Abstract: Apparatus and a method for transmitting a plurality of streams of data packets through a computer network assigns queued packets from each of the plurality of data streams to respective slots in scheduling windows such that queued packets from respective ones of the plurality of data streams occupy different slots in respectively different ones of the scheduling windows. The packets are transmitted through the network in the order defined by the scheduling windows.

Abstract: An apparatus for transporting data in a network-based data communication system includes a first network node comprising a first port couplable to at least a second network node for transferring data in a first format between the first and second network nodes. The first network node further includes a processor operatively coupled to the first port, the processor being configurable to receive one or more frames of data and/or transmit one or more frames of data, the frames of data having an overhead processing portion that is otherwise standard. The processor uses only a subset of the overhead processing portion and is configured such that utilizing only the subset of the overhead processing portion of the one or more data frames enables one or more functional blocks to be eliminated from the first network node, the one or more functional blocks being otherwise required for implementing substantially all of the overhead processing portion of the one or more data frames.

Abstract: Systems and methods that determine reverse DNS entries for IP addresses are described. In one embodiment, a first group of consecutive IP addresses is identified, a first configured IP address in the first group is determined, wherein the first configured IP address has an associated first domain name, a first non-configured IP address in the first group is determined, and the first domain name is associated with a set of IP addresses from the first configured IP address to the first non-configured IP address.

Abstract: A method for transmitting digital messages used during testing of microprocessors. Each message includes at least one data packet. To transmit a message, each data packet is divided into successive segments of predetermined size, each segment being classified in accordance with one or the other among five types depending on whether it contains a start of message (SM), intermediate data (NT), an end of packet (EP), and end of message (EM); or it is an empty segment (ID). As each segment is sent, an identification signal characterizing the succession of the segment concerned and of the preceding segment is sent. To reduce the number of transmitted segments, a segment containing both the start and the end of a message is classified as being a segment containing an end of message, and a segment containing both the start of a message and the end of a first packet of the message being classified as a segment containing an end of packet.

Abstract: A management router is assigned for each of a division multicast domains obtained from dividing a multicast domain into predetermined divisions, and each of the management routers shares information concerning a location of a multi-cast information source belonging to the division multicast domain for which each of the management routers is assigned.

Abstract: A method for bridging traffic over a network includes receiving, at stations that are coupled to the network, forwarding information for remote devices that are coupled to the network via the stations. The forwarding information associates a remote address of each remote device with an address of one of the stations. Each station that receives the forwarding information stores the forwarding information in a forwarding database. The method also includes receiving traffic at a first station from a first remote device that is coupled to the first station. The traffic includes a destination address that is a remote address of a second remote device that is coupled to a second station of the network. Furthermore, the method includes identifying an address of the second station that is associated with the remote address of the second remote device in the forwarding database. The method also includes communicating the traffic directly to the second station using the identified address.

Abstract: A system and method is directed to routing a packet over a network to a probe. The system includes a replicator and a distributor. The replicator receives a packet from a client and replicates the packet. The distributor is either out-of-band or in-band to a flow of traffic between the client and a server. In the out-of-band configuration, the distributor forwards the replicate packet to at least one probe in a plurality of probes. The distributor receives a response to the replicate packet and transforms a source MAC address in the response to a MAC address of the distributor. The distributor forwards the transformed packet. The replicator forwards the original packet. In the in-band configuration, the distributor selects and forwards the original packet to a server using a first forwarding mechanism, and selects and forwards the replicate packet to a probe using a second forwarding mechanism.

Abstract: A routing device and associated method for allocating the nodes of a multi-way trie of a forwarding routing table between two or more memory devices is disclosed. In the preferred embodiment, the routing device comprises a routing table for storing a plurality of routes in a multiway trie in a first memory for caching a first set of the plurality of trie nodes and a second memory for caching a second set of the plurality of trie nodes; and a route manager adapted to relocate one or more nodes of the second set from the second memory to the first memory such that the a utilization count for each of the nodes of the first memory is higher than each of the nodes of the second memory.

Abstract: A method of supporting mobility in an Internet Protocol (IP)-based data network. The method comprises the steps of generating a first stateful IP autoconfiguration message at a mobile node, whereby the message includes an address capable of use for routing maintenance. The mobile node transmits the generated message to a first access node, which incorporates its address and forwards the message to a dynamic host configuration protocol (DHCP) Server. The DHCP Server and access node analyze the message to determine a route to deliver data to and/or from the mobile node. One or more route update message are triggered from said access node and said DHCP server to a number of network elements between said access node and said DHCP server in the IP based data network to support mobility in an IP domain with minimum bandwidth use and minimum tunneling required.

Abstract: A system and method provide for reducing a number of topology instances in a network portion implementing a multiple instance topology. Various embodiments further provide for determining if one or more of the topology instances are merge-able or conditionally merge-able to form a lesser number of representative topology instances, and if so, for causing merging of the topology instances.

Abstract: The invention relates to an architecture that facilitates load balancing among a plurality of hosts and preserve session affinity to a given host. An incoming stream of data packets that include packet sessions is input to one or more forwarding mechanisms for forwarding to one or more hosts. The forwarders generate a routing function that takes into consideration host availability, and distributes session packets according to the routing function. A session is distributed to the same host to preserve session affinity. When host availability changes, a new routing function is generated, such that any new session is routed according to the new routing function and existing sessions are routed according to the old routing function. When the old routing function becomes irrelevant, it is phased out. An optimization utilizes a maximally backward compatible hash function to minimize the differences between the old and new routing functions.

