Abstract: Discovery of intermediate network devices is performed using a technique that piggybacks upon the existing standard TCP (Transport Control Protocol) “SACK” (Selective Acknowledgment) option in a SYN/ACK packet so that discovery information may be shared between pair-wise-deployed peer intermediate devices when a TCP/IP connection (Transport Control Protocol/Internet Protocol) is first established between network endpoints using a conventional three-way handshake. Use of the SACK option is combined with another technique which comprises modifying the original 16-bit value of the TCP receive window size to a special arbitrary value to mark a SYN packet as being generated by a first peer device. The marked SYN when received by the second peer device triggers that device's discovery information to be piggybacked in the SACK option of the SYN/ACK packet. The first device then piggybacks its discovery information in the SACK option of the ACK packet which completes the three-way handshake.

Abstract: Aspects of the subject matter described herein relate to locally terminating an established connection. In aspects, a connection between two nodes is established. A network device lies on the path over which packets associated with the connection travel to get to either of the two nodes. After the connection is established, the network device attempts to create a safe point at which the connection can be terminated at the network device. To do so, the network device begins buffering packets and looking for information that indicates that all outstanding packets between the two nodes have been received either by one of the two nodes or have been buffered by the network device. After a safe point is reached, the network device may terminate the connection locally in a way that is transparent to the two nodes.