Abstract: A method for enabling enable use of multiple active paths for TDM traffic over a packet switched network, comprises: receiving at least two copies of a replicated packet including TDM information via at least two paths through the packet switched network, the at least two copies of the replicated packet including at least a first copy of the replicated packet received via a first of the at least two paths, and a second copy of the replicated packet received via a second of the at least two paths; selecting a copy of the replicated packet from among the at least two copies of the replicated packet; inputting the selected copy of the replicated packet to a jitter buffer; discarding unselected ones of the at least two copies of the replicated packet; and outputting the selected copy of the replicated packet from the jitter buffer to a TDM endpoint device.

Abstract: Various embodiments relate to a method and apparatus for guaranteeing symmetrical delay in both directions for a Time-Division Multiplexing Pseudowire (“TDM-PW”) service on a packet switching network (“PSN”), the method including the steps of using a transport method to specify a first path including a corresponding pair of unidirectional service tunnels for the TDM PW service between a master router and a slave router, detecting a failure on either of the corresponding pair of unidirectional service tunnels of the first path between the master router and the slave router, switching the master router and the slave router to a second path including a corresponding pair of unidirectional service tunnels, resetting a jitter buffer on the master router and the slave router and adjusting the jitter buffer to a halfway point, and transmitting and receiving data using the second path including the corresponding pair of unidirectional service tunnels.

Abstract: This disclosure generally discloses a tunnel-level fragmentation and reassembly capability configured to support tunnel-level fragmentation and reassembly of a packet being transported via a tunnel between a tunnel source node and a tunnel destination node. The tunnel-level fragmentation and reassembly capability may be configured to support tunnel-level fragmentation and reassembly of packets in a manner tending to prevent reassembly errors, that could cause malformed packets or packet drops at the tunnel destination nodes, due to multiple parallel tunnel contexts of the tunnel which may correspond to multiple parallel entry points into the tunnel at the tunnel source node. The tunnel-level fragmentation and reassembly capability may be configured to support tunnel-level fragmentation and reassembly of packets within various types of communication networks, for various types of tunnels, or the like.

Abstract: Various embodiments relate to a method and apparatus for guaranteeing symmetrical delay in both directions for a Time-Division Multiplexing Pseudowire (“TDM-PW”) service on a packet switching network (“PSN”), the method including the steps of using a transport method to specify a first path including a corresponding pair of unidirectional service tunnels for the TDM PW service between a master router and a slave router, detecting a failure on either of the corresponding pair of unidirectional service tunnels of the first path between the master router and the slave router, switching the master router and the slave router to a second path including a corresponding pair of unidirectional service tunnels, resetting a jitter buffer on the master router and the slave router and adjusting the jitter buffer to a halfway point, and transmitting and receiving data using the second path including the corresponding pair of unidirectional service tunnels.

Abstract: This disclosure generally discloses a tunnel-level fragmentation and reassembly capability configured to support tunnel-level fragmentation and reassembly of a packet being transported via a tunnel between a tunnel source node and a tunnel destination node. The tunnel-level fragmentation and reassembly capability may be configured to support tunnel-level fragmentation and reassembly of packets in a manner tending to prevent reassembly errors, that could cause malformed packets or packet drops at the tunnel destination nodes, due to multiple parallel tunnel contexts of the tunnel which may correspond to multiple parallel entry points into the tunnel at the tunnel source node. The tunnel-level fragmentation and reassembly capability may be configured to support tunnel-level fragmentation and reassembly of packets within various types of communication networks, for various types of tunnels, or the like.

Abstract: Various embodiments relate to an apparatus, method and a non-transitory computer readable medium including a control plane microprocessor which is configured receive a first route from a forwarding information base, generate an internet protocol (IP) address lookup based on the first route and generate an IP route lookup request based on the IP address lookup, a shared memory configured to receive the IP route lookup request from the control plane microprocessor and a datapath processor configured to receive an IP lookup request from the control plane microprocessor, receive the IP route lookup request from the shared memory and perform an IP route datapath lookup on a storage device, wherein the control plane microprocessor compares the result of the IP route datapath lookup to the first route.

Abstract: Various exemplary embodiments relate to a method and related network node including one or more of the following: determining that a first search value is associated with a first range field; determining a first bitmap associated with the first search value, wherein the first bitmap indicates at least one range encompassing the first search value; generating a search key based on the first bitmap; and accessing the ternary content addressable memory based on the search key.

Abstract: Various exemplary embodiments relate to a method and related network node including one or more of the following: determining that a first search value is associated with a first range field; determining a first bitmap associated with the first search value, wherein the first bitmap indicates at least one range encompassing the first search value; generating a search key based on the first bitmap; and accessing the ternary content addressable memory based on the search key.

Abstract: Techniques and apparatus for aggregating social network service (SNS) data are disclosed. In an example method for operating a computerized SNS aggregator having a plurality of account holders, identifiers for one or more external network-accessible SNS accounts associated with each of several account holders are collected and stored. An access token for each of the associated external network-accessible SNS accounts is collected and stored. Data-sharing relationships between pairs of account holders having linked accounts within the SNS aggregator service are identified. Subsequently, one or more account holders having a data-sharing relationship with a first account holder are identified. One or more external network-accessible SNS accounts for each of the other account holders are accessed, using the corresponding stored access tokens. Finally, a data feed for the first account holder is assembled, using data items retrieved from the external network-accessible SNS accounts for the other account holders.

Abstract: Various exemplary embodiments relate to a method and related network node having a playout buffer including one or more of the following: receiving, at the network device, a first packet belonging to a first flow, the first packet including a first sequence number (SN); receiving, at the network device, a second packet belonging to the first flow, the second packet including a second SN; determining that the second SN is not in sequence with the first SN; waiting to receive, at the network device, a third packet belonging to the first flow, the third packet including a third SN; and determining that a jump in SNs has occurred for the first flow between the first packet and the second packet based on determining that the third SN is in sequence with the second SN.

