A network device includes computing resources for utilization by processes hosted by the network device and a computing resources manager. The computing resources manager automatically instantiate a new instance of a first process of the processes upon termination of the first process; makes a determination that the network device has entered an out of computing resources state; and in response to the determination: performs an action set to increase a quantity of the computing resources that are available for allocation to the processes.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer-readable mediums for managing forwarding equivalence class (FEC) hierarchies, including obtaining a forwarding equivalence class (FEC) hierarchy; making a first determination that a first hardware component supports a maximum levels of indirection (MLI) quantity; making a second determination that the FEC hierarchy has a hierarchy height; based on the first determination and the second determination, performing a comparison between the MLI quantity and the hierarchy height to obtain a comparison result; and based on the comparison result, performing a FEC hierarchy action set.

Abstract: Various embodiments are described herein, which provide a network element comprising a network port to receive production network data that is used for purposes other than testing the performance of a network, a data plane coupled to the network port, the data plane including a timing module to append a time stamp to a set of one or more time stamps included within the production network data, and a control plane coupled to the data plane, the control plane including a latency analyzer to analyze the set of one or more time stamps included within the production network data.

Abstract: A method of data switching. Data is received by at least one input port of a crosspoint switch. The crosspoint switch configurably casts the data to at least one output port of the crosspoint switch. Each output port of the crosspoint switch is connected to a respective input of a logic function device such as an FPGA. The logic function device applies a logic function to data received from each output port of the crosspoint switch, such as address filtering or multiplexing, and outputs processed data to one or more respective logic function device output interfaces. Also, a method of switching involving circuit switching received data to an output while also copying the data to a higher layer function.

Abstract: Systems and methods for load balancing in a network are disclosed. An illustrative method includes receiving network telemetry data corresponding to network paths of a plurality of coexisting multipaths, performing an adaptive load balancing process by determining whether a network path from the plurality of coexisting multipaths is an adequate network path based on the network telemetry data, and in response to determining the network path is an adequate network path, selecting the network path for a network flow.

Abstract: Techniques are described herein for managing data structure groups. Such techniques may include providing to a data structure group, by a reader, a plurality of data structure identifiers including a first data structure identifier and a second data structure identifier; mounting, by the data structure group, a first data structure identified by the first data structure identifier and including a first instance identifier; mounting, by the data structure group, a second data structure identified by the second data structure identifier and including a second instance identifier; making a first determination that the first data structure and the second data structure are mounted; making a second determination that the first instance identifier and the second instance identifier match; and marking, based on the first determination and the second determination, the data structure group as ready-to-read.

Abstract: Techniques described herein relate to a method for generating a table for forwarding traffic between networks that are implemented using different types of control planes. In one or more embodiments, the method comprises: receiving a first route advertisement for a first network; extracting a first next hop identifier-multiprotocol label switching (MPLS) label combination; receiving another route advertisement for the first network; and in response to determining that a local label has not been assigned to the first next hop identifier-MPLS label combination: generating a first entry and adding the first entry to a forwarding table of the gateway device.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a method and apparatus for reducing cross talk among pins in a connector. The apparatus may detect a bit error rate (BER) for each of a plurality of pins in a connector and compare the BER for each pin to a threshold BER. Responsive to determining that a set of pins among the plurality of pins each have a BER that is above the threshold BER, the apparatus may decrease the BER for each pin in the set of pins by selecting a subset of pins among the plurality of pins and adjusting operational characteristics of one or more of the subset of pins. The operational characteristics include a transmit power of the pin.

Abstract: A method and network device for embedded area abstraction. Specifically, the method and network device described herein implement the abstraction of one or more subareas of an area within a network implementing a link state protocol. Abstraction of a given subarea of a given area within a network may provide for routing using network devices in the given subarea without requiring that the network devices, in the complement of the given subarea within the given area, maintain link state information respective to the entire network topology of the given subarea.

Abstract: A computer network device that includes a plurality of computer network ports for connecting to a plurality of computer network nodes is disclosed. The computer network device includes switching circuitry that communicates each of a plurality of messages received by more than one of the plurality of computer network ports to at least one other computer network port for transmission. The computer network device also includes a management processor that includes a plurality of management processor communication ports that include at least one externally accessible communication port and at least one externally inaccessible communication port. The at least one externally inaccessible communication port is in communication with the switching circuitry, and the management processor sends switching circuitry configuration instructions via the at least one externally inaccessible communication port to configure the switching circuitry.

Abstract: Methods and systems are described for automatically detecting network routing peers and establishing route peering sessions. An illustrative method includes retrieving, at a network router, route peer configuration for the network router. The route peer configuration identifies one or more network interfaces for route peering but typically does not identify an address of peer routers. The method identifies, based on the route peer configuration, a network interface from a plurality of network interfaces of the network router for route peering and configures the network interface to participate in route peering. The method then detects a peer router on the network interface and initiates a peering session on the network interface with the peer router. Using the peering session, the method exchange route information with the peer router.

Abstract: Virtual network identifiers are extracted from route advertisements. A table associates virtual network identifiers with provider edge devices. When a virtual network identifier extracted from a route advertisement matches a virtual network identifier in the table, the route advertisement is propagated to the provider edge devices associated with that virtual network identifier in the table. The route advertisement is not propagated to provider edge devices not associated with that virtual network identifier in the table.

Abstract: The system and methods described herein provided for automatically configuring a network port at a first network device with isolation parameter. A network device receives a network access message that includes network access parameters to be used when a second network device communicates with the first network device. The network device determines network isolation parameter based on the network access parameters to be used for a plurality of network packets received from the second network device. The network device determines whether the port of the network device is configured with the network isolation parameter, and, if not so configured, the network device automatically configures the port with the network isolation parameter.

Abstract: A first network device receives a message from a second network device with an indication that the first network device is to adjust a data rate of data being received by the first network device. The first network device includes a first buffer space that is greater than a second buffer space of the second network device. The first network device determines a set of computing devices connected to the second network device based on receiving the indication and defines a set of first data rates to use to send data to respective computing devices. The first network device adjusts a second data rate of received data to send the received data through the second network device to a computing device at a first data rate defined in the set of first data rates. The first network device uses the first buffer space to perform the adjusting.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention relate to systems and methods for distributing information. In one or more embodiments of the invention, the method includes receiving, at a replicator, a single data stream originating from a data source, wherein the single data stream comprises a first plurality of data units from the data source; replicating, by the replicator, the single data stream to obtain a first replicated data stream and a second replicated data stream; transmitting the first replicated data stream to a first data recipient; and transmitting the second replicated data stream to a second data recipient.