Abstract: Techniques are disclosed that allow an optical transceiver module to be secured to a surface. In one example, an optical transceiver assembly includes an optical transceiver module, and a compressible support clip configured to engage the optical transceiver module, the support clip configured to receive at least a portion of a surface defining an aperture in order to at least partially support the optical transceiver module within the aperture.

Abstract: In general, techniques are described for applying adaptive thresholds to multicast streams within computer networks. For example, an access node may implement the techniques to facilitate efficient delivery of multicast streams. The access node comprises an interface that couples to a subscriber network having a subscriber device. The access node also includes a control unit that determines a multicast stream count reflecting current delivery of multicast streams to the subscriber network and a threshold value based on historical multicast stream counts delivered to the subscriber. The interface receives a message requesting to join a multicast group in accordance with a multicast management protocol. In response to this message, the control unit determines a projected stream count based on the above current multicast count. The control unit then compares the projected stream count to the threshold value, and admits the subscriber device to the multicast group based on the comparison.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed that may allow a network device comprising multiple line cards that are each executing a spanning tree algorithm to appear as a single spanning tree protocol entity to other network devices within a bridged local area network (LAN). In one example, a method includes determining, via a first processor on a first card of a network device, a first superior local port on the first card, transmitting, from the first card to a second card of the network device, a data unit specifying the determined first superior local port, and determining, via a second processor on the second card, a superior port on the network device among the first superior local port and a second plurality of ports on the second card based on a second plurality of BPDUs received via the second plurality of ports.

Abstract: In general, techniques are described for inline packet replication in network devices. A network device referred to as an optical line terminal (OLT) may implement the techniques. The OLT comprises a customer interface that supports different logical interfaces to which couple a plurality of optical network terminals (ONTs) and a network interface that receives a data unit. The OLT further comprises a conversion unit, such as a media access control (MAC) module, located in a data path of the optical line terminal that determines whether the received data unit is a candidate for replication. The conversion unit includes an inline packet processing module that performs replication to generate at least one copy of the data unit based on the determination that the received packet is a candidate for packet replication. The customer interface outputs the at least one copy of the data unit to the ONTs.

Abstract: In general, techniques are described for implementing a virtual snooping bridge in computer networks. The techniques may be implemented by a ring network comprised of a plurality of ring network devices arranged in a ring topology. In one aspect, a ring network device coupled to an adjacent device that provides access to multicast content implements the techniques. This ring network device comprises one or more ports and a control unit. The ports receive ring messages from one or more of the other ring network devices in accordance with a group management ring protocol (GMRP). The ring messages indicate operations requested by one or more host devices with respect to delivery of content of the multicast group. The control unit then presents the received operations to the adjacent network device such that, from the perspective of the adjacent network device, the ring network appears as a single layer two network device.

Abstract: Methods, apparatuses, and systems for managing a network with a non-system class loader via remote method invocation are described. A method includes transferring the Java remote method invocation (RMI) call to a network element in order to obtain a version of the management software associated with the network element. The method further includes determining if a requested class to be loaded by a class loader based on the RMI call belongs to a system namespace or a non-system namespace. The method further includes obtaining a byte code associated with the requested class from a class hash with a class name key if the requested class belongs to the non-system namespace. The method further includes loading the requested class and associated byte code to a Java virtual machine with a non-system class loader if the requested class belongs to the non-system namespace.

Abstract: In general, techniques are described for efficient management of ring networks with a system of two network devices. The first network device of the ring network is designated as an adjacent selective forwarding (ASF) device, and the second network device is designated as a master device. The master device monitors the ring network to determine whether a fault has occurred in the ring network and transmits via a secondary port of the master device a network status message to the ASF device based on the determination of whether the fault has occurred. The ASF device determines a status of the ring network based on the network status message and selectively forwards data traffic to the master network device based on the determination of the status. As a result, the master device more efficiently utilizes network resources by not consuming processor or memory resources to prevent traffic loops.

Abstract: The disclosure describes communication of information between a network interface device and subscriber devices over a power line. A UPS unit receives operating power from subscriber premises via a first power line and delivers operating power to the network interface device via a second power line. The network interface device transmits and receives information, such as voice, video and data, to and from the UPS unit via the second power line. The UPS unit receives the information transmitted by the network interface device via the second power line, and transmits the received information to subscriber devices within the premises via the first power line. The UPS unit receives information transmitted by subscriber devices via the first power line, and transmits the received information to the network interface device via the second power line. The first and second power lines each serve as both a power line and a communication medium.

