Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for application identification and dynamic signature generation for managing network communication systems. Communication sessions and related packet flows are monitored within a network communication system. Application level information is extracted from session packets by unpacking one or more communication protocols associated with the network packets to obtain application level information encapsulated within the network packets. The extracted application level information is compared to a database of known application signatures in order to identify known applications. For unknown applications, the application level information is used to generate new dynamic application signatures. The application level information can also be used to identify and access external network-accessible resources to obtain additional identification information for the unknown application.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for generating application layer test packets for testing packet communication networks. The disclosed embodiments utilize multi-stage application layer test packet generator to generate high volumes of network layer test packets in an efficient and cost effective manner. A first co-processor generates tokenized test packets that include non-application layer content and include token values representing desired application layer content. A second co-processor analyzes the token values and replaces the token values with stateful application layer content associated with the token values. Once devices-under-test (DUTs) have received and processed the application layer test packets, the DUTs generate return packets that include stateful application layer content. These return packets are then received and processed by the multi-stage application layer test packet generator.

Abstract: A method of processing network traffic within a computing system, comprises at a first configurable logic device (CLD), receiving an ingress network packet from an external network interface, associating the ingress network packet with a timestamp indicating the time of receipt, parsing the ingress network packet to locate a link-layer checksum value and a routing-layer checksum value, determining whether the link-layer and routing-layer checksum values are correct based on the ingress network packet contents, and transmitting the ingress network packet to a second CLD via a high-speed interconnection; and at the second CLD receiving the ingress network packet, parsing the ingress network packet to locate a source address and a destination address, determining a destination and a route for the ingress network packet based at least in part on the source and destination addresses, and transmitting the ingress network packet to the determined destination via the determined route.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method of accessing data comprises resetting the value of a register of a first processing core of a multi-core processor, copying the bits of a compressed pointer into the lowest order bits of the register, left shifting the register a predetermined number of bits, and executing on the first processing core a first instruction referencing memory at a virtual address specified by the register.

Abstract: A system for programming one or more configurable logic devices (e.g., FPGA or CPLD) via universal serial bus (USB) may include one or more CLDs; a microcontroller coupled to the one or more CLDs via a parallel data bus; a processor coupled to the microcontroller via a USB interface, the processor having access to CLD access logic and one or more CLD images; and instructions executable by the processor to program at least one of the CLDs by loading the CLD access logic onto the microcontroller, using the CLD access logic loaded on the microcontroller to set each of the at least one CLD to a programming mode, and forwarding a particular CLD image from the processor to the microcontroller via the USB interface and from the microcontroller to each of the at least one CLD via the parallel data bus.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for application identification and dynamic signature generation for managing network communication systems. Communication sessions and related packet flows are monitored within a network communication system. Application level information is extracted from session packets by unpacking one or more communication protocols associated with the network packets to obtain application level information encapsulated within the network packets. The extracted application level information is compared to a database of known application signatures in order to identify known applications. For unknown applications, the application level information is used to generate new dynamic application signatures. The application level information can also be used to identify and access external network-accessible resources to obtain additional identification information for the unknown application.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method of storing data for fast lookup comprises forming a first and a second array of pointers, forming a record to store, the record comprising fields for, a first list pointer, a second list pointer, which is not the first field in the record, a first key, and a second key. The method further comprises determining a first index based at least in part the first key, setting the value of the pointer at the first index in the first array to the location of the first pointer field of the record, determining a second index based at least in part the second key, and setting the value of the pointer at the second index in the second array to the location of the second pointer field of the record.

Abstract: A method for booting devices in a multi-card computing system comprising a plurality of cards connected to a shared backplane may include: dynamically generating a Media Access Control (MAC) addresses for at least some of the devices in the computing system, the dynamically generated MAC address for each device including information regarding the location of that device within the multi-card computing system; a boot management system receiving a boot-related information request from a particular device in the multi-card system, the boot-related information request comprising a request for particular boot-related information for facilitating a boot process for the requesting device, and including the MAC address of the requesting device; and the boot management system determining whether to send a response to the requesting device with the requested boot-related information based at least on the information in the MAC address regarding the location of the requesting device within the multi-card computing syste

Abstract: A method of routing internal network traffic within a computing system comprises receiving a network packet at a configurable logic device (CLD), parsing the network packet to obtain a destination address, searching a predetermined range of a routing table wherein each row of the routing table specifies a range of possible destination addresses and routing information, identifying a matching row of the routing table wherein the destination address falls within the range of possible destination addresses of the matching row, and routing the packet according to the routing information.

Abstract: A method for enabling virtual data loopback in a computing system may include forwarding a data packet from a first device to a second device; the second device identifying from the data packet egress interface information indicating a first interface for forwarding the data packet out of the computing system; based on the first interface identified from the egress interface information, automatically determining a second interface to the first interface; inserting into the data packet ingress interface information that indicates the second interface; forwarding the data packet, including the ingress interface information, back to the first device; and the first device identifying the ingress interface information indicating the second interface; such that the data packet is looped back to the first device without being communicated via the first or second interface, and such that from the perspective of the first device the data packet was received via the second interface.

