Patents by Inventor Clarence Filsfils

Clarence Filsfils has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20230388207
    Abstract: Techniques for optimizing technologies related to network path tracing and network delay measurements are described herein. Some of the techniques may include using an IPv6 header option and/or segment identifier field of a segment list or a TLV of a segment routing header as a telemetry data carrier. The techniques may also include using an SRv6 micro-segment (uSID) instruction to indicate to a node of a network that the node is to perform one or more path tracing actions and encapsulating the packet and forward. Additionally, the techniques may include using short interface identifiers corresponding to node interfaces to trace a packet path through a network. Further, the techniques may include using short timestamps to determine delay measurements associated with sending a packet through a network. In various examples, the techniques described above and herein may be used with each other to optimize network path tracing and delay measurement techniques.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 15, 2023
    Publication date: November 30, 2023
    Inventors: Clarence Filsfils, Ahmed Mohamed Ahmed Abdelsalam, Rakesh Gandhi, Pablo Camarillo Garvia, Francois Clad
  • Patent number: 11799757
    Abstract: Techniques for utilizing entropy labels of a Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) label stack for performing monitoring operations (e.g., telemetry, performance measurement, OAM, etc.) without altering the MPLS label stack and/or packet path (e.g., ECMP path). The techniques may include determining, by a node of a network, to perform a monitoring operation associated with traffic that is to be sent along a path through the network. In some examples, the node may receive a packet that is to be sent along the path and encapsulate the packet with an MPLS header. The MPLS header may include an entropy label, entropy label indicator, or other label that is capable of carrying a flag indicating the monitoring operation to be performed. The flag may be carried in a TTL field or traffic class field of the label such that the MPLS label stack is not altered to trigger the monitoring operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Rakesh Gandhi, Clarence Filsfils
  • Publication number: 20230336450
    Abstract: Techniques for optimizing technologies related to network path tracing and network delay measurements are described herein. Some of the techniques may include using an IPv6 header option and/or segment identifier field of a segment list or a TLV of a segment routing header as a telemetry data carrier. The techniques may also include using an SRv6 micro-segment (uSID) instruction to indicate to a node of a network that the node is to perform one or more path tracing actions and encapsulating the packet and forward. Additionally, the techniques may include using short interface identifiers corresponding to node interfaces to trace a packet path through a network. Further, the techniques may include using short timestamps to determine delay measurements associated with sending a packet through a network. In various examples, the techniques described above and herein may be used with each other to optimize network path tracing and delay measurement techniques.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 8, 2023
    Publication date: October 19, 2023
    Inventors: Clarence Filsfils, Ahmed Mohamed Ahmed Abdelsalam, Rakesh Gandhi, Pablo Camarillo Garvia, Francois Clad
  • Patent number: 11785053
    Abstract: In one embodiment, an apparatus includes one or more processors and one or more computer-readable non-transitory storage media coupled to the one or more processors. The one or more computer-readable non-transitory storage media include instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the apparatus to perform operations including determining a path through a plurality of provider nodes within a provider network and determining that the path through the plurality of provider nodes within the provider network is secure. The operations also include receiving, from a customer node, a Resource Reservation Protocol (RSVP) path message comprising an attribute for a security request. The operations further include routing the RSVP path message along the path of the plurality of provider nodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Assignee: CISCO TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventors: Clarence Filsfils, David Delano Ward, Reshad Rahman, Subhasri Dhesikan, Eric Albin Voit
  • Patent number: 11784889
    Abstract: An apparatus and method is disclosed for segment routing (SR) over label distribution protocol (LDP). In one embodiment, the method includes a node receiving a packet with an attached segment ID. In response, the node may attach a label to the packet. Thereafter, the node may forward the packet with the attached label and segment ID to another node via a label switched path (LSP).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2023
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Assignee: CISCO TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventors: Ahmed R. Bashandy, Clarence Filsfils, David D. Ward
  • Publication number: 20230300067
    Abstract: Techniques and mechanisms for compressing the size of SIDs to be smaller than a complete IPv6 address (or “micro SIDs”), and scaling micro SIDs across a multi-domain environment using micro SID-domain-blocks. Segment routing over IPv6 (SRv6) uses 128-bit IPv6 addresses as SIDs for segment routing. According to this disclosure, multiple SRv6 SIDs may be expressed in a compact format such that a 128-bit IPv6 address, such as the destination address field of the IPv6 header, may store multiple micro SIDs. Further, SID-domain-blocks may be assigned to each domain in a multi-domain network such that micro SIDs may be expressed in the context of a given domain, rather than being shared in the global multi-domain network. In this way, lists of domain-specific SIDs may be fully expressed in the IPv6 destination address of the packet to scale micro SID into large, multi-domain networks.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 22, 2023
    Publication date: September 21, 2023
    Inventors: Clarence Filsfils, Francois Clad, Zafar Ali, Peter Psenak
  • Patent number: 11757744
