Abstract: Embodiments of a device and method are disclosed. In an embodiment, a method for switch management involves connecting switches to form a switch ring, and within the switch ring, configuring each of the switches to participate equally in network communications.

Abstract: Embodiments of a device and method are disclosed. In an embodiment, a method for automatic Open Shortest Path First (OSPF) configuration involves at a first router, receiving OSPF communications from a second router and at the first router, deriving OSPF configuration for the first router based on the received OSPF communications to match OSPF configuration of the second router.

Abstract: Embodiments of a device and method are disclosed. In an embodiment, a method for network security involves determining whether a device connected to a network port of a switch of a network is a native device or a non-native device for the network and in response to determining whether the device is the native device or the non-native device for the network, performing native device authentication or non-native device authentication.

Abstract: Embodiments of a device and method are disclosed. In an embodiment, a method for communications involves establishing a tunnel connection between a switch of a network and a gateway of the network and in response to a communications device connecting to a network port of the switch, conducting data traffic involving the communications device through the tunnel connection between the switch and the gateway.

Abstract: Embodiments of a device and method are disclosed. In an embodiment, a method for switch management involves connecting switches to form a switch ring, and within the switch ring, configuring each of the switches to participate equally in network communications.

Abstract: Embodiments of a device and method are disclosed. In an embodiment, a method for automatic network service configuration involves using a packet manager of a switch in a network, receiving a packet containing dynamic host configuration protocol (DHCP) request information from a network device in the network, and using the packet manager of the switch in the network, obtaining routing configuration and Address Resolution Protocol (ARP) configuration of the network device in response to the packet containing the DHCP request information.

Abstract: Embodiments of a device and method are disclosed. In an embodiment, a method of automatic network service initiation involves obtaining, from a network service server at a first network device of a network service block (NSB), network address information using a network service client at a second network device of the NSB that is connected with the first network device, at the second network device of the NSB, obtaining network service configuration information based on the network address information, and, performing automatic network service initiation of the second network device of the NSB based on the network service configuration information.

Abstract: Embodiments of a device and method are disclosed. In an embodiment, a method of automatic network service initiation involves obtaining, from a network service server at a first network device of a network service block (NSB), network address information using a network service client at a second network device of the NSB that is connected with the first network device, at the second network device of the NSB, obtaining network service configuration information based on the network address information, and, performing automatic network service initiation of the second network device of the NSB based on the network service configuration information.

Abstract: Ternary content-addressable memory (TCAM) of an ingress appliance in a visibility fabric may include rules for filtering traffic received by the ingress appliance. But the TCAM has limited space for rules and can become easily exhausted. By migrating rules to other visibility nodes in the visibility fabric, the techniques introduced here allow the TCAM to be virtually extended across multiple visibility nodes. More specifically, upon receiving a data packet at an ingress port, the ingress visibility node can tag the data packet with an identifier based on which ingress port received the data packet. The ingress visibility node can then determine, based on the identifier, whether the data packet should be filtered using a rule stored in the TCAM of the ingress visibility node or a rule stored in the TCAM of some visibility node in the visibility fabric.

Abstract: Ternary content-addressable memory (TCAM) of an ingress appliance in a visibility fabric may include rules for filtering traffic received by the ingress appliance. But the TCAM has limited space for rules and can become easily exhausted. By migrating rules to other visibility nodes in the visibility fabric, the techniques introduced here allow the TCAM to be virtually extended across multiple visibility nodes. More specifically, upon receiving a data packet at an ingress port, the ingress visibility node can tag the data packet with an identifier based on which ingress port received the data packet. The ingress visibility node can then determine, based on the identifier, whether the data packet should be filtered using a rule stored in the TCAM of the ingress visibility node or a rule stored in the TCAM of some visibility node in the visibility fabric.

Abstract: Ternary content-addressable memory (TCAM) of an ingress appliance in a visibility fabric may include rules for filtering traffic received by the ingress appliance. But the TCAM has limited space for rules and can become easily exhausted. By migrating rules to other visibility nodes in the visibility fabric, the techniques introduced here allow the TCAM to be virtually extended across multiple visibility nodes. More specifically, upon receiving a data packet at an ingress port, the ingress visibility node can tag the data packet with an identifier based on which ingress port received the data packet. The ingress visibility node can then determine, based on the identifier, whether the data packet should be filtered using a rule stored in the TCAM of the ingress visibility node or a rule stored in the TCAM of some visibility node in the visibility fabric.

