Abstract: A local network device of a network switching system determines, based on a first set of received packets that contain markings indicating congestion at one or more other network devices in the network switching system, one or more respective congestion levels of one or more network paths through the network switching system. The local network device selects, based on determined congestion levels, network paths via which a second set of received packets are to be forwarded for load balancing. The local network device alters header information in the second set of received packets, the altered header information to be used by other network devices in the network switching system to make network path selections so that the second set of received packets are subsequently forwarded responsively to the altered header information along the selected network paths within the network switching system.

Abstract: A local network device receives a plurality of packets via a plurality of network paths in a network system, and counts respective numbers of packets, per network path, that are marked, in Internet Protocol (IP) headers and/or headers corresponding to one or more protocols above an IP layer, to indicate congestion at one or more remote network devices in the network system. The local network device determines respective congestion levels of network paths among the plurality of paths based on the respective numbers of received packets that are marked to indicate congestion at one or more remote network devices in the network system, and performs load balancing operations using at least the respective determined congestion levels.

Abstract: A packet received by a network device via a network. A first portion of the packet is stored in a packet memory, the first portion including at least a payload of the packet. The packet is processed based on information from a header of the packet. After the packet is processed, a second portion of the packet is stored in the packet memory, the second portion including at least a portion of the header of the packet. When the packet is to be transmitted the first portion of the packet and the second portion of the packet are retrieved from the packet memory, and the first portion and the second portion are combined to generate a transmit packet. The transmit packet is forwarded to a port of the network device for transmission of the transmit packet via port of the network device.

Abstract: A packet type corresponding to a packet received by a network device is determined. Based on the packet type, one or more header fields to be extracted from a header of the packet are identified. Identifying the one or more header fields includes extracting, from a memory based on the packet type, respective indicators of locations of the one or more header fields and respective indicators of sizes of the one or more header fields. The one or more identified header fields from the header of the packet, based on the respective indicators of locations of the one or more header fields and respective indicators of sizes of the one or more header fields. The packet is then processed based on the one or more header fields extracted from the header. The processing includes deter mining at least one port to which to forward the packet.

Abstract: At least a payload of a packet that is received by a network device is stored in a packet memory. The packet is processed at least to determine at least one egress port via which the packet is to be transmitted, modify a header of the packet to generate a modified header, and determine, based at least in part on the modified header, whether the packet is to be transmitted or to be discarded by the network device. In response to determining that the packet is to be transmitted, the at least the payload of the packet is retrieved from the packet memory, a transmit packet is generated at least by combining the at least the payload of the packet with the modified header, and the transmit packet is transmitted via the determined at least one egress port of the network device.

Abstract: In a method for egress processing packets in a network device, a first stage engine, implemented in hardware, identifies a particular set of computer-readable instructions for a particular packet. The particular set of computer-readable instructions is identified from among a plurality of sets of computer-readable instructions stored in a memory, respective ones of the plurality of sets of computer-readable instructions being for performing different sets of egress processing operations with respect to different packets. A second stage processor, configured to execute computer-readable instructions stored in the memory, executes the particular set of computer-readable instructions, identified by the first stage engine, to perform the corresponding set of egress processing with respect to the particular packet.

Abstract: A packet received by a network device via a network. A first portion of the packet is stored in a packet memory, the first portion including at least a payload of the packet. The packet is processed based on information from a header of the packet. After the packet is processed, a second portion of the packet is stored in the packet memory, the second portion including at least a portion of the header of the packet. When the packet is to be transmitted the first portion of the packet and the second portion of the packet are retrieved from the packet memory, and the first portion and the second portion are combined to generate a transmit packet.

Abstract: A packet is received at a network device. The packet is processed by the network device to determine at least one egress port via which to transmit the packet, and to perform egress classification of the packet based at least in part on information determined for the packet during processing of the packet. Egress classification includes determining whether the packet should not be transmitted by the network device. When it is not determined that the packet should not be transmitted by the network device, a copy of the packet is generated for mirroring of the packet to a destination other than the determined at least one egress port, and the packet is enqueued in an egress queue corresponding to the determined at least one egress port. The packet is subsequently transferred to the determined at least one egress port for transmission of the packet.

Abstract: A general load balancing value for a packet received by a network device is generated based at least in part on information in a header of the packet. The packet is directed to a network interface group comprising a set of network interfaces via which the packet can be transmitted towards a destination of the packet. A group-specific load balancing value for the packet is then determined based on group-specific load balancing configuration corresponding to the network interface group and is used to select a network interface, from among the set of network interfaces, and the packet is transmitted towards the destination of the packet via the selected network interface. The group-specific load balancing configuration corresponding to the network interface group is subsequently reconfigured to redistribute selection of network interfaces, among the set of network interfaces, for transmission of packets subsequently directed to the network interface group.

Abstract: A network device comprises time measurement units configured to measure receipt times and transmit times of packets received/transmitted via network interfaces. One or more memories store configuration information that indicates certain network interface pairs and/or certain packet flows that are enabled for latency measurement. A packet processor includes a latency monitoring trigger unit configured to select, using the configuration information, packets that are forwarded between the certain network interface pairs and/or that belong to the certain packet flows for latency monitoring.

Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure provide a network switch having a plurality of physical ports, a detector and a packet processing pipeline. Each of plurality of physical ports is associated with one or more network paths in a transport network to transmit/receive traffic of the network paths. The detector is configured to detect loss of continuity (LOC) on the network paths. The packet processing pipeline is configured to identify first two or more logical interfaces mapped to a first network path, determine second two or more logical interfaces mapped to a second network path that is an alternate network path for the first network path, and use the second two or more logical interfaces in forwarding decisions in response to a detection of LOC on the first network path, such that traffic to the first network path is sent to a physical port associated with the second network path.

Abstract: A packet received by a network device via a network. A first portion of the packet is stored in a packet memory, the first portion including at least a payload of the packet. The packet is processed based on information from a header of the packet. After the packet is processed, a second portion of the packet is stored in the packet memory, the second portion including at least a portion of the header of the packet. When the packet is to be transmitted the first portion of the packet and the second portion of the packet are retrieved from the packet memory, and the first portion and the second portion are combined to generate a transmit packet.

Abstract: A switching system comprises a controlling switch and multiple port extenders. The controlling switch includes: a plurality of controlling switch ports; and a first packet processor having a first forwarding engine. The first forwarding engine is configured to forward packets received at any controlling switch port to any other controlling switch port. Each of at least some multiple port extenders includes: at least one local upstream port coupled to the controlling switch directly or via another port extender; a plurality of local downstream ports; and a second packet processor having a second forwarding engine and a forwarding database. The second forwarding engine is configured to forward packets i) received at the downstream ports, and ii) for which the forwarding database does not include forwarding information, only to the at least one upstream port. The second packet processor has reduced functionality as compared to the first packet processor.

Abstract: A method for managing an alert generated by a sensor of a security system that is associated with a property, the method comprises: receiving, by a server, a first indication about the alert; searching, by the server and in one or more data structures, for a validator that is associated with a validator address that is within a first predefined area that comprises a location of the property; sending, by the server, to a device of the validator, a validation request for validating the alert; and informing at least one entity out of a police and a central monitoring station about the alert after the validator validated the alert.

Abstract: A network device comprises time measurement units configured to measure receipt times and transmit times of packets received/transmitted via network interfaces. One or more memories store configuration information that indicates certain network interface pairs and/or certain packet flows that are enabled for latency measurement. A packet processor includes a latency monitoring trigger unit configured to select, using the configuration information, packets that are forwarded between the certain network interface pairs and/or that belong to the certain packet flows for latency monitoring.

Abstract: In a network device, a flow classification hardware engine is configured to: store flow state information regarding known flows of packets in a flow information table in association with respective assigned flow identifiers (IDs). The assigned flow IDs are from an ordered set of M flow IDs, where M is a positive integer. In response to detecting new flows of packets, the flow classification hardware engine: i) assigns respective flow IDs, from the ordered set of M flow IDs, to the new flows, and ii) creates respective entries in the flow information table for the new flows. An embedded processor periodically, as part of a background process: i) identifies an oldest assigned flow ID, from the ordered set of M flow IDs, and ii) makes storage space in the flow information table corresponding to the oldest assigned flow ID available for a new flow.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for processing a received packet based on associated state information. A packet processor of a network device receives a packet from a network. The received packet is classified as belonging to at least one respective identified flow from among a plurality of identified flows. For a respective received packet that belongs to an identified flow a current state value for the identified flow is ascertained based on a state table. The current state value is assigned to the respective received packet based on the current state value using the state table for the identified flow. A packet processing operation is subsequently performed on the respective received packet based in part on the state value of the identified flow to which the respective packet belongs.

Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure provide a method for processing packets in a network device. The method can include populating a policy database with one or more bidirectional rules that are to be selectively applied in a packet processing operation. Ones of the bidirectional rules can include at least: a first address field populated with a first value corresponding to a source address for first packet flow that is traversing a network in a first direction and to a destination address for second packet flow that is traversing the network in a second direction different from the first direction, a second address field populated with a second value, and an action that is applicable to packet flow having a respective source address and destination address corresponding to the first values stored in the first address field and to the second values stored in the second address field.

Abstract: A packet type corresponding to a packet received by a network device is determined. Based on the packet type, one or more header fields to be extracted from a header of the packet are identified. Identifying the one or more header fields includes extracting, from a memory based on the packet type, respective indicators of locations of the one or more header fields and respective indicators of sizes of the one or more header fields. The one or more identified header fields from the header of the packet, based on the respective indicators of locations of the one or more header fields and respective indicators of sizes of the one or more header fields. The packet is then processed based on the one or more header fields extracted from the header. The processing includes deter mining at least one port to which to forward the packet.

Abstract: In a method for egress processing packets in a network device, a first stage engine, implemented in hardware, identifies a particular set of computer-readable instructions for a particular packet. The particular set of computer-readable instructions is identified from among a plurality of sets of computer-readable instructions stored in a memory, respective ones of the plurality of sets of computer-readable instructions being for performing different sets of egress processing operations with respect to different packets. A second stage processor, configured to execute computer-readable instructions stored in the memory, executes the particular set of computer-readable instructions, identified by the first stage engine, to perform the corresponding set of egress processing with respect to the particular packet.