Abstract: Example methods and systems for routing configuration for data center fabric maintenance are described. One example may comprise a management entity monitoring state information associated with multiple links connecting multiple network elements. The multiple links may include a first link connecting a first network element and a second network element. In response to determination that maintenance is required for the first link based on the state information, a maintenance mode may be activated for the first link. A first routing configuration may be performed to influence the first network element and the second network element to steer traffic away from the first link to second link(s). In response to deactivation of the maintenance mode for the first link, a second routing configuration may be performed to influence the first network element and the second network element to restore traffic on the first link.

Abstract: Example methods and systems for routing configuration for data center fabric maintenance are described. One example may comprise a management entity monitoring state information associated with multiple links connecting multiple network elements. The multiple links may include a first link connecting a first network element and a second network element. In response to determination that maintenance is required for the first link based on the state information, a maintenance mode may be activated for the first link. A first routing configuration may be performed to influence the first network element and the second network element to steer traffic away from the first link to second link(s). In response to deactivation of the maintenance mode for the first link, a second routing configuration may be performed to influence the first network element and the second network element to restore traffic on the first link.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for a multicast based solution to solving the slow-start problem that ensures both optimal (1-hop) and in-sequence delivery of packets to the destination. Packets are hardware switched thereby completely eliminating the slow software switching path.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for a multicast based solution to solving the slow-start problem that ensures both optimal (1-hop) and in-sequence delivery of packets to the destination. Packets are hardware switched thereby completely eliminating the slow software switching path.

Abstract: A multi-protocol software-defined networking (SDN) controller receives receiving from one or more applications one or more requests for services to be performed by one or more of a plurality of network devices that communicate with the SDN controller by a plurality of different of SDN protocols. The requests are mapped to appropriate ones of the plurality of different SDN protocols to fulfill the services of the requests. The SDN controller sends to the respective one or more of the plurality of network devices, control messages according to appropriate ones of the plurality of different SDN protocols. Responses are received at the SDN controller from the one or more of the plurality of network devices, each response indicating a failure or a success for a corresponding request. Failures and successes of the responses are associated with appropriate ones of the requests.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for a multicast based solution to solving the slow-start problem that ensures both optimal (1-hop) and in-sequence delivery of packets to the destination. Packets are hardware switched thereby completely eliminating the slow software switching path.

Abstract: Techniques are provided for updating routing tables of switch devices. At a first switch device of a first rack unit in a network, information is received about addresses of host devices in the network. The addresses are stored in a software cache. A packet is received from a first host device assigned to a first subnet and housed in the first rack unit. The packet is destined for a second host device assigned to a second subnet and housed in a second rack unit in the network. The packet is forwarded using the subnet entry and it may remain sub-optimal during a period before which an entry can be installed form a software cache. The software cache is evaluated to determine the address of the second host device. The packet is then forwarded optimally. This will ensure any-to-any communications in the network initially sub-optimally and subsequently optimally.

Abstract: A Service Abstraction Layer (SAL) provides network level abstraction enabling applications to interface via multiple software-defined networking (SDN) protocols with network devices in a heterogeneous network (devices in the network support a variety of SDN protocols) and in an opaque fashion in order to fulfill desired services by one or more of the protocols. Abstraction is not limited or mapped to any particular protocol. Protocols can change and applications can vary. Support for new protocols can be added later as plug-ins.

Abstract: A user application may provide a hint which may be used by a compute device to select a tag to be inserted into the packets generated by the user application. Upon some event, the application transmits a hint associated with a network flow generated by the user application to a stack associated with the computing device. One of the layers of the stack—e.g., the operating system in the computing device—may include a hint database that contains rules for selecting tags using a received hint as input. The layer may then insert the tag into one or more packets of the network flow. When processing the packet, network devices in the SDN enabled network recognize the tag and perform an action corresponding to the tag.

Abstract: A user application may provide a hint which may be used by a compute device to select a tag to be inserted into the packets generated by the user application. Upon some event, the application transmits a hint associated with a network flow generated by the user application to a stack associated with the computing device. One of the layers of the stack—e.g., the operating system in the computing device—may include a hint database that contains rules for selecting tags using a received hint as input. The layer may then insert the tag into one or more packets of the network flow. When processing the packet, network devices in the SDN enabled network recognize the tag and perform an action corresponding to the tag.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for a multicast based solution to solving the slow-start problem that ensures both optimal (1-hop) and in-sequence delivery of packets to the destination. Packets are hardware switched thereby completely eliminating the slow software switching path.

Abstract: Techniques are provided for updating routing tables of switch devices. At a first switch device of a first rack unit in a network, information is received about addresses of host devices in the network. The addresses are stored in a software cache. A packet is received from a first host device assigned to a first subnet and housed in the first rack unit. The packet is destined for a second host device assigned to a second subnet and housed in a second rack unit in the network. The packet is forwarded using the subnet entry and it may remain sub-optimal during a period before which an entry can be installed form a software cache. The software cache is evaluated to determine the address of the second host device. The packet is then forwarded optimally. This will ensure any-to-any communications in the network initially sub-optimally and subsequently optimally.

Abstract: Disclosed are mechanisms for facilitating the use of DHCP (dynamic host configuration protocol) binding data. In general, certain applications include mechanisms for intercepting data being sent from a node and then determining whether the data corresponds to a valid IP address and MAC address binding. Embodiments of the present invention provide mechanisms for sharing such DHCP binding data between routers (or other type of network devices) in a redundancy group so that any of the routers may take over the data inspection to validate DHCP bindings. In particular aspects of the invention, the DHCP binding data is validated in procedures related to DHCP snooping, dynamic ARP (address resolution protocol) inspection, and the like.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus, and other mechanisms are disclosed for merging lookup results, such as from one or more associative memory banks and/or memory devices. In one exemplary implementation, multiple associative memories or associative memory banks are configured to substantially simultaneously generate a plurality of lookup results based on a lookup value. Multiple memories are each configured to generate a corresponding result based on the lookup result generated by its corresponding associative memory or associative memory bank. A combiner is configured to receive and merge these corresponding results generated substantially simultaneously in order to identify the merged lookup result.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are disclosed for performing lookup operations using associative memories, including, but not limited to modifying search keys within an associative memory based on modification mappings, forcing a no-hit condition in response to a highest-priority matching entry including a force no-hit indication, selecting among various sets or banks of associative memory entries in determining a lookup result, and detecting and propagating error conditions. In one implementation, each block retrieves a modification mapping from a local memory and modifies a received search key based on the mapping and received modification data. In one implementation, each of the associative memory entries includes a field for indicating that a successful match on the entry should or should not force a no-hit result. In one implementation, an indication of which associative memory blocks or sets of entries to use in a particular lookup operation is retrieved from a memory.