Abstract: In general, techniques are described for managing content request referrals by keying content requests to a composite key data structure that maps end-user address prefixes and content identifiers to content delivery network servers of downstream CDNs. In one example, a CDN exchange includes a communication module to receive first network prefixes and first content identifiers from a first secondary content delivery network and to receive second network prefixes and second content identifiers from a second secondary content delivery network. A request router of the CDN exchange redirects the content request to the first secondary content delivery network or to the second secondary content delivery network according to a network address of the end user device and a content identifier for the content request.

Abstract: An example network access device (NAD) includes a network interface to send and receive packets with an authentication, authorization, and accounting (AAA) server, and a subscriber management service unit (SMSU). The SMSU is configured to, responsive to determining that the AAA server is not reachable by the NAD, send a message from the NAD to the AAA server using the network interface, wherein the message directs the AAA server to send a discovery request message to the NAD, receive the discovery request message from the AAA server using the network interface, wherein the discovery request message includes a request for information about a plurality of subscriber sessions, and generate a discovery response message that includes information about at least a portion of the plurality of subscriber sessions, and send the discovery response message to the network access device using the network interface.

Abstract: In some embodiments, an apparatus includes a first core device configured to be disposed within a network. The network has a set of access nodes and a second core device. The first core device is configured to receive a signal designating the first core device as a master device for a virtual group identifier such that the second core device is designated as a back-up device for that virtual group identifier.

Abstract: In one example, a method includes establishing a plurality of label switched paths (LSPs) having a common transit network device other than an ingress network device or an egress network device of any of the plurality of LSPs, and, by the transit network device along the plurality of LSPs, detecting a congestion condition on a link along the plurality of LSPs and coupled to the transit network device. The method also includes, responsive to detecting the congestion condition, and by the transit network device, selecting a subset of the plurality of LSPs to evict from the link, wherein the subset comprises less than all of the plurality of LSPs, and updating a forwarding plane of the transit network device to reroute network traffic received for the selected subset of the plurality of the LSPs for forwarding to a next hop on a bypass LSP that avoids the link.

Abstract: Label Distribution Protocol (LDP) extensions are described that enable distribution of neighbor-label mappings for directly connected neighbor routers. A router capable of supporting the LDP extensions distributes neighbor-labels to be used by the router to label switch traffic destined for the directly connected neighbor router irrespective of a hop-by-hop Interior Gateway Protocol (IGP) path determined based on link metrics. In some examples, the neighbor-labels may increase backup coverage, e.g., link protection and/or node protection, in a network that, due to link metrics, does not have a viable loop-free alternate (LFA) path between an ingress router and an egress router of a label switched path (LSP). In other examples, the neighbor-labels may improve load balancing by enabling an ingress router in a first autonomous system (AS) to select a particular remote link on which to send traffic destined for remote routers in a second AS.

Abstract: An apparatus includes an access switch having a set of ports and configured to be operatively coupled to a multicast router via a first port from the set of ports. The access switch is configured to be associated with a network associated with the multicast router, and designate the first port as a multicast-router interface during a time period. The access switch is configured to send a message to the multicast router via each port from the set of ports in response to an indication of a change in a topology of the network after the time period. The access switch is configured to designate a second port from the set of ports as the multicast-router interface and dedesignate the first port as the multicast-router interface in response to receiving, via the second port and in response to the message, a signal from the multicast router.

Abstract: Techniques are described for initializing a plurality of network devices with similar network configurations, such as a common management device, platform, operating system, and network hostname. In one example, a management device comprises a computer-readable medium encoded with instructions for a configlet generator module and a device manager module and a processor to execute modules stored in the computer-readable medium of the management device. The processor executes the configlet generator module to generate a bulk configlet for a plurality of network devices, wherein the bulk configlet comprises a bulk identifier. The processor also executes the device manager module to receive a network session request from one of the plurality of network devices, wherein the network session request includes the bulk identifier, and to send specific configuration data to the one of the plurality of network devices in response to the network session request.

Abstract: In general, techniques are described for offloading data transfer statistics from a mobile access gateway. The mobile access gateway comprises a forwarding unit. The forwarding unit comprises a packet forwarding engine (PFE). When the PFE receives a packet, the PFE updates a data transfer statistic based on a quantity of data in the packet. The data transfer statistic is initially stored in a memory of the PFE. The PFE is configured to push the data transfer statistic from the memory of the PFE to a memory of the forwarding unit.

Abstract: In one example, a network device includes one or more network interfaces configured to receive a message according to a protocol for reserving a public Internet protocol (IP) address and port for a network connection and to receive one or more packets of a packet flow associated with the public IP address and the port for the network connection, and one or more processors comprising a primary service device, wherein the processors are configured to determine whether the message includes an indication that the network connection is to be checkpointed for high availability, and wherein the primary service device is configured to, based on the indication, checkpoint data of at least one of the received packets to a backup service device. Accordingly, a message of a protocol for reserving a public network address and port may be used to indicate whether a network connection should be checkpointed for high availability.

Abstract: Fan trays and components thereof are described herein. In some embodiments, a removable, compact fan tray is configured to be disposed within a slot of a chassis. The fan tray can be latchably coupled to the chassis, and/or can include a light source, such as an LED operable to depict the status of the fan tray. Leads of the light source can be disposed within an sleeve operable to contain and/or insulate the leads. The fan tray can, in some embodiments, be configured to be keyed to a particular type of chassis slot, for example, a slot associated with an air flow direction.