Abstract: A method for managing the capture of packets in a computing system comprises maintaining a buffer tail pointer in a memory of an instruction executing device, receiving a series of packets at an instruction executing device, for each received packet prepending a header comprising a packet length and a packet pointer set to a current value of the buffer tail pointer, determining a next free memory location by adding the current value of the buffer tail pointer to the length of a previous packet identified by the buffer tail pointer, temporarily writing the packet and prepend header to the next free memory location in a circular packet buffer in a memory coupled to the instruction executing device, and setting the buffer tail pointer to the next free memory location.

Abstract: An automated method for analyzing a plurality of network messages received by a network testing device is disclosed. The method may comprise, during a current window of time, receiving from a target network device a network message associated with an original network message determining a latency value for the received network message comparing the determined latency value with the threshold latency value; and incrementing either the first counter or the second counter based on the comparison of the determined latency value with a threshold latency value. The method may further comprise, at the end of the current window of time, storing the first and second counter values resulting from the analysis of the plurality of original network messages.

Abstract: A method is provided for managing the execution of tasks by a system having multiple processors, each having multiple types of resources. The method may include receiving from a user a task configuration specifying one or more performance parameters for a proposed task, automatically determining for each type of resource a quantity of that resource corresponding to the performance parameters for the proposed task, automatically determining for each processor a quantity of each type of resource available to that processor, automatically comparing for processor (a) the quantity of each type of resource available to that processor with (b) the quantity of each type of resource corresponding to the performance parameters for the proposed task, automatically determining based on the comparisons whether any processor has capacity to perform the proposed task, and automatically determining whether to perform the proposed task based at least on whether any processor has capacity to perform the task.

Abstract: A method of sending programming and debug commands, comprises loading control instructions on a processor from an attached tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium, copying the contents of a program image file by the processor from the computer-readable medium across a bus to a programmable device on the same card as the processor, signaling the programmable device to send an instruction to a configurable logic device (CLD) on the same card as the processor via a debug channel.

Abstract: A method of offloading data intensive tasks from a processor, comprises, at a processor, preparing a TCP packet comprising a TCP header and a data payload, transmitting the TCP packet to a configurable logic device (CLD); and at the CLD, receiving the TCP packet, generating set of TCP segment packets containing, a copy of the TCP header, an incrementing segment sequence identifier, and a portion of the data payload, and transmitting the set of TCP segment packets on an external network interface.

Abstract: A method offloading data intensive tasks from a processor comprises receiving at a configurable logic device (CLD) a network packet, parsing the network packet to determine that the packet is a TCP segment, searching a partially assembled packet table to locate an associated partially assembled packet data structure, inserting the network packet into the associated partially assembled packet data structure, recognizing that the partially assembled packet data structure contains every segment produced from an original TCP packet, assembling a fully assembled TCP packet from the data in the partially assembled packet data structure, and transmitting the fully assembled TCP packet to a processor in the same computer system as the CLD.

Abstract: A method of routing internal network traffic within a computing system, comprises receiving a network packet at a configurable logic device (CLD), parsing the network packet to obtain a source address and a destination address, searching a predetermined range of a routing table wherein each row of the routing table specifies a range of possible destination addresses and a thread group identifier, identifying a matching row of the routing table wherein the destination address falls within the range of possible destination addresses of the matching row, calculating a hash value based at least in part on the source and destination addresses, and determining a thread identifier based at least in part on the hash value and the thread group identifier.

Abstract: A heat management system may include a generally planar printed circuit board extending in a first plane, heat-generating electrical components mounted on a first side of the PCB, and an air baffle coupled to the PCB and configured to direct air flow across some of the components. The air baffle may include a generally planar air baffle body extending in a second plane parallel to and offset from the first plane of the PCB such that at least one of the components is located in an area between the air baffle body and the PCB, an opening in the generally planar body, and a generally planar wing coupled to the air baffle body at a first side of the opening and extending toward the PCB at an askew angle relative to the first plane of the air baffle body, the wing being configured to facilitate air flow through the opening.

Abstract: A method of initializing programmable devices on a shared bus, comprises, on power up, loading control instructions on a processor from an attached tangible, non-transient computer-readable medium, automatically allowing a first programmable device on a common bus to exit its reset state and enter a read-to-program state as the computer system powers up, automatically holding a second programmable device on the common bus in its reset state, querying the common bus by the processor to identify the first programmable device, copying the contents of a program image file by the processor from the computer-readable medium across the common bus to the first programmable device, and once the first programmable device has been programmed with the contents of the program image file, signaling the first programmable device to release the reset hold on the second programmable device.

Abstract: A network processor is enabled to retrieve a packet transmission data structure (PTD) from a memory. The NP parses packet data from the PTD and transmits the data over the network as a network packet. The PTD may include repetition information used by the NP to transmit a plurality of packets. The PTD use transmission interval information to control transmission timing of consecutive network packets. The PTD may include modification information used to modify the data packet portion. The modification may include incrementing, decrementing, or storing a random number into any portion of the data packet. The PTD may include flow control information to determine the next PTD to process. The flow control information may include criteria including acknowledgement criteria and time delay criteria. The packet data portion preferably includes all formatting information applicable to the network.