Abstract: Ternary content-addressable memory (TCAM) of an ingress appliance in a visibility fabric may include rules for filtering traffic received by the ingress appliance. But the TCAM has limited space for rules and can become easily exhausted. By migrating rules to other visibility nodes in the visibility fabric, the techniques introduced here allow the TCAM to be virtually extended across multiple visibility nodes. More specifically, upon receiving a data packet at an ingress port, the ingress visibility node can tag the data packet with an identifier based on which ingress port received the data packet. The ingress visibility node can then determine, based on the identifier, whether the data packet should be filtered using a rule stored in the TCAM of the ingress visibility node or a rule stored in the TCAM of some visibility node in the visibility fabric.

Abstract: A multicast router is coupled with a multicast enabled layer 2 device that is coupled with a source of multicast data traffic for multicast groups. Responsive to determining that the amount of bandwidth currently being attributed as being used by the subscriber exceeds its allowed bandwidth limit due to oversubscription of multicast groups, the multicast router switches from periodically transmitting multicast membership general query messages to the multicast hosts of the subscriber, to transmitting one or more multicast membership group-specific query messages to one or more multicast hosts of the subscriber for a subset of the subscribed multicast groups to impede the subscribed multicast groups that are not part of the subset from being refreshed to cause the multicast data traffic for those multicast groups from being transmitted on the access network to the multicast hosts of the subscriber.

Abstract: A network node includes a primary incoming interface, a secondary incoming interface and a data flow control unit. The primary incoming interface is operable to receive traffic associated with a particular source and multicast group. The secondary incoming interface is operable to serve as a backup interface if the primary incoming interface or a transmission path coupled to the primary incoming interface is inoperative. The data flow control unit is operable to determine whether the network node is part of a ring topology and if so, forward traffic received on the primary incoming interface associated with the source and multicast group to both a host which joined the multicast group and the secondary incoming interface and forward traffic received on the secondary incoming interface associated with the source and multicast group to the primary incoming interface.

Abstract: A network node includes a primary incoming interface, a secondary incoming interface and a data flow control unit. The primary incoming interface is operable to receive traffic associated with a particular source and multicast group. The secondary incoming interface is operable to serve as a backup interface if the primary incoming interface or a transmission path coupled to the primary incoming interface is inoperative. The data flow control unit is operable to determine whether the network node is part of a ring topology and if so, forward traffic received on the primary incoming interface associated with the source and multicast group to both a host which joined the multicast group and the secondary incoming interface and forward traffic received on the secondary incoming interface associated with the source and multicast group to the primary incoming interface.

Abstract: A multicast router is coupled with a multicast enabled layer 2 device that is coupled with a source of multicast data traffic for multicast groups. Responsive to determining that the amount of bandwidth currently being attributed as being used by the subscriber exceeds its allowed bandwidth limit due to oversubscription of multicast groups, the multicast router switches from periodically transmitting multicast membership general query messages to the multicast hosts of the subscriber, to transmitting one or more multicast membership group-specific query messages to one or more multicast hosts of the subscriber for a subset of the subscribed multicast groups to impede the subscribed multicast groups that are not part of the subset from being refreshed to cause the multicast data traffic for those multicast groups from being transmitted on the access network to the multicast hosts of the subscriber.

Abstract: Multicast traffic may be routed using DVMRP or PIM over a Split MultiLink Trunk (SMLT). Network elements on the split side of the SMLT are interconnected by an Inter-Switch Trunk (IST) to enable them to exchange control messages associated with the multicast. When a control message is received on the IST, the network element will determine if the multicast control message is associated with a normal multicast or is associated with multicast over an SMLT link. Control messages related to SMLT links will be processed as if they were received over the SMLT link rather than the IST link. To prevent traffic from being forwarded by multiple network elements over the SMLT link, data traffic from an IST link may not be transmitted over an SMLT link. Flags are used to indicate whether a link is a SMLT link or regular link. Fast recovery may occur by causing participants to transmit triggered join messages upon recovery from a failure.

Abstract: Multicast traffic may be routed using DVMRP or PIM over a Split MultiLink Trunk (SMLT). Network elements on the split side of the SMLT are interconnected by an Inter-Switch Trunk (IST) to enable them to exchange control messages associated with the multicast. When a control message is received on the IST, the network element will determine if the multicast control message is associated with a normal multicast or is associated with multicast over an SMLT link. Control messages related to SMLT links will be processed as if they were received over the SMLT link rather than the IST link. To prevent traffic from being forwarded by multiple network elements over the SMLT link, data traffic from an IST link may not be transmitted over an SMLT link. Flags are used to indicate whether a link is a SMLT link or regular link. Fast recovery may occur by causing participants to transmit triggered join messages upon recovery from a failure.