Abstract: A label switched path (LSP) is established within a network using an MPLS fast reroute bypass tunnel when a resource along a primary path of the LSP has failed but is protected by the MPLS fast reroute bypass tunnel. While establishing the LSP, a network device identifies a failed resource along a primary path of the LSP. In response to identifying the failed resource, the network device determines whether a bypass tunnel exists from the network device to a node along the primary path, wherein the bypass tunnel avoids the failed resource. Upon determining that the bypass tunnel exists, the network device tunnels a message for establishing the LSP to the node over the bypass tunnel.

Abstract: An example network device includes a network interface and a control unit that receives a packet having header information. The control unit includes a forwarding structure having a plurality of entries that each refers to one of a plurality of logical interfaces, a forwarding engine configured to access the forwarding structure to select a first logical interface to which to forward the packet based on the header information, wherein the first logical interface comprises a pseudo-device interface (PDI). The control unit also includes a PDI module that tunnels the packet to an external service complex (ESC) by at least applying a set of metadata to the packet, encapsulating the packet with a header, and forwarding the packet to the ESC via the network interface, and wherein the metadata allows the ESC to determine a set of services to be applied to the packet based on the metadata.

Abstract: Techniques are described for providing traffic-aware sampling rate adjustment within network devices. As inbound packets are received at an interface, a sampling unit of a forwarding circuit of the network device samples the inbound packets at a current sampling rate and directs a subset of the inbound packets to a service card of the network device. A flow controller within the service card of the network device processes the subset of the inbound packets to generate flow records. When changes in the rate at which the inbound packets are received exceed a defined threshold, the flow controller adjusts the current sampling rate at which the forwarding circuit samples the inbound packets received at the interface. Moreover, the flow controller adaptively adjusts the sampling rate such that the flow sampling resources the device are being utilized in accordance with the utilization thresholds.

Abstract: In general, techniques are described for transmitting context information defining contexts for packet labels in a network. More specifically, a network device, e.g., a router, implements the context transmission techniques to facilitate debugging or troubleshooting of the network. The network device may comprise an interface card that receives a Multi-Protocol Label Switching (MPLS) data unit from another network device in accordance with a label switching protocol. The data unit may include a label stack affixed to a payload. The label stack may include one or more MPLS labels and context information associated with at least one of these labels, The interface card may, when forwarding the data unit, parse the data unit to determine the context information and then forward the data unit in accordance with these MPLS labels. A control unit included within the network device may record the forwarding of the data unit and the determined context information.

Abstract: A virtual private network (VPN) device is described that provides a strict anti-replay mechanism for packets in a group VPN. An example first VPN device includes one or more processors, one or more network interfaces configured to receive a packet having an encryption header that includes a group VPN member identifier association with a second VPN device and a sequence number, wherein the first and second VPN devices are members of a group VPN, a data repository configured to store a window of sequence numbers maintained by the first VPN device for the second VPN device, and a VPN session management module operable by the one or more processors to identify the window of sequence numbers based on the group VPN member identifier, determine whether the sequence number of the header is included in the window of sequence numbers, and process the packet based on the determination.

Abstract: In some embodiments, a non-transitory processor-readable medium stores code representing instructions to be executed by a processor that cause the processor to receive a data unit having a header portion. The code causes the processor to select a route based on the header portion and modify, based on the route being associated with a tunnel, the data unit to define a tunnel data unit including a tunnel header. The code causes the processor to select a loopback link from a set of loopback links of a loopback link aggregation group (LAG). The code further causes the processor to receive via the loopback link, the tunnel data unit and send the tunnel data unit via the tunnel based on the tunnel header.

Abstract: In some embodiments, an apparatus includes a coherent optical receiver that can receive during a first time period a set of in-phase signals and a set of quadrature signals having a skew from the set of in-phase signals. The coherent receiver can blindly determine a delay between the set of in-phase signals and the set of quadrature signals based on the set of in-phase signals and the set of quadrature signals. The delay includes an intersymbol portion and an intrasymbol portion. The coherent optical receiver can apply the delay at a second time after the first time period such that a skew after the second time is less than the skew at the first time period.

Abstract: In some embodiments, a network management module is operatively coupled to a set of edge devices that are coupled to a set of peripheral processing devices. The network management module can receive a signal associated with a broadcast protocol from an edge device from the set of edge devices in response to that edge device being operatively coupled to a switch fabric. The network management module can provision that edge device in response to receiving the signal. The network management module can define multiple network control entities at the set of edge devices such that each network control entity from the multiple network control entities can provide forwarding-state information associated with at least one peripheral processing device from the set of peripheral processing devices to at least one remaining network control entity from the multiple network control entities using a selective protocol.

Abstract: In some embodiments, an apparatus includes a network device configured to receive an anomaly database of a first image that stores a set of differences between the first image and a base image. The network device is configured to compare the anomaly database of the first image with an anomaly database of a second image storing a set of differences between the second image and the base image to determine if the first and second images include at least one incompatible critical feature or incompatible non-critical feature. The network device is configured to send a signal associated with a first action if the first and second images include the at least one incompatible critical feature. The network device is configured to send a signal associated with a second action different from the first action if the first and second images include the at least one incompatible non-critical feature.

Abstract: In general, techniques are described that insert one or more bits into a digital bit stream to maintain an overall transition density in the digital bit stream. Maintaining the overall transition density facilitates the generation of a recovered clock by a phase-locked loop (PLL) circuit of a receiver. For example, when a data transition ratio for a portion of the digital bit stream is less than a desired data transition ratio, the techniques insert additional bits to increase the overall transition density of the digital bit stream.