Abstract: A device may receive, by a kernel of the device and from a loadable kernel module of the device, information that instructs the kernel to invoke a callback function associated with the loadable kernel module based on an execution of a hook of the kernel. The device may receive, by the kernel of the device and from an application of the device, a socket application programming interface (API) call. The socket API call may include control information. The device may execute, by the kernel of the device, the hook based on receiving the socket API call. The device may invoke, by the kernel of the device, the callback function associated with the loadable kernel module based on executing the hook to permit a functionality associated with the callback function to be provided. The kernel may provide the control information, associated with the socket API call, to the callback function as an argument.

Abstract: A disclosed method may include (1) identifying an old version of software that is running on a network device, (2) receiving a new version of the software that is to replace the old version of the software during an in-service software upgrade, and then (3) performing the in-service software upgrade on the network device by making a system call that (A) loads the new version of the software onto the network device as the old version of the software continues to run and (B) transfers control of the network device from the old version of the software to the new version of the software by booting the new version of the software without shutting down the network device. Various other systems and methods are also disclosed.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a first edge device configured to receive a data unit destined to a peripheral processing device that is operatively coupled to a network interconnect via a LAG associated with a second edge device and a third edge device. The first edge device is configured to select an edge device set that includes the third edge device and excludes the second edge device, from a group of edge device sets. Each edge device set from the group of edge device sets is directly coupled to the peripheral processing device. The first edge device is configured to send an instance of the data unit to each edge device from the edge device set such that the third edge device sends an instance of the data unit to the peripheral processing device based on a selection method that omits ports on the second edge device as potential selections.

Abstract: The disclosed computer-implemented method may include (1) determining that a user is viewing a user interface of an application, (2) detecting that the user has requested assistance with interacting with a specific portion of content displayed within the user interface, and then (3) assisting the user with interacting with the specific portion of content by (A) identifying, within a repository of software documentation that describes features of the application, information relevant to utilizing the specific portion of content and (B) dynamically integrating the relevant information into the user interface. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.

Abstract: A first maintenance endpoint (MEP) device may identify that a first interface of the first MEP device is associated with a connectivity failure. The first MEP device may provide, to a second MEP device, a first continuity check message (CCM), that includes a MEP identifier of the first MEP device. The first CCM may cause the second MEP device to designate a second interface of the second MEP device as being offline. The first MEP device may receive, from the second MEP device, a second CCM, that includes the MEP identifier of the first MEP device and information indicating that the second interface of the second MEP device is offline. The first MEP device may execute a rule to avoid a deadlock situation based on the second CCM including the MEP identifier of the first MEP device.

Abstract: A device may generate versions of a first executable process that is associated with deterministically defined parameters. The device may run the versions of the first executable process, and may monitor device parameters of the device or the first executable process when running the versions of the first executable process. The device may determine, based on monitoring the device parameters of the device or the first executable process, a variance to a parameter of the deterministically defined parameters relative to an expected value for the parameter, and may provide information indicating a presence of malware in connection with the device based on determining the variance to the parameter.

Abstract: The disclosed method may include (1) identifying, within a virtual network, a primary virtual network device and a backup virtual network device that is to handle traffic directed to the primary virtual network device following a failure of the primary virtual network device, (2) installing, on the primary virtual network device, a first virtual controller that manages the primary virtual network device, (3) installing, on the backup virtual network device, a second virtual controller that manages the backup virtual network device, (4) directing, by the first virtual controller, the second virtual controller to replicate a state of the primary virtual network device, (5) detecting the failure of the primary virtual network device, and then in response to detecting the failure of the primary virtual network device, (6) directing, by the first virtual controller, the second virtual controller to facilitate handling the traffic directed to the primary virtual network device.

Abstract: A first network device detects a link down event associated with a second network device, where the link down event is detected by the first network device prior to being detected by a third network device, and the second network device is a designated network device of a network. The first network device starts a delay timer before processing the link down event, and detects an event that includes at least one of receipt, from the third network device, of a link state advertisement message based on the link down event, or an expiration of the delay timer. The first network device determines the first network device to be a new designated network device for the network based on detecting the event, and provides, to the third network device, information indicating that the first network device is the new designated network device for the network.

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: The disclosed method may include (1) monitoring, while a computing device receives power from an external power supply, (A) the amount of power consumed by the computing device and (B) the amount of power provided to the computing device by the external power supply, (2) detecting that the amount of power provided to the computing device exceeds the amount of power consumed by the computing device by at least a certain threshold, (3) determining, based on the amount of power provided to the computing device exceeding the amount of power consumed by the computing device by the certain threshold, that the computing device is experiencing a malfunction, and then (4) mitigating potential damage to the computing device due to the malfunction by at least partially reducing the amount of power provided to the computing device from the external power supply. Various other apparatuses, systems, and methods are disclosed.

