Abstract: Entropy in routing tables may be increase to perform packet forwarding. Hash tables that store forwarding routes may be divided into multiple hash table segments. Forwarding routes may be stored across the hash table segments in different route segments. When looking up route segments to identify a forwarding route for a destination address of a network packet, digest values generated for previous route segments may be used to determine hash key values to identify hash table entries in a different hash table segment. The forwarding route may be identified according to the hash table entries located based on the digest values for previous route segments.

Abstract: A packet processor or packet processing pipeline may implement forwarding table updates during live packet stream processing. Updates may be updates to add or remove entries from group of entries in a forwarding table or may be updates to defragment the available entries in a chain of entries maintained in a forwarding table. Reserved entries may be allocated for moving entries as part of updates so that migrations of the entries from one location to another may be performed atomically.

Abstract: Disclosed are devices, systems, and methods for the use of memory including a data table configured to store a plurality of elements, wherein the plurality of elements are arranged into a plurality of buckets and each of the plurality of buckets comprising a plurality of entries. A first power domain can be associated with an entry of each bucket or with a first bucket. A second power domain can be associated with a second entry of each bucket or a second bucket. Processing logic can be configured to search for a particular value stored in an element of the plurality of elements by selecting buckets of the plurality of buckets and selecting at least one entry of each of the buckets. A programmable register can be used to select a powered state of the second power domain based on a configuration of the programmable register.

Abstract: A method may include receiving, at a network interface of a first network element, an Internet Group Management Protocol (IGMP) message from a second network element. The method may also include updating first multicast group data associated with the network interface based on the received IGMP message, the first multicast group data including one or more entries setting forth a multicast group and one or more other network elements which are members of the multicast group. The method may additionally include determining whether the second network element is the sole member of its multicast group based on the IGMP message and the first multicast group data. The method may further include forwarding the IGMP message to a switching element of the first network element in response to determining that the second network element is the sole member of its multicast group, the switching element communicatively coupled to the network interface.

Abstract: Methods and systems for improved address table flushing in distributed switching systems may be provided. In accordance with embodiments of the disclosure, a switch may include a plurality of line cards and a processor. Each line card may including a table of addresses. The processor may be configured to, in response to receipt of a plurality of simultaneous requests, each request a request to flush addresses associated with a particular flooding domain present on the switch, perform flushing of addresses based on an aggregate number of address entries for each particular flooding domain associated with the requests.

Abstract: A network element coupled to a communication network is described. The network element includes multiple switching units. The switching units may be configured to independently implement a Spanning Tree Protocol (xSTP) processing in a completely distributed manner including each of the switching units independently calculating an external spanning tree for the network element in the communication network. The network element may act as a single bridge to other network elements in a bridging domain of the communication network.

Abstract: A method for networked communications includes determining a group identifier associated with a received request for multicast data, determining an available upstream bandwidth and an available downstream bandwidth, adding an entry for the identified group into a multicast forwarding table, allocating bandwidth from the available upstream bandwidth and available downstream bandwidth, the allocated bandwidth corresponding to bandwidth required by the requested multicast data, and forwarding the received request to an upstream network destination. The method includes, if no response is received in response to the received request within a designated timeout period, removing the entry for the identified group in the multicast forwarding table, and restoring the allocated bandwidth to the available upstream bandwidth and available downstream bandwidth.

Abstract: In accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure, a method is provided for communicating multicast traffic. The method may include in response to receipt of multicast control traffic at a network element to be communicated to a protection switching group, communicating the multicast control traffic to each of a working path and a protection path of the protection switching group. The method may also include in response to receipt of multicast control traffic via either of the working path and the protection path, processing the multicast control traffic as if the multicast control traffic was received via both the working path and the protection path.

Abstract: A switch includes a processor coupled to a memory, one or more forwarding tables residing within the memory, and one or more ports. The ports are associated with a plurality of virtual local area networks and a plurality of bridge domains. Each of the bridge domains is associated with one of the forwarding tables, and each of the forwarding tables is associated with one of the bridge domains. The processor is configured to assign a first tag to a received packet, assign a second tag to the received packet, look up the destination address of the received packet in one of the forwarding tables, and selectively flood the ports of the active bridge domain with a copy of the received packet. The active bridge domain includes one of the plurality of bridge domains. The active bridge domain is associated with the ingress port of the received packet.

Abstract: A method may include, by a first network interface: receiving a packet having a flow via a first port of the first network interface; examining the packet to determine an ingress local forwarding identifier (LFID) associated with the flow of the packet; converting the ingress LFID to a global forwarding identifier (GFID) of the network element; and forwarding the packet to a switching element. The method may also include, by the switching element: determining a second network interface for egress of the packet based on the GFID; and forwarding the packet to the second network interface. The method may further include, by the second network interface: converting the GFID to an egress LFID associated with the flow of the packet; and forwarding the packet to a second port of the second network interface and a flow of the second network interface based on the egress LFID.

