Abstract: A system including: (a) a processor, adapted to generate first type descriptors, second type descriptors and second type descriptor pointers; wherein the first type descriptors and the second type descriptors describe data entities received by the system, and wherein a size of a second type descriptor pointer equals a size of a first type descriptor; and (b) a memory unit, connected to the processor, adapted to maintain a queue that stores at least one first type descriptor and at least one second type descriptor pointer.

Abstract: A method for managing protection of a plurality of defined paths in a communication system including listing the defined paths, each item in the list including a defined path identifier, a defined path ingress node, a defined path egress node, and a defined path protection period, wherein some of the defined paths share an ingress node and an egress node, managing a sending of Continuity Check Messages (CCMs) along at least some of the defined paths, such that a CCM is sent every protection period, and for at least a plurality of the defined paths which share an ingress node and an egress node, managing a sharing of the protection of the plurality of the defined paths, the sharing including sending one set of CCMs, shared by the plurality of the defined paths, at a frequency based, at least in part, on a shortest one of the protection periods of the plurality of the defined paths.

Abstract: A switch including: (i) a processor, adapted to dequeue a multicasting descriptor from a multicasting link-list in response to: (a) a requested number of duplications; (b) a duplications counter; and (c) a rejected duplications counter; and (ii) a memory unit, connected to the processor, adapted to maintain the multicasting link-list.