Abstract: Systems and methods to manage a network include a memory storing an application profile and an application programming interface (API) configured to communicate with a plurality of network devices of a network. A processor may be configured to access the memory and to execute the application profile to concurrently configure multiple attributes of the plurality of network devices using the API.

Abstract: Systems and methods to manage a network include a security blade server configured to perform a security operation on network traffic, and a controller configured to virtualize a plurality of network devices. The controller is further configured to program the network traffic to flow through the security blade server to create a secure network channel. A software defined environment may includes an application program interface (API) used to program the flow of the network traffic. The controller may use the API to virtually and selectively position the security blade server as waypoint for the network traffic.

Abstract: Embodiments relate to a software-defined networking (SDN) interface between multiple platform managers. An aspect is a computer-implemented method for receiving, at an SDN controller of a network, provisioning data from a first network provisioning application associated with a first platform manager of a first computing platform. Provisioning data are received at the SDN controller from a second network provisioning application associated with a second platform manager of a second computing platform. The SDN controller compares the provisioning data from the first network provisioning application to the provisioning data from the second network provisioning application to identify provisioning issues. The SDN controller determines a modified provisioning that resolves the provisioning issues. The SDN controller configures the network to comply with the modified provisioning. The modified provisioning is reported to the first and second network provisioning applications.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a system includes a network fabric having a plurality of fabric switches interconnected in the network fabric and a switch controller having logic adapted to configure the network fabric, determine one or more paths through the network fabric between any two hosts connected thereto, and create a source-routing table to store the one or more paths through the network fabric between any two hosts connected thereto. In another embodiment, a method includes receiving or creating a packet using a NIC of a host connected to a network fabric having a plurality of fabric switches interconnected therein, determining a path through the network fabric by consulting a source-routing table stored to the host, storing source-routing information to a packet header for the packet, the source-routing information including the path, and sending the packet to a first device or hop indicated by the path in the source-routing information.

Abstract: A method of projecting a three-dimensional image is provided. The method includes providing a first light source, the first light source emitting light at a first polarization. A second light source is provided opposite the first light source, the second light source emitting light at a second polarization. A liquid crystal on silicone (LCoS) image device is provided. A beam splitter device is provided between the first light source and the second light source adjacent the LCoS image device. The beam splitter device is rotated. A first light is emitted from the first light source. The first light is reflected with the beam splitter device onto the LCoS image device. A second light is emitted from the second light source after the first light is emitted. The second light is reflected with the beam splitter device onto the LCoS image device.

Abstract: Embodiments relate to a software-defined networking (SDN) interface between multiple platform managers. An aspect is a computer-implemented method for receiving, at an SDN controller of a network, provisioning data from a first network provisioning application associated with a first platform manager of a first computing platform. Provisioning data are received at the SDN controller from a second network provisioning application associated with a second platform manager of a second computing platform. The SDN controller compares the provisioning data from the first network provisioning application to the provisioning data from the second network provisioning application to identify provisioning issues. The SDN controller determines a modified provisioning that resolves the provisioning issues. The SDN controller configures the network to comply with the modified provisioning. The modified provisioning is reported to the first and second network provisioning applications.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a system includes a hardware processor and logic integrated with and/or executable by the processor or media access control (MAC) functionality of a network port. The logic is configured to negotiate a credit aging duration during initialization of a link between a receiving endpoint and a sending endpoint, the receiving and sending endpoints being connected in a network fabric. The link includes at least one virtual link. The logic is also configured to receive an a Count of available flow credits from the receiving endpoint. The amount of available flow credits are used to determine a capacity to process packets at the receiving endpoint. The exchange of flow credits is performed on a per virtual link basis. Other systems, methods, and computer program products are presented according to more embodiments.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes receiving first overlay network traffic via a first input overlay tunnel at a multi-protocol virtual tunnel end point (VTEP) implemented in an accelerated network interface card (NIC) of a server. The method also includes routing the first overlay network traffic to a second overlay network tunnel which adheres to a second overlay network protocol in response to a determination that a destination of the first overlay network traffic is specified as the second overlay network tunnel. Moreover, the method includes receiving second overlay network traffic via the first input overlay tunnel at the multi-protocol VTEP. The method also includes bridging the second overlay network traffic to a first destination overlay network tunnel terminated at the multi-protocol VTEP in response to a determination that a destination of the second overlay network traffic is specified as the first destination overlay network tunnel.

Abstract: Embodiments relate to software-defined networking (SDN) disaster recovery. An aspect is a system that includes an SDN controller configured to interface with a plurality of servers and switches in a network. The SDN controller includes processing circuitry configured to perform a method that includes establishing a plurality of flows, by the SDN controller, between a plurality of switches and pairs of servers in a network, including at least two different pairs of server types. Each server type runs a different operating system and a different disaster recovery manager in an active/active configuration. Data migration is controlled, by the SDN controller, between the pairs of servers in the network. The SDN controller dynamically reallocates the flows between the switches and the pairs of servers in the network based on detecting a fault in the network.

Abstract: An aspect includes receiving, at a software-defined networking (SDN) controller, a request from a requestor to identify a flow of a data packet in a computer network. The data packet includes a data packet header. It is determined, based on the data packet header, that the data packet includes one of a peripheral component internet express (PCIe) data packet and a multi-root input/output (MR-IOV) data packet. It is also determined that the flow of the data packet requires a virtual tunnel between a source network device and a destination network device. The creation of the virtual tunnel is initiated and the requestor is instructed to send the packet from the source network device to the destination network device via the virtual tunnel. The requestor is also instructed to use the virtual tunnel for sending subsequent packets having the same flow and received prior to the virtual tunnel being shut down.

