Abstract: In general, techniques are described for reporting dynamic tunnels to a path computation element (PCE) of a network to inform path computation by the PCE for traffic engineering within the network. In some examples, a method comprises generating, by a network device configured to route network packets within a network, a dynamic tunnel report message that includes dynamic tunnel description data for a dynamic tunnel that transports the network packets through the network, wherein the network packets transported by the dynamic tunnel each comprises an outer header that does not include a multiprotocol label switching (MPLS) transport label; and sending, by the network device, the dynamic tunnel report message to a path computation element (PCE) for a path computation domain to report the dynamic tunnel to the PCE for inclusion in path computation by the PCE for label switched paths of the network.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes receiving a first identifier and a private key after a network device has been included in a data center switch fabric control plane, authenticating the network device based on the private key, sending a second identifier to the network device, and sending a control signal to the network device based on the second identifier. The first identifier is associated with the network device and unique within a segment of the data center switch fabric control plane. The second identifier is unique within the segment of the data center switch fabric control plane.

Abstract: An apparatus includes an aggregation module that is associated with a first network core and that is operatively coupled to a second network core and a third network core. The aggregation module is configured to receive a first copy of an access point license that authorizes access to a network via an access point and the second network core. The aggregation module receives the first copy of the access point license from the second network core in response to an installation and validation of the access point license on the second network core. The aggregation module is configured to send a second copy of the access point license to the third network core that authorizes a device to access the network via the access point and via the third network core in accordance with the access point license and in response to a failure of the second network core.

Abstract: For use in an Ethernet Virtual Private Network (EVPN) in which a site including at least one MAC-addressable device is multihomed, via a customer edge device (CE), to at least two provider edge devices (PE1 and PE2), the potential problem of one of the at least two provider edge devices (PE2) dropping or flooding packets designed for a MAC-addressable device of the multihomed site is solved by controlling advertisements of an auto-discovery per EVPN instance (A-D/EVI) route (or an auto-discovery per Ethernet segment identifier (A-D/ESI) route) to a remote provider edge device (PE3), belonging to the EVPN but not directly connected with the CE.

Abstract: The techniques describe forwarding multicast traffic using a multi-level cache in a network device forwarding plane for determining a set of outgoing interfaces of the network device on which to forward the multicast traffic. For example, a multi-level cache is configured to store a multicast identifier of a multicast packet and multicast forwarding information associated with the multicast identifier, such as identification of one or more egress packet processors of the network device to which the multicast packet is to be sent for forwarding to the set of one or more egress network devices, and/or outgoing interfaces of the network device toward each egress network device of the set of one or more egress network devices. The multi-level cache is also configured to store respective multicast identifiers that are to be encapsulated with outgoing multicast packets that are forwarded to the set of one or more egress network devices.

Abstract: In some embodiments, an apparatus includes a memory and a processor operatively coupled to the memory. The processor is configured to be operatively coupled to a first optical transponder and a second optical transponder. The processor is configured to receive, from the second optical transponder, a signal representing a skew value of an optical signal and a signal representing a bit-error-rate (BER) value of the optical signal. The skew value is associated with a skew between an in-phase component of the optical signal and a quadrature component of the optical signal. The processor is configured to determine, based on at least one of the skew value or the BER value, if a performance degradation of the first optical transponder satisfies a threshold. The processor is configured to send a control signal to the first optical transponder to adjust a pulse shaping or a data baud rate of the first optical transponder.

Abstract: In some embodiments, an apparatus includes an optical transceiver configured to be operatively coupled to a network. The optical transceiver includes a photo diode and a processor configured to be operatively coupled to the photo diode. The photo diode is configured to measure a receiver optical power (ROP) value and send the ROP value to the processor. The processor is configured to measure a bit error rate (BER) value of a digital modulated signal at an input port of the optical transceiver. The processor is also configured to determine an estimated optical signal noise ratio (OSNR) value at the input port of the optical transceiver based on the ROP value and the BER value. The processor is configured to send a signal indicating the estimated OSNR value such that a planned route is selected for sending data signals through within the optical transceiver based on the estimated OSNR value.

Abstract: In general, techniques are described for a dynamic prefix list for route filtering. In one example, a network device comprises a control unit comprising one or more processors; one or more interface cards coupled to the control unit; a routing protocol process configured to execute on the control unit to exchange, using the interface cards, routing protocol advertisements with a peer network device in accordance with a routing protocol; and a configuration database comprising a routing policy that references a dynamic prefix list comprising one or more prefixes. The routing policy includes at least one action for application to routes for import or export, by the network device via a routing protocol, that match any of the one or more prefixes of the dynamic prefix list. The dynamic prefix list comprises a routing table to store the one or more prefixes, the routing table separate from the configuration database.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for a queuing system for network devices. In one example, a network device includes a plurality of memories and processing circuitry connected to the plurality of memories. The plurality of memories includes a local memory of processing circuitry and an external memory to the processing circuitry. The processing circuitry is configured to receive an incoming network packet to be processed, wherein the network packet is held in a queue prior to processing and determine a predicted lifetime of the network packet based on a dequeue rate for the queue. The processing circuitry is further configured to select a first memory from the plurality of memories based on the predicted lifetime and store the network packet at the first memory in response to selecting the first memory from the plurality of memories.