    Abstract: Techniques for optimizing technologies related to network path tracing and network delay measurements are described herein. Some of the techniques may include using an IPv6 header option and/or segment identifier field of a segment list or a TLV of a segment routing header as a telemetry data carrier. The techniques may also include using an SRv6 micro-segment (uSID) instruction to indicate to a node of a network that the node is to perform one or more path tracing actions and encapsulating the packet and forward. Additionally, the techniques may include using short interface identifiers corresponding to node interfaces to trace a packet path through a network. Further, the techniques may include using short timestamps to determine delay measurements associated with sending a packet through a network. In various examples, the techniques described above and herein may be used with each other to optimize network path tracing and delay measurement techniques.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Clarence Filsfils, Ahmed Mohamed Ahmed Abdelsalam, Rakesh Gandhi, Pablo Camarillo Garvia, Francois Clad
  • Publication number: 20230283568
    Abstract: The present technology is directed to a system and method for implementing network resource partitioning and Quality of Service (QoS) separation through network slicing. Embodiments of the present invention describe scalable network slicing method based on defining Segment Routing Flexible Algorithm to represent a network slice and assigning a distinct QoS policy queue to each of the Flexible Algorithms configured on a network node. Therefore, scalable network slice based queuing is implemented wherein a single packet processing queue is assigned to each Flex-Algorithm based network slice. QoS policy queue may be implemented in a hierarchical fashion by differentiation between flow packets in a single QoS policy queue based on value of experimental bits in the header.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 6, 2023
    Publication date: September 7, 2023
    Inventors: Clarence Filsfils, Zafar Ali, Pablo Camarillo Garvia, Francois Clad
  • Patent number: 11736340
    Abstract: The present technology is directed to signaling unreachability of a network device, more specifically, a prefix of the network device in network that utilizes route summarization. A pulse trigger agent can detect an unreachability of at least one Provider Edge (PE) device in a network domain of a network and determine that a route summarization is being used within the network where the unreachability of the at least one PE device is hidden by the route summarization. A pulse distribution agent can transmit a failure message informing other PE devices of the unreachability of the at least one PE device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Peter Psenak, Lester C. Ginsberg, Ketan Jivan Talaulikar, Clarence Filsfils, Francois Clad, Stephane Litkowski
  • Patent number: 11736397
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a packet tracing mechanism will be described that provides packet tracing information to a mobile network controller. In one aspect, a method includes receiving a data packet sent from a source node to a destination node; determining if the data packet is to be updated with packet tracing information; and upon determining that the data packet is to be updated, updating the packet tracing information of the data packet to include identification of the network device and an ingress timestamp of the data packet at the network device for a corresponding network controller to determining network routing policies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Clarence Filsfils, Pablo Camarillo Garvia
  • Publication number: 20230254246
    Abstract: A network node receives a data packet. In response to receiving the data packet, the network node performs a lookup on a label stack of the data packet to determine a next hop for the data packet. The network node scans the label stack to identify a Structured Entropy Label (SEL). The SEL includes a Path Tracing Indicator (PTI). The network node computes Midpoint Compressed Data (MCD) as a result of the PTI being set to a pre-defined value. The network node records the MCD in a MCD stack of the data packet by shifting the MCD stack and stamping the MCD on top of the MCD stack. The network node transmits the data packet to the next hop with the recorded MCD stack. The network sink node encapsulates the received data packet to generate an encapsulated data packet and transmits the data packet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2023
    Publication date: August 10, 2023
    Inventors: Clarence Filsfils, Ahmed Mohamed Ahmed Abdelsalam, Rakesh Gandhi, Pablo Camarillo Garvia
  • Patent number: 11722404
    Abstract: Techniques and mechanisms for compressing the size of SIDs to be smaller than a complete IPv6 address (or “micro SIDs”), and scaling micro SIDs across a multi-domain environment using micro SID-domain-blocks. Segment routing over IPv6 (SRv6) uses 128-bit IPv6 addresses as SIDs for segment routing. According to this disclosure, multiple SRv6 SIDs may be expressed in a compact format such that a 128-bit IPv6 address, such as the destination address field of the IPv6 header, may store multiple micro SIDs. Further, SID-domain-blocks may be assigned to each domain in a multi-domain network such that micro SIDs may be expressed in the context of a given domain, rather than being shared in the global multi-domain network. In this way, lists of domain-specific SIDs may be fully expressed in the IPv6 destination address of the packet to scale micro SID into large, multi-domain networks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Clarence Filsfils, Francois Clad, Zafar Ali, Peter Psenak
  • Patent number: 11716268
    Abstract: Techniques for optimizing technologies related to network path tracing and network delay measurements are described herein. Some of the techniques may include using an IPv6 header option and/or segment identifier field of a segment list or a TLV of a segment routing header as a telemetry data carrier. The techniques may also include using an SRv6 micro-segment (uSID) instruction to indicate to a node of a network that the node is to perform one or more path tracing actions and encapsulating the packet and forward. Additionally, the techniques may include using short interface identifiers corresponding to node interfaces to trace a packet path through a network. Further, the techniques may include using short timestamps to determine delay measurements associated with sending a packet through a network. In various examples, the techniques described above and herein may be used with each other to optimize network path tracing and delay measurement techniques.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2023
    Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Clarence Filsfils, Ahmed Mohamed Ahmed Abdelsalam, Rakesh Gandhi, Pablo Camarillo Garvia, Francois Clad
  • Publication number: 20230239217
    Abstract: An apparatus and method is disclosed for segment routing (SR) over label distribution protocol (LDP). In one embodiment, the method includes a node receiving a packet with an attached segment ID. In response, the node may attach a label to the packet. Thereafter, the node may forward the packet with the attached label and segment ID to another node via a label switched path (LSP).