Abstract: Embodiments relate to bypassing congestion points in a network. An aspect includes sampling queues of a plurality of switches in a network. When packet congestion is detected at a congestion point of a first switch, the packet flow contributing to the packet congestion is identified. A congestion notification message indicating the identified packet flow is then propagated to upstream switches, which are upstream from the first switch in the network. The congestion notification message is then snooped by the upstream switches. Virtual queues within the upstream switches are associated with the identified packet flow to hold packets associated with the identified packet flow. The packets associated with the identified packet flow are then re-routed to bypass the packet congestion in the first switch.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, an apparatus includes a processor and logic integrated with and/or executable by the processor. The logic is configured to determine paths between a plurality of switches connected together in a system by performing path calculations based on a topology of the system. The logic is also configured to calculate one or more disjoint multi-paths from among the paths, the one or more disjoint multi-paths connecting a source device to a destination device. The source device is connected to a first switch of the plurality of switches, and the destination device is connected to a second switch of the plurality of switches. Moreover, the logic is configured to write the one or more disjoint multi-paths into a forwarding table of at least one device. Other systems and computer program products are presented according to more embodiments.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes selecting a flow from a head of a first control queue or a second control queue. The method also includes providing service to the selected flow. Moreover, the method includes decreasing a service credit of the selected flow by an amount corresponding to an amount of service provided to the selected flow. In another embodiment, a computer program product includes a computer readable storage medium having program code embodied therewith. The embodied program code is readable/executable by a device to select, by the device, a flow from a head of a first control queue or a second control queue. The embodied program code is also readable/executable to provide, by the device, service to the selected flow, and decrease, by the device, a service credit of the selected flow by an amount corresponding to an amount of service provided to the selected flow.

Abstract: Embodiments relate to software-defined networking (SDN) disaster recovery. An aspect is a computer-implemented method that includes establishing a plurality of flows, by an SDN controller, between a plurality of switches and pairs of servers in a network, including at least two different pairs of server types. Each server type runs a different operating system and a different disaster recovery manager in an active/active configuration. Data migration is controlled, by the SDN controller, between the pairs of servers in the network. The SDN controller dynamically reallocates the flows between the switches and the pairs of servers in the network based on detecting a fault in the network.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a system includes a hardware processor and logic integrated with and/or executable by the processor or media access control (MAC) functionality of a network port, the logic being adapted to initialize a link between a receiving endpoint and a sending endpoint, the receiving and sending endpoints being connected in a network fabric, wherein at least one virtual link is created within the link, receive an amount of available flow credits from the receiving endpoint, wherein the amount of available flow credits are used to determine a capacity to process packets at the receiving endpoint, and transmit one or more packets to the receiving endpoint until all packets are sent or the amount of available flow credits is insufficient to process additional packets, wherein exchange of flow credits is performed on a per virtual link basis.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a system includes a hardware processor and logic integrated with and/or executable by the processor. The logic is configured to classify a traffic flow into a traffic class based on at least one criteria related to the traffic flow and request that a credit manager remap flow credits corresponding to a first traffic class to flow credits corresponding to a second traffic class. In another embodiment, a method for providing credit-based flow control includes classifying a traffic flow into a traffic class based on at least one criteria related to the traffic flow, the traffic class being selected from a plurality of traffic classes. The method also includes storing an identifier indicating the traffic class of packets of the traffic flow according to a virtual local area network (VLAN) identifier in a three bit VLAN tag portion of a header of one or more of the packets.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a system includes processor; and logic integrated with and/or executable by the processor, the logic being adapted to: assign a VLAN type to each of a plurality of VLANs of an architecture; generate a VLAN list type-length-value (vTLV) message; and transmit information to resources based at least in part on the vTLV message, wherein the resources comprise at least one virtual switch and one or more of: at least one physical switch; at least one virtual port; at least one physical port; at least one virtual machine; at least one converged network adapter (CNA); and at least one fiber channel forwarder (FCF).

Abstract: Embodiments relate to proactively probing the packet queues of elements in a physical or virtual network to predict and prevent the occurrence of congestion points. An aspect includes receiving a first feedback request at a central controller connected to a plurality of switches in a network. The first feedback request includes a request to periodically probe a status of queues of switches in the network. A second feedback request is then transmitted to one or all the switches in a path leading to a designated destination. Responses to the second feedback request are received at the central controller from a designated proxy switch, which aggregated the responses into a single data packet. Accordingly, the responses extracted from the single data packet at the central controller are used to preventing future congestion points.

Abstract: Embodiments relate to proactively probing the packet queues of elements in a physical or virtual network to predict and prevent the occurrence of congestion points. An aspect includes receiving a first feedback request at a central controller connected to a plurality of switches in a network. The first feedback request includes a request to periodically probe a status of queues of switches in the network. A second feedback request is then transmitted to one or all the switches in a path leading to a designated destination. Responses to the second feedback request are received at the central controller from a designated proxy switch, which aggregated the responses into a single data packet. Accordingly, the responses extracted from the single data packet at the central controller are used to preventing future congestion points.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a system includes a processor and logic integrated with and/or executable by the processor, the logic being adapted to: receive a plurality of flows, each flow comprising packets of data, assign a service credit to each of the plurality of flows, assign a weight parameter to each of the plurality of flows, select a flow from a head of a first control queue unless the first control queue is empty or there is indication that the first control queue should be avoided, wherein a flow is selected from a head of a second control queue when the first control queue is empty or there is indication that the first control queue should be avoided, provide a number of units of service to the selected flow, and decrease the selected flow's service credit by an amount corresponding to the number of units of service provided thereto.