Abstract: In one embodiment, an apparatus includes a switch core that has a multi-stage switch fabric. A first set of peripheral processing devices coupled to the multi-stage switch fabric by a set of connections that have a protocol. Each peripheral processing device from the first set of peripheral processing devices is a storage node that has virtualized resources. The virtualized resources of the first set of peripheral processing devices collectively define a virtual storage resource interconnected by the switch core. A second set of peripheral processing devices coupled to the multi-stage switch fabric by a set of connections that have the protocol. Each peripheral processing device from the first set of peripheral processing devices is a compute node that has virtualized resources. The virtualized resources of the second set of peripheral processing devices collectively define a virtual compute resource interconnected by the switch core.

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.

Abstract: In some embodiments, an apparatus includes a flow control module configured to receive a first data packet from an output queue of a stage of a multi-stage switch at a first rate when an available capacity of the output queue crosses a first threshold. The flow control module is configured to receive a second data packet from the output queue of the stage of the multi-stage switch at a second rate when the available capacity of the output queue crosses a second threshold. The flow control module configured to send a flow control signal to an edge device of the multi-stage switch from which the first data packet or the second data packet entered the multi-stage switch.

Abstract: A first device may receive a traffic flow to be multicasted to at least two of a set of second devices. The first device may provide first messages to the set of second devices identifying the traffic flow. The first device may identify a set of interested second devices, of the set of second devices, based on respective second messages that are received from the set of interested second devices based on the first messages. The first device may determine whether a quantity of the set of interested second devices satisfies a threshold. The first device may selectively provide the traffic flow to the set of interested second devices, using a first type of multicast distribution tree or a second type of multicast distribution tree, based on whether the quantity satisfies the threshold.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for prognostic network management may include (1) monitoring a health indicator of a physical component of a device in a network, (2) using the health indicator to estimate a remaining useful life of the physical component, (3) detecting that the remaining useful life of the physical component has reached a predetermined threshold, and (4) reconfiguring the network in response to detecting that the remaining useful life of the physical component has reached the predetermined threshold so that failure of the physical component does not cause the network to become unavailable to any user of the network. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.

Abstract: A non-transitory processor-readable medium storing code representing instructions to be executed by a processor can cause the processor to receive an indication to load balance a group of sessions associated with a network node and a switch across a group of links between a gateway device and the switch at a first time. The code causes the processor to calculate at a second time, a load based on the group of sessions and associated with a first set of links in an active configuration before the first time. The code causes the processor to send a signal to cause a set of sessions from the group of sessions to re-establish themselves at a third time based on a threshold value calculated based on the load such that the set of sessions are load balanced across a second set of links in the active configuration at the third time.

Abstract: BGP can advertise multiple routes for same prefix via BGP add path (RFC 7911). BGP attempts to pack prefixes with same path attributes into the same BGP update message. Protocol nexthop is one of the path attributes. Since these BGP add paths routes usually have different protocol nexthops, different routes for a single prefix could end up being spread out when being advertised. That may, in turn, result in additional calls to download routes to FIB, advertisement to peers and multiple runs of multipath calculation for the same prefix when multipath is configured. To help avoid this situation, when BGP advertises add-path routes, BGP can send the multiple paths for the same prefix in the adjacent update messages. BGP can use extended Network Layer Reachability Information (NLRI) field to carry nexthop along with its associated prefix in BGP update message to send plain IPv4 unicast routes.

Abstract: In some embodiments a method includes receiving, at a first network device, a data unit to be sent to second network device via a tunnel, the data unit associated with an application. The method includes appending, to the data unit, an encapsulation header that includes a first portion configured such that the second network device is configured to forward the data unit based on the second portion of the encapsulation header that is configured to identify the application. The method includes sending, from the first network device to the second network device via a first portion of the tunnel, the data unit such that the second network device appends the encapsulation header to the data unit prior to forwarding the data unit via a second portion of the tunnel.

Abstract: The disclosed apparatus may include (1) a plurality of vapor chambers that (A) are mounted to a plurality of individual power components that dissipate heat within a computing device and (B) absorb heat dissipated by the plurality of individual power components within the computing device and (2) at least one thermal coupling that (A) physically bridges the plurality of vapor chambers to one another within the computing device and (B) facilitates heat transfer among the plurality of vapor chambers mounted to the individual power components. Various other apparatuses, systems, and methods are also disclosed.

Abstract: The disclosed apparatus may include (1) a physical routing engine that comprises (A) a socket-intercept layer, stored in kernel space, that (I) intercepts a packet that is destined for a remote device and (II) queries, in response to intercepting the packet in kernel space, a routing daemon in user space for an MTU value of an egress interface that is to forward the packet from the network device to the remote device and (B) a tunnel driver, stored in kernel space, that fragments the packet into segments whose respective sizes each comply with the MTU value of the egress interface and (2) a physical packet forwarding engine that forwards the segments of the packet to the remote device by way of the egress interface. Various other apparatuses, systems, and methods are also disclosed.