Abstract: A first party, such as a residential subscriber to an Internet Service Provider (ISP), logically partitions its computing resources into an end user partition and a crowd sourced cloud partition. The first party installs a crowd sourced cloud application in each cloud partition. Together, a cloud provider computing system and each cloud application orchestrate cloud services over a communications network, such as the Internet. For each crowd sourced cloud application, orchestration involves registering cloud services with the cloud provider, provisioning each registered cloud service that is requested by the cloud provider, and operating each provisioned service. For the cloud provider, orchestration involves publishing each registered service as available to crowd sourced cloud users, receiving requests for cloud services from a crowd sourced cloud user, and requesting, from a crowd sourced cloud application, a registered service responsive to the request for cloud services.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for constructing video image frames including transparency information. Certain embodiments provide for accessing a first frame of digital data associated with a pixel of an image representation, the frame comprising a set of transparency data bits, a set of red data bits, a set of green data bits, and a set of blue data bits. A second frame is constructed comprising a single transparency data bit, a reduced set of red data bits, the set of green data bits; and the set of blue data bits, wherein the second frame is provided to a destination device.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a physical device (e.g., packet switching device, computer, server) is booted using custom-created frozen partially-booted virtual machines, avoiding the time required for an end-to-end boot process. In one embodiment while the system is operating under a current version, a partially-booted virtual image of a new operating version for each of multiple processing elements of the device is produced according to static configuration information specific to the device, with each of these partially-booted virtual machines frozen. The device is rebooted to a fully operational device by unfreezing these partially-booted virtual machines, thus removing this portion of a boot process from the real-time booting of the device. The generation of the frozen partially-booted virtual machines is advantageously performed by the device itself based on current static configuration information and the availability of the specific hardware configuration of the device.

Abstract: In one implementation, an endpoint or client device sends a control message into a network to control how a subsequent flow from the endpoint is handled by one or more nodes in the network. A node in the network receives the control message including an encapsulated command and a counter value and modifies the counter value. The node compares the modified counter value to a predetermined limit. When the modified counter value is equal to the predetermined limit, the control message is designated for execution of the encapsulated command. When the modified counter value exceeds the predetermined limit, the control message is forwarded to a subsequent node.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a service function classifier device determines a classification of a packet using one or more packet classification rules. The device selects a service function path based on the classification of the packet. The device determines one or more traffic flow characteristics based on the classification of the packet. The device generates a service function chaining (SFC) header that identifies the selected service function path and the determined one or more traffic flow characteristics. The SFC header is configured to cause a device along the service function path to forward the encapsulated packet based on the identified service function path and the determined one or more traffic flow characteristics. The device sends the packet along the selected service function path as an encapsulated packet that includes the generated SFC header.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a device in a network determines a first channel hopping schedule for the device to receive unicast communications from one or more neighbors of the device. The first channel hopping schedule differs from channel hopping schedules used by the one or more neighbors to receive unicast communications. The device determines a second channel hopping schedule for the device that includes a common channel that is common to the device and the one or more neighbors at any given point in time, wherein the second channel hopping schedule is self-generated by each of the device and the one or more neighbors. The device switches from the first channel hopping schedule to the second channel hopping schedule, in response to a network event. The device causes a particular neighbor to join the network using the second channel hopping schedule.

Abstract: Techniques are described for fulfilling a request for services in a federated peering environment. Embodiments receive an advertisement of offered services from each of a plurality of service providers. Such an advertisement may specify a list of offered services and pricing information for the services. A request for one or more services is received from a client at a first service provider. Embodiments determine a second service provider from the plurality of service providers to peer with to dynamically create a federation of peers for fulfilling the service request, based on the received advertisements of offered services and the requested services. Embodiments then peer with at least the determined second service provider to dynamically create a peered federation and fulfill the service request through the created federation of peers.

Abstract: Previously available network monitoring and management systems fail to provide adequate transmit power control in WiFi networks having multiple neighboring wireless access points. By contrast, various implementations disclosed herein include systems, methods and apparatuses that generate an interference map based at least on co-channel interference reported in a number of neighbor lists, wherein each of the neighbor lists is associated with a respective one of a plurality of compliant wireless access points included in one of a local area network (LAN) and a portion of a virtual LAN (VLAN); and determine a respective transmit power adjustment for each of the plurality of compliant wireless access points included in the interference map based on at least one interference criterion characterizing the interference on each of the plurality of compliant wireless access points included in the interference map and respective neighboring wireless access points.

Abstract: A network apparatus for providing native load balancing within a switch, including: a first network interface operable to communicatively couple to a first network; a plurality of second network interfaces operable to communicatively couple to a second network; one or more logic elements providing a switching engine operable for providing network switching or routing; and one or more logic elements providing a load balancing engine operable for: load balancing network traffic among a plurality of service nodes; probing a first service node; determining that the first service node is unavailable; and reassigning the buckets associated with the first service node to a next available service node.