Abstract: A network processing unit includes a first table, a forwarding table, and a processor. The first table includes a first entry for a network, including a network aging, which includes the network processing unit. The forwarding table includes a second entry associated with a network entity which includes an indication of whether network traffic associated with the entity has been encountered in the current or previous network aging period. The processor is configured to receive an indication from a hardware timer that a hardware aging cycle has ended, and then determine whether the network aging period has ended. If so, the processor is configured to determine for a first network entity in the forwarding table whether traffic associated with the entity has been encountered in the current or previous network aging period. If not, then the processor is configured to remove the given first network entity from the forwarding table.

Abstract: In accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure, a switch may include a processor and a plurality of line cards, each line card including a table of addresses. The processor may be configured to: (i) read, from a first line card of the plurality of line cards, addresses relating to all flooding domains present on the first line card; (ii) store the addresses read from the first line card on a memory accessible to the processor; (iii) determine a second line card of the plurality of line cards, the second line card having the presence of at least one flooding domain not present on the first line card; (iv) read, from the second line card, addresses relating to all flooding domains present on the second line card; and (v) store the addresses read from the second line card on the memory.

Abstract: A method for reducing memory entries in a ternary content-addressable memory may include determining if a first entry and a second entry are associated with the same data value. The method may also include determining if the first entry can be masked such that searching the memory with the content value of either of the first entry or the second entry returns the same data value. The method may further include, in response to determining that the first entry and a second entry are associated with the same data value and determining that the first entry can be masked such that addressing the memory with the content value of either of the first entry or the second entry returns the same data value: (i) masking the first entry such that addressing the memory with the content value of either of the first entry or the second entry returns the same data value; and (ii) deleting the second entry.

Abstract: A network element coupled to a communication network is described. The network element includes multiple switching units. The switching units may be configured to independently implement a Spanning Tree Protocol (xSTP) processing in a completely distributed manner including each of the switching units independently calculating an external spanning tree for the network element in the communication network. The network element may act as a single bridge to other network elements in a bridging domain of the communication network.

Abstract: A method may include receiving, at a network interface of a first network element, an Internet Group Management Protocol (IGMP) message from a second network element. The method may also include updating first multicast group data associated with the network interface based on the received IGMP message, the first multicast group data including one or more entries setting forth a multicast group and one or more other network elements which are members of the multicast group. The method may additionally include determining whether the second network element is the sole member of its multicast group based on the IGMP message and the first multicast group data. The method may further include forwarding the IGMP message to a switching element of the first network element in response to determining that the second network element is the sole member of its multicast group, the switching element communicatively coupled to the network interface.

Abstract: Methods and systems for improved address table flushing in distributed switching systems may be provided. In accordance with embodiments of the disclosure, a switch may include a plurality of line cards and a processor. Each line card may including a table of addresses. The processor may be configured to, in response to receipt of a plurality of simultaneous requests, each request a request to flush addresses associated with a particular flooding domain present on the switch, perform flushing of addresses based on an aggregate number of address entries for each particular flooding domain associated with the requests.

Abstract: In accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure, a switch may include a processor and a plurality of line cards, each line card including a table of addresses. The processor may be configured to: (i) read, from a first line card of the plurality of line cards, addresses relating to all flooding domains present on the first line card; (ii) store the addresses read from the first line card on a memory accessible to the processor; (iii) determine a second line card of the plurality of line cards, the second line card having the presence of at least one flooding domain not present on the first line card; (iv) read, from the second line card, addresses relating to all flooding domains present on the second line card; and (v) store the addresses read from the second line card on the memory.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a novel polypouch for packaging of mineral oils. Said polypouch is made up of multilayered polymeric sheet or film of different inventive thicknesses by co-extruded unique combination of low density polyethylene, nylon and adhesive resin resulting in negligible permeation loss of packed mineral oils e.g. kerosene oil.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method for telecommunications includes steps of receiving a first packet through a first port, and determining whether the first packet arrived over a protected path. If the first packet arrived over a protected path, the method also includes the steps of hashing a source address of the first packet, adding a first entry into a forwarding table, and adding a second entry into the forwarding table. The protected path is coupled to at least the first port and a second port. The first entry includes the result of hashing the packet, and an identification of the first port. The second entry includes the result of hashing the packet, and an identification of the second port.

Abstract: A method for networked communications includes receiving, on an inbound port, a frame to be forwarded, mapping the received frame to a flooding domain, determining an inbound port through which a frame is received, wherein the plurality of ports includes the inbound port, determining a destination address of the received frame, and determining one or more of the plurality of ports through which the received frame is to be forwarded. If the line card contains a port that is part of the flooding domain, the method includes populating a forwarding table associated with the line card with information regarding the received frame and information regarding the flooding domain. If the line card contains no ports that are part of the flooding domain, the method includes populating no forwarding tables associated with the line card with information regarding the received frame and information regarding the flooding domain.