Abstract: A network element includes multiple ports and forwarding circuitry. The ports are configured to serve as network interfaces for exchanging packets with a communication network. The forwarding circuitry is configured to receive a multicast packet that is to be forwarded via a plurality of the ports over a plurality of paths through the communication network to a plurality of destinations, to identify a path having a highest latency among the multiple paths over which the multicast packet is to be forwarded, to forward the multicast packet to one or more of the paths other than the identified path, using a normal scheduling process having a first forwarding latency, and to forward the multicast packet to at least the identified path, using an accelerated scheduling process having a second forwarding latency, smaller than the first forwarding latency.

Abstract: Communication apparatus includes multiple ports configured to serve as ingress and egress ports, such that the ingress ports receive packets from a packet data network for forwarding to respective egress ports. The ports include an egress port configured for connection to a network interface controller (NIC) serving multiple physical computing units, which have different, respective destination addresses and are connected to the NIC by different, respective communication channels. Control and queuing logic is configured to queue the packets that are received from the packet data network for forwarding to the multiple physical computing units in different, respective queues according to the destination addresses, and to arbitrate among the queues so as to convey the packets from the queues via the same egress port to the NIC, for distribution to the multiple physical computing units over the respective communication channels.

Abstract: A method for communication, includes routing unicast data packets among nodes in a network using respective Layer-3 addresses that are uniquely assigned to each of the nodes. Respective Layer-2 unicast addresses are assigned to the nodes in accordance with an algorithmic mapping of the respective Layer-3 addresses. The unicast data packets are forwarded within subnets of the network using the assigned Layer-2 addresses.

Abstract: A network element includes multiple ports and forwarding circuitry. The ports are configured to serve as network interfaces for exchanging packets with a communication network. The forwarding circuitry is configured to receive a multicast packet that is to be forwarded via a plurality of the ports over a plurality of paths through the communication network to a plurality of destinations, to identify a path having a highest latency among the multiple paths over which the multicast packet is to be forwarded, to forward the multicast packet to one or more of the paths other than the identified path, using a normal scheduling process having a first forwarding latency, and to forward the multicast packet to at least the identified path, using an accelerated scheduling process having a second forwarding latency, smaller than the first forwarding latency.

Abstract: Communication apparatus includes multiple ports configured to serve as ingress and egress ports, such that the ingress ports receive packets from a packet data network for forwarding to respective egress ports. The ports include an egress port configured for connection to a network interface controller (NIC) serving multiple physical computing units, which have different, respective destination addresses and are connected to the NIC by different, respective communication channels. Control and queuing logic is configured to queue the packets that are received from the packet data network for forwarding to the multiple physical computing units in different, respective queues according to the destination addresses, and to arbitrate among the queues so as to convey the packets from the queues via the same egress port to the NIC, for distribution to the multiple physical computing units over the respective communication channels.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a network device includes ports to serve as ingress ports and as egress ports, streaming aggregation circuitry to analyze received data packets to identify the data packets having payloads targeted for a data reduction process as part of an aggregation protocol, parse at least some of the identified data packets into payload data and headers, and inject the parsed payload data into the data reduction process, data reduction circuitry to perform the data reduction process, and including hardware data modifiers (HDMs), the HDMs being connected and arranged to reduce the parsed payload data in stages with a stage of the data reduction process being performed by a central HDM to receive data from at least two non-central HDMs and to output resultant reduced data, and a transport layer controller to manage forwarding of the resultant reduced data to at least one network node.

Abstract: Communication apparatus includes a plurality of interfaces for receiving and transmitting data packets from and to a network and a memory, which receives and stores context data with respect to multicast groups. Packet processing circuitry establishes reliable connections over the network with the receiving nodes in the multicast groups, and upon receiving from a packet source on the network an incoming unicast packet containing multicast data and containing multicast metadata that identifies a multicast group, sends an acknowledgment of the incoming unicast packet to the packet source, reads the context data from the memory with respect to the identified multicast group, and transmits multiple outgoing unicast packets containing the multicast data via respective egress interfaces to the receiving nodes in the multicast group over the reliable connections.

Abstract: A network switch includes circuitry and multiple ports, including multiple input ports and at least one output port, configured to connect to a communication network. The circuitry includes multiple distinct-flow counters, which are each associated with a respective input port and with the output port, and which are configured to estimate respective distinct-flow counts of distinct data flows received via the respective input ports and destined to the output port. The circuitry is configured to store packets that are destined to the output port and were received via the multiple input ports in multiple queues, to determine a transmission schedule for the packets stored in the queues, based on the estimated distinct-flow counts, and to transmit the packets via the output port in accordance with the determined transmission schedule.

Abstract: Communication apparatus includes multiple interfaces connected to a packet data network, and a memory coupled to the interfaces and configured as a buffer to contain packets received through ingress interfaces while awaiting transmission to the network via respective egress interfaces. Packet processing logic is configured, upon receipt of a test packet through an ingress interface of the apparatus, to allocate a space in the buffer for storage of a single copy of the test packet, to replicate and transmit sequentially multiple copies of the stored copy of the test packet through a designated egress interface, to receive an indication of a number of copies of the test packet that are to be transmitted, and responsively to the indication, to terminate replication of the test packet and release the allocated space in the buffer.

