Abstract: In one embodiment, an exploratory linktrace is initiated from an initiating network device with an exploratory linktrace message (ELM) having a target address. Each network device receiving the ELM may then propagate the ELM on a plurality of its ports to a plurality of downstream network devices based on the target address. In addition, each receiving network device returns an exploratory linktrace reply (ELR) for each of the plurality of ports, where each ELR is returned according to one or more mechanisms to mitigate stormed replies to the initiating network device.

Abstract: In one embodiment, an exploratory linktrace is initiated from an initiating network device with an exploratory linktrace message (ELM) having a target address. Each network device receiving the ELM may then propagate the ELM on a plurality of its ports to a plurality of downstream network devices based on the target address. In addition, each receiving network device returns an exploratory linktrace reply (ELR) for each of the plurality of ports, where each ELR is returned according to one or more mechanisms to mitigate stormed replies to the initiating network device.

Abstract: In one embodiment, an exploratory linktrace is initiated from an initiating network device with an exploratory linktrace message (ELM) having a target address. Each network device receiving the ELM may then propagate the ELM on a plurality of its ports to a plurality of downstream network devices based on the target address. In addition, each receiving network device returns an exploratory linktrace reply (ELR) for each of the plurality of ports, where each ELR is returned according to one or more mechanisms to mitigate stormed replies to the initiating network device.

Abstract: In one embodiment, an exploratory linktrace is initiated from an initiating network device with an exploratory linktrace message (ELM) having a target address. Each network device receiving the ELM may then propagate the ELM on a plurality of its ports to a plurality of downstream network devices based on the target address. In addition, each receiving network device returns an exploratory linktrace reply (ELR) for each of the plurality of ports, where each ELR is returned according to one or more mechanisms to mitigate stormed replies to the initiating network device.

Abstract: In one embodiment, an exploratory linktrace is initiated from an initiating network device with an exploratory linktrace message (ELM) having a target address. Each network device receiving the ELM may then propagate the ELM on a plurality of its ports to a plurality of downstream network devices based on the target address. In addition, each receiving network device returns an exploratory linktrace reply (ELR) for each of the plurality of ports, where each ELR is returned according to one or more mechanisms to mitigate stormed replies to the initiating network device.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a network device is configured to generate a control protocol packet containing a source address of the network device and a destination address. The network device is configured to translate the source address to a interface device address of a first communication interface device included in the network device. The control protocol packet can be transmitted over the network by a second communication interface device included in the network device for receipt by a device based on the destination address.

Abstract: In one embodiment, an exploratory linktrace is initiated from an initiating network device with an exploratory linktrace message (ELM) having a target address. Each network device receiving the ELM may then propagate the ELM on a plurality of its ports to a plurality of downstream network devices based on the target address. In addition, each receiving network device returns an exploratory linktrace reply (ELR) for each of the plurality of ports, where each ELR is returned according to one or more mechanisms to mitigate stormed replies to the initiating network device.

Abstract: In one embodiment, an exploratory linktrace is initiated from an initiating network device with an exploratory linktrace message (ELM) having a target address. Each network device receiving the ELM may then propagate the ELM on a plurality of its ports to a plurality of downstream network devices based on the target address. In addition, each receiving network device returns an exploratory linktrace reply (ELR) for each of the plurality of ports, where each ELR is returned according to one or more mechanisms to mitigate stormed replies to the initiating network device.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a network device is configured to generate a control protocol packet containing a source address of the network device and a destination address. The network device is configured to translate the source address to a interface device address of a first communication interface device included in the network device. The control protocol packet can be transmitted over the network by a second communication interface device included in the network device for receipt by a device based on the destination address.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a network device is configured to generate a control protocol packet containing a source address of the network device and a destination address. The network device is configured to translate the source address to a interface device address of a first communication interface device included in the network device. The control protocol packet can be transmitted over the network by a second communication interface device included in the network device for receipt by a device based on the destination address.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a network device is configured to generate a control protocol packet containing a source address of the network device and a destination address. The network device is configured to translate the source address to a interface device address of a first communication interface device included in the network device. The control protocol packet can be transmitted over the network by a second communication interface device included in the network device for receipt by a device based on the destination address.

Abstract: In one embodiment, an exploratory linktrace is initiated from an initiating network device with an exploratory linktrace message (ELM) having a target address. Each network device receiving the ELM may then propagate the ELM on a plurality of its ports to a plurality of downstream network devices based on the target address. In addition, each receiving network device returns an exploratory linktrace reply (ELR) for each of the plurality of ports, where each ELR is returned according to one or more mechanisms to mitigate stormed replies to the initiating network device.

Abstract: In one embodiment, an exploratory linktrace is initiated from an initiating network device with an exploratory linktrace message (ELM) having a target address. Each network device receiving the ELM may then propagate the ELM on a plurality of its ports to a plurality of downstream network devices based on the target address. In addition, each receiving network device returns an exploratory linktrace reply (ELR) for each of the plurality of ports, where each ELR is returned according to one or more mechanisms to mitigate stormed replies to the initiating network device.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for establishing update groups of peers having matching outbound policies are disclosed. When a change in the outbound policy of a peer is identified, the update group membership of the peer is resolved.

Abstract: A partial best path technique distributes route selection in a routing protocol implementation on a router. The technique also ensures that announced paths received from peers of the router (i.e., a “load”) are compared in a correct order to select best paths that are then used by the router to forward packets and to advertise to the peers. When employed in a distributed architecture, the technique further reduces memory usage. To that end, the partial best path technique enhances a best path selection algorithm executed by the router to enable dispersion of the received path load among processing nodes or elements of the router, while maintaining the ordering requirement of the algorithm. The partial best path technique essentially provides an enhancement to the best path selection algorithm that selects a subset of paths from a plurality of paths, with that subset being the minimal subset needed to select the best paths.