Abstract: Techniques for reestablishing network address associations upon recovery of a passive optical network (PON) disablement rely on storage address association information. A network node stores address association information in non-volatile memory upon detecting a network disablement. Upon recovery of the PON from the disablement, the network node associates network addresses to clients in accordance with the address association information. The network node may further verify the associations by sending ARP queries for the network addresses to the associated clients. Alternatively, the network nodes may reestablish the address associations by tracking the length of time of the network disablement, and updating address association information in accordance with the length of the disablement.

Abstract: The disclosure presents techniques for merging multiple data flows in a network such as a Passive Optical Network (PON). The PON comprises an interface module and network nodes connected to the interface module via an optical fiber link. Each network node further serves client devices. The client devices request multiple data flows, requiring the interface module to serve multiple data flows to a network node for delivery to the devices. The interface module merges received data flows to permit multiple flows to be processed by a single segmentation and reassembly (SAR) engine, reducing hardware cost and complexity within the node. However, subunits associated with different data flows within a merged data flow are not interleaved with one another. Instead, the subunits associated with an original unit of information are transmitted contiguously within the merged data flow, facilitating identification and reassembly of the subunits for a particular microflow.

Abstract: Techniques are described for managing traffic flow to an optical network terminal (ONT) on a passive optical network (PON) to prevent an individual ONT from being overrun. Specifically, the techniques involve reducing a transmission rate of a unique traffic flow and selectively denying access to a common traffic flow. By reducing the transmission rate of the unique traffic flow, sufficient bandwidth may be released to receive the unique traffic flow and the common traffic flow without overflowing the ONT. For example, the ONT or, alternatively, the OLT may send the requested common traffic flow without reducing the transmission rate of the unique traffic flow when sufficient bandwidth is available, send the common traffic flow but reduce the transmission rate of unique traffic flow by an appropriate amount, or deny access to the common traffic flow altogether without reducing the transmission rate of the unique traffic flow.

Abstract: The disclosure presents techniques for merging multiple data flows in a network such as a Passive Optical Network (PON). The PON comprises an interface module and network nodes connected to the interface module via an optical fiber link. Each network node further serves client devices. The client devices request multiple data flows, requiring the interface module to serve multiple data flows to a network node for delivery to the devices. The interface module merges received data flows to permit multiple flows to be processed by a single segmentation and reassembly (SAR) engine, reducing hardware cost and complexity within the node. However, subunits associated with different data flows within a merged data flow are not interleaved with one another. Instead, the subunits associated with an original unit of information are transmitted contiguously within the merged data flow, facilitating identification and reassembly of the subunits for a particular microflow.

Abstract: This disclosure is directed to devices and methods for facilitating the upgrade of optical networks. An optical network terminal (ONT) that terminates an optical fiber link of an optical network comprises two or more transport engines that each converts data transmitted via different transports to data corresponding to a service. For example, the ONT may include a first transport engine and a second transport engine. The first transport engine converts data received over the optical network via a first transport, e.g., a legacy transport, into data corresponding to a service for one or more subscriber devices. The second transport engine converts the data received over the optical network via a second transport, e.g., a next generation transport, into the data corresponding to the service for the subscriber devices. The ONT is selectively configurable to select one of the first and second transport engines, thereby making the ONT upgrade-resilient.

Abstract: A system comprises an optical network terminal (ONT) that provides an interface to a passive optical network (PON). The ONT is coupled to a subscriber gateway device via at least one cable. The ONT may be located outside a subscriber premises while the subscriber gateway device may be located within the subscriber premises. The ONT converts optical signals received from PON to electrical signals and transmits the electrical signals to the subscriber gateway device without performing any MAC layer functions. The subscriber gateway device includes an optical media access control (MAC) unit that converts the electrical signals into MAC layer signals and a gateway unit that distributes the MAC layer signals to one or more subscriber devices. In this manner the MAC and gateway layer functions are relocated from the ONT to the subscriber gateway device.