Abstract: A method is implemented by a network device to minimize multicast traffic loss or duplication in response to an update to multicast group membership in a network where multicast group membership changes can disrupt multicast traffic delivery to other members of the multicast group. The method receives a registration for the multicast group including a member since version number that is greater than the version number currently advertised by the root for a multicast distribution tree (MDT) that serves the multicast group. The root advertises a new MDT identifier (ID) with a new version number for the MDT that serves the multicast group in the network, and switches distribution of multicast group traffic from the current version of the MDT that serves the multicast group to the new version of the MDT that serves the multicast group after a pre-determined time.

Abstract: A method is implemented by a network device that receives a packet at an access gateway function from a residential gateway, detects an Ethertype for the received packet, detects a version for the received packet, looks up session and state information for the packet as a result of the detecting of the Ethertype and the version indicating that the packet is a fixed mobile convergence (FMC) user plane (UP) encapsulation, and processes the packet according to policies for FMC UP encapsulation.

Abstract: A method implemented by a network device for multicasting packets in a network. The method reduces an overall number of hops that copies of a packet traverse in the network to serve a set of multicast destination nodes. The method includes receiving a packet, determining a first subset of multicast destination nodes that is a subset of the set of multicast destination nodes that is reachable on a shortest path through a first outgoing interface, determining a second subset of multicast destination nodes that is a subset of the set of multicast destination nodes that is reachable on a shortest path through a second outgoing interface, determining whether the first subset of multicast destination nodes is a proper subset of the second subset of multicast destination nodes, and removing the first outgoing interface from consideration in response to determining that the first subset is a proper subset of the second subset.

Abstract: A network device functioning as an ingress tunnel router facilitates multicast traffic forwarding and mobility in a network with mobile devices by receiving data traffic to broadcast to a multicast group, querying a locator identifier separation protocol (LISP) mapping system to get a list of routing locators (RLOCS) for members of the multicast group, constructing a bit indexed explicit replication (BIER) bitmap of the RLOC, and forwarding data traffic for the multicast group using the BIER bitmap. Whereas a network device functioning as an egress tunnel router supports handover processes by receiving a join for a multicast group from a subscriber node, registering interest in the multicast group with the LISP mapping system, receiving data traffic using a BIER bitmap identifying the egress tunnel router, and forwarding the multicast group data traffic to the subscriber node.

Abstract: A method is implemented by a network device in a cellular communication network. The method to improve handover processing by a source evolved universal terrestrial radio access network (E-UTRAN) node B (eNodeB) where the source eNodeB forwards traffic destined for a user equipment (UE) that is transferring its connection to a target eNodeB to enable mobility within the cellular communication network without anchor points. The method including receiving a handover request from the UE identifying the target eNodeB, sending a handover message to the target eNodeB, determining the UE is unavailable to the source eNodeB, and redirecting traffic for the UE to the target eNodeB.

Abstract: A method is implemented by a network device in a network including a plurality of network devices. The method implements multicast forwarding configuration resulting in reduced state for the network by utilizing unicast tunneling between a root, replication points and leaves that implement each multicast distribution tree. The method selects a multicast group to determine forwarding configuration for the selected multicast group, prunes a shortest path tree for the selected multicast group to generate a source group tree, and determines whether the network device is a root or a replication node for the source group tree. The method further checks whether a downstream leaf or replicating node is adjacent to the network device, and where the selected branch does not have an adjacent replication node or leaf, identifies the next replicating node or leaf on the selected branch, and configures the network device to forward multicast group traffic using a unicast tunnel.

Abstract: A method is implemented by a network device functioning as an evolved universal terrestrial radio access network (E-UTRAN) node B (eNodeB) in a cellular communication network to support incremental deployment of identifier locator network protocol (ILNP) breakout in the cellular communication network. The method includes advertising a first access point name (APN) and a second APN to a user equipment (UE), where the first APN is associated with a user plane packet gateway (P-GWu) that is implemented at the source eNodeB, and where the second APN is associated with a packet gateway (P-GW) in a core of the cellular communication network.

Abstract: A method is implemented by a network device in a cellular communication network. The method to improve handover processing by a source evolved universal terrestrial radio access network (E-UTRAN) node B (eNodeB) where the source eNodeB forwards traffic destined for a user equipment (UE) that is transferring its connection to a target eNodeB to enable mobility within the cellular communication network without anchor points. The method including receiving a handover request from the UE identifying the target eNodeB, sending a handover message to the target eNodeB, determining the UE is unavailable to the source eNodeB, and redirecting traffic for the UE to the target eNodeB.

Abstract: A method is implemented by a network device to minimize multicast traffic loss or duplication in response to an update to multicast group membership in a network where multicast group membership changes can disrupt multicast traffic delivery to other members of the multicast group. The method receives a registration for the multicast group including a member since version number that is greater than the version number currently advertised by the root for a multicast distribution tree (MDT) that serves the multicast group. The root advertises a new MDT identifier (ID) with a new version number for the MDT that serves the multicast group in the network, and switches distribution of multicast group traffic from the current version of the MDT that serves the multicast group to the new version of the MDT that serves the multicast group after a pre-determined time.

