Abstract: A switch interface board may include a first serializer/deserializer to communicate with a first group of packet processing components of a first chassis via a first port. The first chassis may house the switch interface board and the first group of packet processing components. The switch interface board may include a second serializer/deserializer to communicate with a second switch interface board of the first chassis via a second port. The second switch interface board may be connected to a second group of packet processing components of the first chassis. The second group of packet processing components may be different from the first group of packet processing components. The switch interface board may include a third port to communicate with a third switch interface board of a second chassis or a switching device of a cross-connect chassis.

Abstract: In one embodiment, an apparatus includes a memory, a communications interface and a processor. The processor is operatively coupled to the memory and the communications interface. The processor is configured to receive, at a first time, a label identifier associated with an aggregated link within the communications network via the communications interface. The aggregated link including a plurality of redundant links. The processor is configured to receive, at a second time after the first time, a data packet including the label identifier via the communications interface. The processor is configured to send at least a portion of the data packet via a first link separate from the aggregated link based on the label identifier. The processor is configured to not send the data packet via a link from the plurality of redundant links of the aggregated link based on the label identifier.

Abstract: An article may include an optical transceiver package, which may include a photonics component mounted in the optical transceiver package. The photonics component may generate heat in an operational state. The optical transceiver package may include a sealed thermal chamber that maintains the photonics component between a lower predetermined working temperature and a higher predetermined working temperature. The sealed thermal chamber may include a material that exhibits a first thermal conductivity below a lower predetermined threshold temperature and a second thermal conductivity higher than the first thermal conductivity above an upper predetermined threshold temperature. A method may include retaining the generated heat to raise the photonics component above a lower predetermined working temperature, and conducting the generated heat away from the optical transceiver package to lower the photonics component below an upper predetermined working temperature.

Abstract: Techniques are described for avoiding traffic loss in a network when a designated router (DR) for a L2 broadcast communication domain loses its route toward a multicast traffic source. The disclosed techniques may be utilized in a scenario where a receiver is multi-homed to a DR network device and a non-DR network device by a L2 broadcast communication domain. Both the DR and the non-DR network devices receive a request from the receiver identifying a multicast group in which the receiver is interested. The non-DR network device monitors traffic injected into the L2 broadcast communication domain by the DR in order to determine whether the DR has lost the route to the source of the multicast group. If the DR has lost the route, the non-DR network device performs a repair by sending the multicast data traffic for the multicast group to the receiver on the L2 broadcast communication domain.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods described herein relate to an apparatus including a set of ports and a processor operatively coupled to each port of the set of ports. A port from the set of ports can be associated with a port of a multi-chassis aggregate (MCAE) interface and a virtual local area network (VLAN). The processor can generate an untagged data unit and tagged data units. The processor can send the untagged data unit and the tagged data units via the port from the set of ports, and can receive a tagged data unit included in the tagged data units, and/or the untagged data unit. The processor can also forward the received data unit to a destination network peer when the received tagged data unit is associated with the VLAN, and can disable the port of the MCAE interface in response to the port from the set of ports receiving the data unit, when the received data unit is associated with the VLAN.

Abstract: Described are various configurations of integrated wavelength lockers including asymmetric Mach-Zehnder interferometers (AMZIs) and associated detectors. Various embodiments provide improved wavelength-locking accuracy by using an active tuning element in the AMZI to achieve an operational position with high locking sensitivity, a coherent receiver to reduce the frequency-dependence of the locking sensitivity, and/or a temperature sensor and/or strain gauge to computationally correct for the effect of temperature or strain changes.

Abstract: A system may comprise a first device and a second device associated with a Clos architecture. The first device may include a first crossbar that comprises a first component, a second component, and a third component. The second device may include a second crossbar that comprises a fourth component, a fifth component, and a sixth component. The first component may connect to the second component and the fifth component. The second component may connect to the first component, the third component, the fourth component, and the sixth component. The third component may connect to the second component and the fifth component. The fourth component may connect to the second component and the fifth component. The fifth component may connect to the first component, the third component, the fourth component, and the sixth component. The sixth component may connect to the second component and the fifth component.

Abstract: In some embodiments, an apparatus comprises an optical transponder which includes a processor, an electrical interface and an optical interface. The processor is operatively coupled to the electrical interface and the optical interface. The optical interface is configured to be operatively coupled to a plurality of optical links and the electrical interface is configured to be operatively coupled to a router such that the optical transponder is configured to be operatively coupled between the plurality of optical links and the router. The processor is configured to perform pre-forward error correction (FEC) bit error rate (BER) detection to identify a degradation of an optical link from the plurality of optical links. The processor is configured to make modifications to packets designated to be transmitted via the optical link in response to the degradation being identified such that the router is notified of the degradation of the optical link.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a first reconfigurable optical add/drop multiplexer (ROADM) to receive a first optical signal and a second ROADM to receive a second optical signal. The apparatus also includes a reconfigurable optical switch that includes a first switch, switchable between a first state and a second state, to transmit the first optical signal at the first state and block the first optical signal at the second state. The reconfigurable optical switch also includes a second switch, switchable between the first state and the second state, to transmit the second optical signal at the first state and block the second optical signal at the second state. The reconfigurable optical switch also includes an output port to transmit an output signal that is a sum of possible optical signals transmitted through the first switch and the second switch.

