Abstract: Techniques for authenticating clients of differing capabilities in an efficient manner. Two or more authentication techniques, including one preferred authentication technique, are initiated to run in parallel to authenticate a client. Upon determining that the client can support the preferred authentication technique, the preferred technique is used to authenticate the client and the other authentication techniques are aborted. If it is determined that the client cannot support the preferred authentication technique, then one of the other authentication techniques is used to authenticate the client. In this manner, based upon the capabilities of the client, an appropriate authentication technique is used to authenticate the client in an efficient manner.

Abstract: A system and method which enables a provider network to run a loop detection protocol in a customer network communicably coupled to it. The provider network runs a loop detection protocol and the customer network either runs a different protocol or none. The provider network determines its root bridge, or designated customer bridge, which is used to control loop detection decisions for the customer network. A BPDU or other protocol packet received from the customer network is tunneled through the provider network to the designated customer bridge. The designated customer network then processes the received BPDU in accordance with a loop detection instance for the customer network. The designated customer bridge then produces control messages in response to the processing and forwards those messages to the customer network. The control messages may include port state controls for ports in the customer network.

Abstract: A method and apparatus aggregate a plurality of input data streams from first processors into one data stream for a second processor, the circuit and the first and second processors being provided on an electronic circuit substrate. The aggregation circuit includes (a) a plurality of ingress data ports, each ingress data port adapted to receive an input data stream from a corresponding first processor, each input data stream formed of ingress data packets, each ingress data packet including priority factors coded therein, (b) an aggregation module coupled to the ingress data ports, adapted to analyze and combine the plurality of input data steams into one aggregated data stream in response to the priority factors, (c) a memory coupled to the aggregation module, adapted to store analyzed data packets, and (d) an output data port coupled to the aggregation module, adapted to output the aggregated data stream to the second processor.