Abstract: An example method for access network capacity monitoring and planning based on flow characteristics in a network environment is provided and includes receiving, at a server in a first network, a request from a client at a second network for accommodating flow characteristics for a flow through the first network between the client and a remote destination, accommodating the flow characteristics if the request can be fulfilled with available network resources allocated to the client by the first network, measuring the flow at the first network between the client and the remote destination, exporting flow details including flow measurements and the requested flow characteristics to a flow collector, and denying the request if the flow collector determines that the flow measurements do not match the requested flow characteristics. In some embodiments, the flow measurements include fine-grain flow measurements, wherein the method further comprises receiving a request for the fine-grain flow measurements.

Abstract: A method and system for dynamic protection of virtual links for paths of an optical network in communication with an IP network are disclosed. The method includes establishing two or more paths within the optical network and grouping the paths in a dynamic bundle. The grouping is selected at a control plane level and the bundle of paths are recognized as a single routing adjacency in the IP network so that as long as one or more paths within the bundle is operating, the routing adjacency in the IP network is not affected by changes within the bundle.

Abstract: A technique that facilitates application synchronization with a reservation protocol at a sender without application receiver participation in a computer network. According to the novel technique, the sender sends a path request message to a reservation receiver and may include a request for fast path failure notification to be returned to the sender. The reservation receiver (e.g., a reservation receiver proxy upstream from the application receiver) receives the path request, and in response, returns a reservation request message to the sender, including a request for fast reservation failure notification also to be sent to the sender (e.g., in response to detecting the fast path failure notification request, local policy/configuration, etc.). In the event that an intermediate node between the sender and reservation receiver detects an error during the path request or reservation request, the intermediate node sends corresponding fast failure notification to the sender. The sender may then synchronize, e.g.

Abstract: An RSVP node that has crashed and restarted sends a non-zero Recovery Time value in a Restart_Cap object of a Hello message. Other nodes receiving such messages can detect, based on the non-zero Recovery Time value, that the sending node is restarting. In particular, a first RSVP node can detect whether a second, neighbor node has restarted regardless of the order of restart with respect to the first and second nodes. As a result, the first node can determine whether to forward PATH messages with Recovery Label or Suggested Label, as appropriate or necessary to rebuild label-switched paths with crashed and restarted nodes. Therefore, when multiple RSVP nodes crash relatively concurrently, the multiple nodes can restart gracefully and automatically detect what kind of communication to use in order to rebuild label-switched paths among themselves.

Abstract: Systems and methods for computing the paths of MPLS Traffic Engineering LSPs across Autonomous System and/or area boundaries. A distributed path computation algorithm exploits multiple path computation elements (PCEs) to develop a virtual shortest path tree (VSPT) resulting in computation of an end-to-end optimal (shortest) path. In some implementations, the VSPT is computed recursively across all the Autonomous Systems and/or areas between the head-end and tail-end of the Traffic Engineering LSP.

Abstract: A virtual router (VR) communication arrangement enables services on different VRs executing on the same physical router to communicate without utilizing or substantially consuming communication resources, such as a network protocol stack and physical interfaces, of the physical router. The services are illustratively implemented as separately-scheduled VR processes executing on the physical router. A virtual router forwarding information base (vrFIB) is provided within a client socket library of each VR process and is used to determine whether the services are on the same physical router. If so, a lightweight interconnection is created between the services and a message (“packet”) is forwarded over that interconnection to effectuate communication. If the services are not on the same physical router, the packet is sent over the network protocol stack and communication is established using the communication resources of the router.

Abstract: A technique gracefully shuts down network resources, such as nodes, interfaces and protocols, in a data network in a manner that minimizes network disruption. The technique may be used with both connectionless and connection-oriented networking systems. A node gracefully shuts down a network resource associated with the node by i) notifying other nodes in the network that the resource is being gracefully shutdown, ii) waiting for a condition to occur, and iii) when the condition occurs, shutting down the resource. The condition may include the expiration of a predetermined amount of time and/or monitoring the resource to determine if the resource has reached a certain level of activity. In response to receiving a notification that a resource is being gracefully shutdown, a node takes action to reroute traffic around the resource. If no alternative route is available, the node may continue to route traffic to the resource until it is shut down.

Abstract: A technique that facilitates application synchronization with a reservation protocol at a sender without application receiver participation in a computer network. According to the novel technique, the sender sends a path request message to a reservation receiver and may include a request for fast path failure notification to be returned to the sender. The reservation receiver (e.g., a reservation receiver proxy upstream from the application receiver) receives the path request, and in response, returns a reservation request message to the sender, including a request for fast reservation failure notification also to be sent to the sender (e.g., in response to detecting the fast path failure notification request, local policy/configuration, etc.). In the event that an intermediate node between the sender and reservation receiver detects an error during the path request or reservation request, the intermediate node sends corresponding fast failure notification to the sender. The sender may then synchronize, e.g.

Abstract: A method and system for dynamic protection of virtual links for paths of an optical network in communication with an IP network are disclosed. The method includes establishing two or more paths within the optical network and grouping the paths in a dynamic bundle. The grouping is selected at a control plane level and the bundle of paths are recognized as a single routing adjacency in the IP network so that as long as one or more paths within the bundle is operating, the routing adjacency in the IP network is not affected by changes within the bundle.

Abstract: A virtual router (VR) communication arrangement enables services on different VRs executing on the same physical router to communicate without utilizing or substantially consuming communication resources, such as a network protocol stack and physical interfaces, of the physical router. The services are illustratively implemented as separately-scheduled VR processes executing on the physical router. A virtual router forwarding information base (vrFIB) is provided within a client socket library of each VR process and is used to determine whether the services are on the same physical router. If so, a lightweight interconnection is created between the services and a message (“packet”) is forwarded over that interconnection to effectuate communication. If the services are not on the same physical router, the packet is sent over the network protocol stack and communication is established using the communication resources of the router.

Abstract: Systems and methods for computing the paths of MPLS Traffic Engineering LSPs across Autonomous System and/or area boundaries. A distributed path computation algorithm exploits multiple path computation elements (PCEs) to develop a virtual shortest path tree (VSPT) resulting in computation of an end-to-end optimal (shortest) path. In some implementations, the VSPT is computed recursively across all the Autonomous Systems and/or areas between the head-end and tail-end of the Traffic Engineering LSP.