Abstract: Communication apparatus includes a plurality of interfaces for receiving and transmitting data packets from and to a network and a memory, which receives and stores context data with respect to multicast groups. Packet processing circuitry establishes reliable connections over the network with the receiving nodes in the multicast groups, and upon receiving from a packet source on the network an incoming unicast packet containing multicast data and containing multicast metadata that identifies a multicast group, sends an acknowledgment of the incoming unicast packet to the packet source, reads the context data from the memory with respect to the identified multicast group, and transmits multiple outgoing unicast packets containing the multicast data via respective egress interfaces to the receiving nodes in the multicast group over the reliable connections.

Abstract: A network switch includes circuitry and multiple ports, including multiple input ports and at least one output port, configured to connect to a communication network. The circuitry includes multiple distinct-flow counters, which are each associated with a respective input port and with the output port, and which are configured to estimate respective distinct-flow counts of distinct data flows received via the respective input ports and destined to the output port. The circuitry is configured to store packets that are destined to the output port and were received via the multiple input ports in multiple queues, to determine a transmission schedule for the packets stored in the queues, based on the estimated distinct-flow counts, and to transmit the packets via the output port in accordance with the determined transmission schedule.

Abstract: A method for communication includes, in a network node that includes a plurality of ports, specifying for a given destination address at least one Adaptive Routing (AR) group. The at least one AR group includes two or more ports over which packets destined to the given destination address are to be adaptively routed. A packet destined to the given destination address is received at the network node, via one of the ports serving as an ingress port. An egress port is adaptively selected for the packet, from the ports in the at least one AR group but excluding the ingress port over which the packet was received. The packet is routed to the selected egress port.

Abstract: Communication apparatus includes multiple interfaces connected to a packet data network, and a memory coupled to the interfaces and configured as a buffer to contain packets received through ingress interfaces while awaiting transmission to the network via respective egress interfaces. Packet processing logic is configured, upon receipt of a test packet through an ingress interface of the apparatus, to allocate a space in the buffer for storage of a single copy of the test packet, to replicate and transmit sequentially multiple copies of the stored copy of the test packet through a designated egress interface, to receive an indication of a number of copies of the test packet that are to be transmitted, and responsively to the indication, to terminate replication of the test packet and release the allocated space in the buffer.

Abstract: A method in a network element includes processing input packets using a set of two or more functions that are defined over parameters of the input packets. Each function in the set produces respective interim actions applied to the input packets and the entire set produces respective end-to-end actions applied to the input packets. An end-to-end mapping, which maps the parameters of at least some of the input packets directly to the corresponding end-to-end actions, is cached in the network element. The end-to-end mapping is queried with the parameters of a new input packet. Upon finding the parameters of the new input packet in the end-to-end mapping, an end-to-end action mapped to the found parameters is applied to the new input packet, without processing the new input packet using the set of functions.

Abstract: A method for communication includes, in a network node that includes a plurality of ports, specifying for a given destination address at least one Adaptive Routing (AR) group. The at least one AR group includes two or more ports over which packets destined to the given destination address are to be adaptively routed. A packet destined to the given destination address is received at the network node, via one of the ports serving as an ingress port. An egress port is adaptively selected for the packet, from the ports in the at least one AR group but excluding the ingress port over which the packet was received. The packet is routed to the selected egress port.

Abstract: A method includes receiving in a network switch of a communication network communication traffic that originates from a source node and arrives over a route through the communication network traversing one or more preceding network switches, for forwarding to a destination node. In response to detecting in the network switch a compromised ability to forward the communication traffic to the destination node, a notification is sent to the preceding network switches. The notification is to be consumed by the preceding network switches and requests the preceding network switches to modify the route so as not to traverse the network switch.

Abstract: A method for communication, includes routing unicast data packets among nodes in a network using respective Layer-3 addresses that are uniquely assigned to each of the nodes. Respective Layer-2 unicast addresses are assigned to the nodes in accordance with an algorithmic mapping of the respective Layer-3 addresses. The unicast data packets are forwarded within subnets of the network using the assigned Layer-2 addresses.

Abstract: An apparatus includes multiple data sources and arbitration circuitry. The data sources are configured to send to a common destination data items and respective arbitration requests, such that the data items are sent to the destination regardless of receiving any indication that the data items were served to the destination in response to the respective arbitration requests. The arbitration circuitry is configured to receive and buffer the data items, to perform arbitration on the buffered data items responsively to the arbitration requests, and to serve the buffered data items to the destination in accordance with the arbitration.

Abstract: A method for communication, includes routing unicast data packets among nodes in a network using respective Layer-3 addresses that are uniquely assigned to each of the nodes. Respective Layer-2 unicast addresses are assigned to the nodes in accordance with an algorithmic mapping of the respective Layer-3 addresses. The unicast data packets are forwarded within subnets of the network using the assigned Layer-2 addresses.

Abstract: A method in a network element includes processing input packets using a set of two or more functions that are defined over parameters of the input packets. Each function in the set produces respective interim actions applied to the input packets and the entire set produces respective end-to-end actions applied to the input packets. An end-to-end mapping, which maps the parameters of at least some of the input packets directly to the corresponding end-to-end actions, is cached in the network element. The end-to-end mapping is queried with the parameters of a new input packet. Upon finding the parameters of the new input packet in the end-to-end mapping, an end-to-end action mapped to the found parameters is applied to the new input packet, without processing the new input packet using the set of functions.