Abstract: A method implemented by a network device in a cellular communication network with a distributed data plane serving gateway (S-GWu) at an evolved universal terrestrial radio access network (E-UTRAN) node B (eNodeB). The method enables an ingress tunnel router to forward traffic between devices connected to the cellular communication network via location identifier separation protocol (LISP) to enable mobility within the cellular communication network without anchor points.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is executed by a network device in a source packet in routing (SPRING) network. The method is to establish a multipoint to multipoint multicast distribution tree where the network device is selected as a rendezvous point for the multipoint to multipoint multicast distribution tree. The method includes advertising the rendezvous point with a multicast group identifier and multicast segment identifier via a control plane protocol, receiving at least one interest registration from receivers of the multicast group via the control plane protocol, and constructing the multipoint to multipoint multicast distribution tree with the rendezvous point as a root and each of the receivers as leaves using unicast tunnels and replication points.

Abstract: A method is implemented by a network device operating as a content node for securely distributing a content object over an information centric networking (ICN) network. The method implements a unique obscured retrieval sequence. The method includes receiving an interest for a chunk of the content object from a client device, where the chunk is identified with an obscured chunk identifier, translating the obscured chunk identifier into a general chunk identifier for the content object, and sending the chunk of the content object to the client device.

Abstract: According to another embodiment of the invention, TWAMP path discovery is performed to determine a sequence of IP addresses of a forward direction TWAMP E2E path to be traversed by two different TWAMP test sessions between a Sender and a Reflector. Then, additional TWAMP test request packets are transmitted for the different TWAMP test sessions; and TWAMP test reply messages are received responsive to respective ones of the TWAMP test request packets. Responsive to the TWAMP test reply messages, a PM is determined that is specific to the different sequences of IP addresses of the forward direction TWAMP E2E paths traversed by the two different TWAMP test sessions.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is executed by a network device in a source packet in routing (SPRING) network. The method is to establish a multipoint to multipoint multicast distribution tree where the network device is selected as a rendezvous point for the multipoint to multipoint multicast distribution tree. The method includes advertising the rendezvous point with a multicast group identifier and multicast segment identifier via a control plane protocol, receiving at least one interest registration from receivers of the multicast group via the control plane protocol, and constructing the multipoint to multipoint multicast distribution tree with the rendezvous point as a root and each of the receivers as leaves using unicast tunnels and replication points.

Abstract: A method is implemented by a networking device functioning as a computing node. The method resolves sub-trees of a loosely specified multicast distribution tree (MDT). The method utilizes global identifiers for sub-trees of the MDT to enable differentiation of traffic destined for different sub-trees of the MDT at shared replication nodes. The method can be implemented at or for each of the nodes of the network that are part of the MDT.

Abstract: A method implemented by a network device for multicasting packets in a network. The method reduces an overall number of hops that copies of a packet traverse in the network to serve a set of multicast destination nodes. The method includes receiving a packet, determining a first subset of multicast destination nodes that is a subset of the set of multicast destination nodes that is reachable on a shortest path through a first outgoing interface, determining a second subset of multicast destination nodes that is a subset of the set of multicast destination nodes that is reachable on a shortest path through a second outgoing interface, determining whether the first subset of multicast destination nodes is a proper subset of the second subset of multicast destination nodes, and removing the first outgoing interface from consideration in response to determining that the first subset is a proper subset of the second subset.

Abstract: A method is implemented by a networking device that is functioning as a computing node. The method resolves sub-trees of a loosely specified multicast distribution tree (MDT). The method utilizes global identifiers for sub-trees to enable differentiation of traffic of different sub-trees at shared replication nodes. The method is implemented at each of the nodes of the network that are part of the MDT.

Abstract: A method of supporting service chaining at a network device of a data network is disclosed. The data network offers a set of services associated with a set of network devices, where subscribers of the data network are served by chains of one or more services. The method starts upon receiving a frame, and the network device selects a chain of one or more services for the frame to be processed by the data network. The network device encapsulates the frame with a reflected frame message (RFM) header, the RFM header containing source information associated with the network device, destination information associated with an immediate next service for the frame to be processed, an operation code indicating the frame being an RFM frame. Then the network device sends the encapsulated frame out of the network device according to the destination information of the encapsulated frame.

Abstract: A method and system implemented by a computing device to establish a session between a residential gateway and a virtual edge network function (vENF) in a network function virtualization infrastructure (NFVI) over an access network where a plurality of residential gateways are connected to the access network through a plurality of access nodes that tunnel edge network function requests to the NFVI via a NFVI gateway the broadcasts initial service requests to a plurality of VENF in the NFVI. The method defines a process for a vENF to self-select to service an initial service session request from the residential gateway.

Abstract: A method is provided that is implemented by a network device to simplify a topology graph of a network to generate a multicast distribution tree, the method to reduce the complexity of the topology graph while enabling a creation of the multicast distribution tree such that the computational complexity of generating the multicast distribution tree is reduced, the method including computing a shortest path to all nodes of the topology graph rooted at a source node S, determining a metric for each adjacency on each shortest path of the topology graph for the multicast group G, construct an (S, G) graph with only source node S, leaves and candidate replication points, and prune the (S, G) graph using a set of pruning processes to fully resolve the multicast distribution tree, where full resolution can be determined, and the first set of pruning processes if successful are known to produce a minimum cost tree.