Abstract: In some embodiments, an apparatus comprises an optical transponder which includes a processor, an electrical interface and an optical interface. The processor is operatively coupled to the electrical interface and the optical interface. The optical interface is configured to be operatively coupled to a plurality of optical links and the electrical interface is configured to be operatively coupled to a router such that the optical transponder is configured to be operatively coupled between the plurality of optical links and the router. The processor is configured to perform pre-forward error correction (FEC) bit error rate (BER) detection to identify a degradation of an optical link from the plurality of optical links. The processor is configured to make modifications to packets designated to be transmitted via the optical link in response to the degradation being identified such that the router is notified of the degradation of the optical link.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a first input port, a first switch, and a second switch. The first switch and the second input port are in optical communication with the first input port. The apparatus also includes a second input port, a third switch, and a fourth switch. The third switch and the fourth switch are in optical communication with the second input port. Each switch is switchable between a first state to pass optical signals and a second state to block optical signals. The apparatus also includes a first combiner in optical communication with the first input port via the first switch and the second input port via the third switch. The apparatus also includes a second combiner in optical communication with the first input port via the second switch and the second input port via the fourth switch.

Abstract: A network device may receive network traffic for an application. The network device may identify an application layer protocol being used for the network traffic. The network device may obtain contextual information, from the network traffic, to obtain an item of contextual information, and the item of contextual information may be selected based on the application layer protocol. The network device may determine that the item of contextual information matches a stored item of contextual information. The network device may determine that a threshold has been met with regard to the stored item of contextual information. The network device may generate an application signature for the application based on the item of contextual information. The network device may send the application signature to another device to permit the other device to identify the application based on the application signature.

Abstract: In some examples, a device includes at least two integrated circuits (ICs) and a first multi-chip module (MCM) substrate coupled to the at least two ICs, the first MCM substrate comprising a first ball grid array (BGA), wherein the first BGA comprises a first pitch indicative of a distance between balls of the first BGA. The device further includes a second MCM substrate coupled to the first MCM substrate with the first BGA, the second MCM substrate comprising a second BGA, wherein the second BGA comprises a second pitch indicative of a distance between balls of the second BGA, and wherein the second pitch is greater than the first pitch. The device further includes a printed circuit board (PCB) coupled to the second MCM substrate with the second BGA, wherein the first MCM substrate and the second MCM substrate comprise organic, non-silicon insulating material.

Abstract: A first network device may activate the first network device as being associated with a Virtual Router Redundancy Protocol (VRRP) group. The first network device may receive, from a second network device, a duplicate address detection message. The first network device may compare a data link layer address associated with the duplicate address detection message and a Virtual Media Access Control (VMAC) address of the VRRP group. The first network device may disregard the duplicate address detection message after comparing the data link layer address and the VMAC address of the VRRP group.

Abstract: A first device may receive first route information, from a second device, identifying a first route to the second device for a packet to be provided toward a destination via the second device. The first device may generate second route information identifying a second route to the first device for the packet. The first device may provide the second route information to a third device. The packet is to be received by the first device. The first device may receive the packet from the third device via the second route after providing the second route information to the third device. The packet is to be provided to the second device by the first device. The first device may perform a service on the packet based on being identified by the second route information as a next hop for the packet and prior to providing the packet to the second device.

Abstract: A system and method for handling critical events in service gateways. Configuration information is received in a service gateway, the configuration information defining a redundancy set having a master redundancy state and a standby redundancy state, the configuration information including one or more redundancy policies associated with the redundancy set, a service redundancy policy defining changes to be made in a service when a transition occurs in the state of the redundancy set. The service gateway receives further configuration information defining events that cause a transition between the master and standby redundancy states in the redundancy set. In response to detecting a redundancy event in the service gateway, the service gateway transitions the redundancy set, within the service gateway, from the master redundancy state to the standby redundancy state, modifies a first signal-route state associated with the redundancy set and modifies the service based on the service redundancy policy.

Abstract: The disclosed apparatus may include (1) a storage device that stores a set of cookies that facilitate authenticating packets received from a node within a network and (2) a processing unit communicatively coupled to the storage device, wherein the processing unit (A) receives at least one packet from the node, (B) identifies a cookie included in the packet received from the node, (C) searches the set of cookies stored in the storage device for the cookie included in the packet received from the node, (D) identifies, during the search of the set of cookies, the cookie included in the packet and (E) protects against a DoS attack by authenticating the legitimacy of the packet based at least in part on the cookie included in the packet being identified in the set of cookies stored in the storage device. Various other apparatuses, systems, and methods are also disclosed.

Abstract: A device may configure a dynamic set of bypass label-switched paths (LSPs), to protect one or more protected LSPs, based on configuration information. The dynamic set of bypass LSPs may be initially configured to include zero or more bypass LSPs. The configuration information may indicate a first condition for adding a bypass LSP to the dynamic set of bypass LSPs, and a second condition for removing a bypass LSP from the dynamic set of bypass LSPs. The device may determine that a network traffic condition, associated with the dynamic set of bypass LSPs, is satisfied. The device may modify the dynamic set of bypass LSPs to add, remove, or reconfigure one or more bypass LSPs based on determining that the network traffic condition is satisfied.

Abstract: A device may include one or more processors. The one or more processors may identify a set of network tunnels or network sessions for which a teardown is to be performed. The set of network tunnels or network sessions may be associated with a set of identifiers. The one or more processors may generate a signaling message associated with causing the teardown to be performed on the set of network tunnels or network sessions. The signaling message may include two or more identifiers of the set of identifiers. The one or more processors may transmit the signaling message to cause the teardown to be performed on two or more network tunnels or network sessions, of the set of network tunnels or network sessions, corresponding to the two or more identifiers.

Abstract: A device may receive a packet associated with an application. The device may identify a filter associated with the application. The device may determine that information associated with the packet matches information associated with the filter. The device may compare a count, associated with the filter, and an expediting threshold associated with expediting processing of the packet based on determining that the information associated with the packet matches the information associated with the filter. The device may selectively expedite processing of the packet based on comparing the count and the expediting threshold.