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 disclosed method may include (1) detecting, at a network stack of a network device, a packet that (A) is destined at least intermediately for a network interface of the network device and (B) has been flagged by the network stack to be dropped instead of forwarded to the network interface based on at least one characteristic of the packet, (2) instead of dropping the packet, forwarding the packet to an alternative network interface of the network device that analyzes content of packets, (3) identifying, at the alternative network interface, the characteristic of the packet, and then (4) executing, based on the characteristic of the packet, at least one action in connection with the packet that improves the performance of the network device. Various other apparatuses, systems, and methods are also disclosed.

Abstract: The disclosed apparatus may include a storage device that stores a set of security policies. In this example, the apparatus may also include a physical processor that is communicatively coupled to the storage device. This physical processor may (1) analyze an unknown flow of packets that are destined for a target node within the network, (2) identify at least one characteristic of the unknown flow of packets based at least in part on the analysis, (3) predictively select, from the set of security policies stored in the storage device, a security policy to apply to the unknown flow of packets based at least in part on the characteristic of the unknown flow of packets, and then (4) perform at least one security action defined by the predictively selected security policy on the unknown flow of packets. Various other apparatuses, systems, and methods are also disclosed.

Abstract: The disclosed computer-implemented method may include (1) receiving, at a network node within a network, a packet from another network node within the network, (2) identifying, within the packet, a label stack that includes a plurality of labels that collectively represent at least a portion of an LSP within the network, (3) popping, from the label stack, a label that corresponds to a specific link to a further network node, and then upon popping the label from the label stack, (4) forwarding the packet to the further network node by way of the specific link. Various other methods, systems, and apparatuses are also disclosed.

Abstract: A policy controller executes algorithms to operate on a list of devices forming a computer network to generate outputs including one or more graphic user interfaces. The graphic user interfaces, when displayed on a display device, provide various versions of a visual representation of a network topology for the actual computer network or a computer network being modeled. The graphic user interfaces include graphic symbols representative of various devices included in the computer network that are arranged into one or more radial arrangements. The graphic user interfaces include graphic lines indicative of the physical interconnections between the devices, the graphic lines extending across the radial arrangement(s) and extending between the graphic symbols representative of devices to provide a visual representation of the interconnections that communicatively couple the devices.

Abstract: The potential problem of traffic loss during a period when a second PIM router is elected DR after a first PIM router (on the same PIM interface) was previously elected DR and is transiting multicast traffic, is solved by (1) configuring a first interval on a PIM interface for at least the first PIM router; (2) responsive to the PIM interface of the first PIM router booting up, (i) starting, by the first PIM router, a timer corresponding to the configured first interval, (ii) determining, by the first PIM router, whether or not it is the DR on the PIM interface, (iii) upon determining that the timer has expired, redetermining, by the first PIM router, whether or not it is the DR on the PIM interface, and (iv) responsive to a redetermination that the first PIM router is the DR on the PIM interface, (A) increasing, by the first PIM router, a DR priority value of the first PIM router to reduce a likelihood that another of the at least two PIM routers will replace the first PIM router as DR, and (B) sending on th

Abstract: In some embodiments, an apparatus includes a reconfigurable optical add-drop multiplexer (ROADM). The ROADM has a wavelength selective switch (WSS) that does not perform power equalization when the WSS is operative. The ROADM also has a first pre-amplifier, a first channel power equalizer operatively coupled to the first pre-amplifier, a second pre-amplifier operatively coupled to the first channel power equalizer and the WSS, a first post-amplifier operatively coupled to the WSS, a second channel power equalizer operatively coupled to the first post-amplifier, and a second post-amplifier operative coupled to the second channel power equalizer.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for implementing scalable policies across a plurality of categories that support application workloads. In one example, the policy is a security policy that indicates which types of virtualized application workloads are required to communicate with encryption and groups computing devices into zones that communicate via respective tunnels configured to carry encrypted communication. An orchestration engine selects a computing device based on the zones fined in the security policy to ensure that the virtualized application workloads requiring encrypted communication communicate via tunnels configured to carry encrypted communication.

Abstract: Techniques are described for creating multiple virtual network interfaces usable by a logically-related group of one or more containers (“pod”) for communicating on respective virtual networks of a network infrastructure. In some examples, a control flow for pod network interface configuration on a host includes obtaining, by a CNI instance, a list of multiple virtual network interfaces from an agent of a network controller that is executing on the host. The single CNI instance processes the list of multiple virtual network interfaces to create corresponding virtual network interfaces for the pod and, for each of the virtual network interfaces, to attach the virtual network interface to the pod and to the virtual router or bridge for the host. In this way, the single CNI enables packetized communications by containers of the pod over multiple networks using the multiple virtual network interfaces configured for the pod.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a reconfigurable optical add/drop multiplexer (ROADM) having an input port to receive a first optical signal from a second device. The ROADM also includes a first wavelength selective switch (WSS), in optical communication with the input port, to convert the first optical signal into a second optical signal, a loopback, in optical communication with the first WSS, to transmit the second optical signal, and a second WSS, in optical communication with the loopback, to convert the second optical signal to a third optical signal and direct the third optical signal back to the second device via the input port.