Abstract: A location services system used with a wireless LAN network provides wireless LAN Internet access in a venue, and also provides location-based analytics and services. The system monitors the locations of individuals using devices that communicate with a network, and maintain statistics for analytical purposes, and can provide services, such as special promotions and discounts. The system can determine whether a single person is carrying multiple devices, e.g., a user carrying a cellphone (including a smartphone) and a tablet or a laptop; and can also determine whether multiple people are within the venue as a temporary logical group, such as a family or group of friends. These capabilities allow the system to adjust how it communicates with users, and also allows it to adjust the analytics.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a video frame is received from an external source, one or more users are extracted from the video frame, and user attendee data is generated based on the one or more extracted users and stored in a database. The user attendee data and video frame are transmitted to the client device and a communication session of the client device is updated based on the video frame and attendee data.

Abstract: A network forwarder can use a Manifest to allocate resources in a content centric network (CCN). Specifically, the forwarder can include a Manifest table which stores a Manifest state for a set of pending Manifests. Each Manifest can include a name associated with a data collection, and includes a list of references to Content Objects that make up the data collection. When the forwarder receives a Manifest for a data collection, the forwarder creates an entry for the Manifest in the Manifest table, and allocates one or more resources for processing the Manifest. When the forwarder receives an Interest, the forwarder performs a lookup in the Manifest table based on the Interest's name to determine whether the Interest is associated with a pending Manifest. If the Interest matches a Manifest state stored in the Manifest table, the forwarder processes the Interest and the Manifest based on the Manifest state.

Abstract: The disclosed embodiments support mobility internal and external to enterprise networks. Service providers provide mobility by providing Home Agent functionality corresponding to each Enterprise network. In this manner, mobility may be provided to Mobile Nodes both internal and external to their enterprise networks. Moreover, data packets may be transmitted by Mobile Nodes to Correspondent Nodes, whether they are within their enterprise network, the Service Provider network, or the Internet.

Abstract: A computer system can send a secure request over a named-data network to a remote device by generating an Interest with encrypted name components. During operation, the computer system can receive or obtain a request for data, such as from a local user or from a local application. If the system cannot satisfy the request locally, the system can determine at least a routable prefix and a name suffix associated with the request. The system can generate the secure Interest for the request by determining an encryption key that corresponds to a session with the remote computer system, and encrypts the name suffix using the session encryption key. The system then generates an Interest whose name includes the routable prefix and the encrypted name suffix, and disseminates the Interest over a named-data network to send the request to the remote computer system.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a set of extensions to enable BGP to setup and maintain flexible Segment Routed Traffic Engineered (SR-TE) policies. Embodiments of the present disclosure further propose a new approach for steering traffic onto SR-TE paths on a per-prefix basis without deploying the existing complex mechanisms.

Abstract: One embodiment provides a system that facilitates forwarding a mix of IP and CCN packets. During operation, the system determines a name which is a hierarchically structured variable length identifier comprising contiguous name components ordered from a most general level to a most specific level. The system is capable of processing packets based on a destination address. The system performs a hash of each name component. The system creates an entry in a first data structure for each hashed name component, wherein a respective entry indicates an index and a length of the index. The system maps, in a forwarding information base, a first key to one or more outgoing interfaces, wherein the first key is a concatenation of the indexes indicated in the created entries, thereby facilitating the system to process packets based on the packet name or on the destination address.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method comprises obtaining, by a first network element comprising processing logic, notification of a plurality of events associated with a plurality of communication sessions, wherein the events include at least one of a mid-session event or an end-session event, wherein the plurality of events are communicated to a routing agent using a first communication protocol by a plurality of second network elements; receiving, by the first network element, a request via a second communication protocol for a first communication session to be established for a client computing device; selecting, by the first network element, one or more network elements from the second network elements for the communication session based on the at least one of a mid-session or an end-session event; and communicating, by the first network element, identification information of the one or more network elements selected for use in the first communication session.

Abstract: A method is provided in one example embodiment and may include negotiating power domain interference coordination (PDIC) parameters between a macro cell radio and at least one small cell radio; determining successive interference cancellation (SIC) parameters for each of one or more user equipment (UE) that are to perform SIC for one or more transmissions; and sending the SIC parameters to each of the one or more user equipment. Negotiating PDIC parameters can include determining, by the macro cell radio and at least one small cell radio, one or more physical resource blocks (PRBs) for which transmission power levels can be coordinated for a plurality of frequencies in a frequency domain and a plurality of subframes in a time domain and exchanging PDIC parameters between the cell radios in order to perform PDIC transmissions for UE served by the cell radios.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes receiving content in a first format at a first interface at an adaptive bit rate client, playing the content received at the first interface at the adaptive bit rate client, monitoring network conditions at the first interface, receiving the content in a second format at a second interface at the adaptive bit rate client, and upon identifying a change in the network conditions at the first interface, switching from playing the content received on the first interface to playing the content received at the second interface at the adaptive bit rate client. An apparatus and logic are also disclosed herein.

Abstract: A system and method for improved location tracking of a target device based on location estimates for multiple types of location technologies/sensor types. A received signal strength location estimate of a target device based on wireless transmissions made by the target device received at a plurality of receiver devices at known locations in a location region. A first search area for the target device is derived based on the received signal strength location estimate. An ultrasound based area in which the target device is estimated to be is derived based on reception by the target device of a particular ultrasound beacon in the location region. An intersection of the first search area and the ultrasound based area is computed to produce a second search area. A location estimate of the target device in the second search area is computed based at least on the received signal strength location estimate.