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2023
    Publication date: July 27, 2023
    Inventors: Ahmed R. Bashandy, Clarence Filsfils, David D. Ward
  • Patent number: 11706133
    Abstract: The present technology pertains to a group-based network policy using Segment Routing over an IPv6 dataplane (SRv6). After a source application sends a packet, an ingress node can receive the packet, and if the source node is capable, it can identify an application policy and apply it. The ingress node indicates that the policy has been applied by including policy bits in the packet encapsulation. When the packet is received by the egress node, it can determine whether the policy was already applied, and if so, the packet is forward to the destination application. If the egress node determines that the policy has not be applied the destination application can apply the policy. Both the ingress node and egress nodes can learn of source application groups, destination application groups, and applicable policies through communication with aspects of the segment routing fabric.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Clarence Filsfils, Ahmed Mohamed Ahmed Abdelsalam, Francois Clad, Pablo Camarillo Garvia, Kiran Sasidharan Pillai
  • Publication number: 20230216788
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes determining a secure path through a first plurality of network nodes within a network and determining an alternate secure path through a second plurality of network nodes within the network. The method also includes routing network traffic through the first plurality of network nodes of the secure path and detecting a failure in the secure path using single-hop BFD authentication. The method further includes rerouting the network traffic through the second plurality of network nodes of the alternate secure path.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2023
    Publication date: July 6, 2023
    Inventors: Clarence Filsfils, Reshad Rahman, Eric Albin Voit
  • Patent number: 11689427
    Abstract: An apparatus and method is disclosed for segment routing (SR) over label distribution protocol (LDP). In one embodiment, the method includes a node receiving a packet with an attached segment ID. In response, the node may attach a label to the packet. Thereafter, the node may forward the packet with the attached label and segment ID to another node via a label switched path (LSP).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: CISCO TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventors: Ahmed R. Bashandy, Clarence Filsfils, David D. Ward
  • Patent number: 11683265
    Abstract: A network node receives a data packet. In response to receiving the data packet, the network node performs a lookup on a label stack of the data packet to determine a next hop for the data packet. The network node scans the label stack to identify a Structured Entropy Label (SEL). The SEL includes a Path Tracing Indicator (PTI). The network node computes Midpoint Compressed Data (MCD) as a result of the PTI being set to a pre-defined value. The network node records the MCD in a MCD stack of the data packet by shifting the MCD stack and stamping the MCD on top of the MCD stack. The network node transmits the data packet to the next hop with the recorded MCD stack. The network sink node encapsulates the received data packet to generate an encapsulated data packet and transmits the data packet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2023
    Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Clarence Filsfils, Ahmed Mohamed Ahmed Abdelsalam, Rakesh Gandhi, Pablo Camarillo Garvia
  • Patent number: 11671346
    Abstract: Various systems and methods for using strict path forwarding. For example, one method involves receiving an advertisement at a node. The advertisement includes a segment identifier (SID). In response to receiving the advertisement, the node determines whether the SID is a strict SID or not. If the SID is a strict SID, the node generates information, such as forwarding information that indicates how to forward packets along a strict shortest path corresponding to the strict SID.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Assignee: CISCO TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventors: Peter Psenak, Robert Hanzl, Clarence Filsfils, Ketan Jivan Talaulikar
  • Patent number: 11658847
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a segment routing and tunnel exchange provides packet forwarding efficiencies in a network, including providing an exchange between a segment routing domain and a packet tunnel domain. One application includes the segment routing and tunnel exchange interfacing segment routing packet forwarding (e.g., in a Evolved Packet Core (EPC) and/or 5-G user plane) and packet tunnel forwarding in access networks (e.g., replacing a portion of a tunnel between an access node and a user plane function for accessing a corresponding data network). In one embodiment, a network provides mobility services using a segment routing data plane that spans segment routing and tunnel exchange(s) and segment routing-enabled user plane functions. One embodiment uses the segment routing data plane without any modification to a (radio) access network (R)AN (e.g., Evolved NodeB, Next Generation NodeB) nor to user equipment (e.g., any end user device).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Pablo Camarillo Garvia, Hendrikus G. P. Bosch, Clarence Filsfils