Abstract: Various exemplary embodiments relate to a method and related network node having a playout buffer including one or more of the following: receiving a first packet, a second packet, a first set of at least one subsequent packet, wherein each packet includes a sequence number (SN); determining that the second packet is not in sequence with the first packet by determining that the SN of the second packet is not equal to the SN of the first packet plus an expected increment value; determining whether the second packet represents a jump in SNs by determining whether the SN of a first subsequent packet is equal to the SN of the second packet plus the expected increment value; and when the second packet represents a jump in SNs, gradually normalizing the playout buffer upon receipt of each subsequent packet.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods of recovering synchronization for multiple-link communications are disclosed. Streams of communication traffic on a plurality of communication links from which communication traffic is to be extracted and combined into a single communication traffic stream are monitored for receipt of synchronization information for each link. In the event that an error occurs in receipt of the synchronization information for any of the communication links, a stream received on each affected link is modified. For example, traffic may be removed from or inserted into a received stream where synchronization information for a link is received twice or received earlier than expected, respectively. If synchronization information for a link is missing, then it may be generated and inserted into the stream received on that link.

Abstract: The invention is directed to monitoring execution of software threads, particularly by detecting a lockup or stall in execution of a software thread and initiating a remedial action in response. Advantageously, some embodiments of the invention automatically detect a lockup or stall in execution of a software thread by periodically sampling information corresponding to the thread, and, in accordance with a determination made using the information, initiate an attempt to recover from such a condition in execution without the need for manual intervention.

Abstract: The invention is directed to monitoring execution of software threads, particularly by detecting a lockup or stall in execution of a software thread and initiating a remedial action in response. Advantageously, some embodiments of the invention automatically detect a lockup or stall in execution of a software thread by periodically sampling information corresponding to the thread, and, in accordance with a determination made using the information, initiate an attempt to recover from such a condition in execution without the need for manual intervention.

Abstract: Exemplary embodiments relate to a network node implementing redundant cards and configured to synchronize sequence numbers, and a related method. The network node may include a fabric configured to route packets towards a destination. Furthermore, the network node may include an active card configured to establish at least one link to a destination node, generate a sequence number for each packet to be sent, and send a messaging packet including at least one sequence number from the active card to inactive cards over a communication channel on a data path in the fabric. Finally, the network node may include an inactive card configured to receive the messaging packet including the at least one sequence number from the active card over the communication channel, extract the at least one sequence number, and synchronize operation of the inactive card to the active card using the at least one sequence number.

Abstract: Various exemplary embodiments relate to a method and related node for outputting packets from a playout buffer in a node in a packet-switched network including one or more of the following: configuring a Time-Division Multiplexing (TDM) pseudowire terminating at the node; receiving a plurality of fixed-length packets transmitted over the TDM pseudowire; adding the plurality of fixed-length packets to the playout buffer such that the playout buffer reaches a current fill level; inserting at least one dummy packet into the playout buffer, wherein a total length of the at least one dummy packet is equal to a target fill level of the playout buffer minus the current fill level and the target fill level represents a minimum fill level required before output of packets from the playout buffer; and outputting the plurality of fixed-length packets and the at least one dummy packet from the playout buffer.

Abstract: Various exemplary embodiments relate to a method and related network node having a playout buffer including one or more of the following: receiving a first packet, a second packet, a first set of at least one subsequent packet, wherein each packet includes a sequence number (SN); determining that the second packet is not in sequence with the first packet by determining that the SN of the second packet is not equal to the SN of the first packet plus an expected increment value; determining whether the second packet represents a jump in SNs by determining whether the SN of a first subsequent packet is equal to the SN of the second packet plus the expected increment value; and when the second packet represents a jump in SNs, gradually normalizing the playout buffer upon receipt of each subsequent packet.

Abstract: Various exemplary embodiments relate to a method and related network node including one or more of the following: maintaining a line card activity number at each line card in the node; receiving a first packet belonging to a flow; storing, at each line card, a flow record in a line card context identifier storage, wherein the flow record contains a flow activity number being initially set equal to a current value of the line card activity number; detecting, by the second line card, a change in designation to active and changing the value of the line card activity number maintained by the second line card; receiving a second packet belonging to the flow; and transmitting, to the decompressor node, an update packet including the flow context identifier and the flow identifying information, upon determining that the flow activity number is not equal to the updated line card activity number.

Abstract: Various exemplary embodiments relate to a method and related network node including one or more of the following: maintaining a line card activity number at each line card in the node; receiving a first packet belonging to a flow; storing, at each line card, a flow record in a line card context identifier storage, wherein the flow record contains a flow activity number being initially set equal to a current value of the line card activity number; detecting, by the second line card, a change in designation to active and changing the value of the line card activity number maintained by the second line card; receiving a second packet belonging to the flow; and transmitting, to the decompressor node, an update packet including the flow context identifier and the flow identifying information, upon determining that the flow activity number is not equal to the updated line card activity number.

Abstract: Exemplary embodiments relate to a network node implementing redundant cards and configured to synchronize sequence numbers, and a related method. The network node may include a fabric configured to route packets towards a destination. Furthermore, the network node may include an active card configured to establish at least one link to a destination node, generate a sequence number for each packet to be sent, and send a messaging packet including at least one sequence number from the active card to inactive cards over a communication channel on a data path in the fabric. Finally, the network node may include an inactive card configured to receive the messaging packet including the at least one sequence number from the active card over the communication channel, extract the at least one sequence number, and synchronize operation of the inactive card to the active card using the at least one sequence number.