Abstract: A distribution stage is disclosed comprising a plurality of inputs coupled to a plurality of first stage switching devices, a plurality of outputs coupled to a plurality of second stage switching devices, and a distribution configuration. The distribution configuration is configured to receive a plurality of bandwidth units (BU's) from each first stage switching device, and to distribute at least one BU from each first stage switching device to each second stage switching device, such that each second stage switching device is assured of receiving at least one BU from each first stage switching device. In effect, the distribution stage ensures that each first stage switching device has a logical link to each second stage switching device. In one embodiment, the distribution stage is configured in accordance with a distribution configuration that is static.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for rerouting traffic in a computer network select a routing element, apply a subnet mask to an interface address of the routing element to generate subnet addresses, determine the address of neighboring elements from the subnet addresses, and obtain configuration information from the neighboring elements. Network topology is determined from the configuration information, a link in the network topology is selected, and a cost associated with the link is modified. The modified cost renders the link less desirable for routing. A method and apparatus for determining the address of neighboring routing elements in a computer network, combine a subnet mask and interface address associated in a bitwise AND operation to generate subnet addresses, disregard the highest and lowest subnet addresses and the address of the selected routing element from the subnet addresses, and identify the remaining subnet address as associated with the neighboring routing element.

Abstract: Data communication apparatus including a port and a control entity. The control entity is operative to establish a connection with a remote entity over a first path and negotiate with the remote entity using in-band signaling over the first path establishment of a second path allowing the exchange of data between the data communication apparatus and the remote entity. The invention presents advantages from the standpoint of ease of implementation and bandwidth and resource savings. The use of an in-band messaging protocol to negotiate a establishment of the second path can be implemented generally in a straight forward manner. At the same time, the ability to transfer at least part of the connection to the second path avoids the drawbacks that would arise if that part of the connection were constrained to the first path. This feature allows the operator to take advantage of benefits provided by the second path but not available to the first path.

Abstract: A method of recovering overflowed data at a first I2C source port buffer on an I2C router having a second I2C source port buffer and a destination port I2C bus. The method comprises: requesting resend of said overflowed data to the first I2C source port buffer; receiving the overflowed data at the first I2C source port buffer; capturing the destination port I2C bus and transmitting all data from the first I2C source port buffer to the destination port I2C bus.

Abstract: A technique for preserving information contained in a synchronization channel of a Time Division Multiplexing (TDM) frame across a packet network. Information contained in the synchronization channel of TDM frames is transferred over the packet network by a first gateway device that received the TDM frames. A second gateway device receives the synchronization channel information and places the information in one or more TDM frames. The TDM frames are transferred onto the TDM network.

Abstract: A method and device for combining packets is disclosed. In various embodiments, a plurality of packets that are compliant with a particular protocol are combined into a single packet of the same protocol. The single packet also preserves identification information for each of the combined packets within the single packet. The identification information can be used to partition and/or route the combined packets to their respective destinations.

Abstract: Apparatus includes a section which transmits an inquiry packet for inquiry as to whether any wireless communication terminal exists within such range as to be able to communicate with the apparatus, detects each of a plurality of wireless data communication terminals transmitting inquiry response packets in response to the packet, and completes the detection of wireless communication terminals if no wireless communication terminal is detected within a predetermined detection completion timeout period after starting the transmission of the packet, a section which suspends the detection of wireless communication terminals performed by the terminal detection section if a wireless communication terminal is detected, a section which performs wireless data communication with the detected wireless communication terminal while the detection of wireless communication terminals is suspended, and a section which restarts detection of other wireless communication terminals by the terminal detection section after the comp

Abstract: A technique involves exchanging DHCP relay agent information with a DHCP server. In particular, the technique involves receiving a DHCP message en route from a DHCP client to the DHCP server. The DHCP message includes (i) a non-option portion having a client identifier identifying the DHCP client and (ii) an option portion having first relay agent information added to the DHCP message by a first relay agent. The technique further involves modifying the option portion of the DHCP message to simultaneously include both the first relay agent information added by the first relay agent and second relay agent information from a second relay agent. The technique further involves sending the DHCP message with the modified option portion to the DHCP server. Accordingly, the DHCP server is capable of receiving relay agent information from multiple relay agents and assigning an address to the DHCP client based on this input.

Abstract: In the area of network provisioning, there is a problem of selecting a suitable traffic-provisioning model for large networks due to the high management complexity of the resource-efficient trunk model and the poor bandwidth efficiency of the easy-to-configure hose model. The invention is based on the idea of partitioning at least part of the network into multi-node clusters, and defining traffic limitations on at least two levels, including the intra-cluster level and the inter-cluster level, where the traffic limitations include one or more node-to-cluster traffic limitations for inter-cluster traffic. Subsequently, cluster-based provisioning of the network is performed based on the traffic limitations. The novel node-to-cluster limitations proposed by the invention are preferably applied in a cluster-based trunk or hose model on the inter-cluster level.