Abstract: A system and method for providing in-service firmware upgradability in a network element having a programmable device configured to support a plurality of application service engines or instances. A static core infrastructure portion of the programmable device is architected in a multi-layered functionality for effectuating a packet redirection scheme for packets intended for service processing by a particular application service engine that is being upgraded, whereby the remaining application service engines continue to provide service functionality without interruption.

Abstract: In one aspect, the present invention reduces average power consumption in a distributed processing system by concentrating an overall processing load to the minimum number of processing units required to maintain a defined level of processing redundancy. When the required number of active processing units is fewer than all available processing units, the inactive processing units may be held in a reduced-power condition. The present invention thereby maintains the defined level of processing redundancy for reallocating jobs responsive to the failure of one of the active processing units, while reducing power consumption and simplifying jobs allocation and re-allocation when expanding or shrinking the active set of processing units responsive to changing processing load. As a non-limiting example, the distributed processing system is implemented within a telecommunications network router or other apparatus having a configured set of processing cards, such as control-plane processing cards.

Abstract: Apparatus and techniques for scheduling packets to reduce congestion in a packet data network are described. In one embodiment of the invention, packets are received through each of a plurality of channels and are stored in a respective queue for each channel. The status of each queue is monitored as empty or not empty. When an empty queue becomes not empty, then bandwidth allocation value is added for the respective channel to a port load value. When a not empty queue becomes empty, then the bandwidth allocation for the respective channel is subtracted from the port load value. The traffic rate through the port is then scaled based upon the port load value.

Abstract: A Precision Timing Protocol (PTP) is implemented over a Link Aggregation Group (LAG) formed by multiple ports of a network node, where PTP traffic goes through the same physical link between the network node and a peer network node on both the transmit and return paths. When the network node receives a PTP message that identifies a PTP stream from the peer network node through a given PTP-LAG port, it declares itself as an active port and the other PTP-LAG ports as standby for the PTP stream. The PTP stream is transmitted from the network node to the peer network node through the active port only, to maintain symmetry of the PTP stream's transmission paths between the network node and the peer network node. The network node processes exchanged messages of the PTP stream to perform timing synchronization with the peer network node.

Abstract: A method and apparatus to shape packet traffic rates of packets in-transit from a plurality of channels to a port, monitor a status of each queue, subtract a CIR from a port load value when an empty queue becomes active, add the CIR to the port load value when an active queue becomes empty, add a difference between an EIR and the CIR for a channel to a port excess value when a queue of the channel becomes excess, subtract the difference for the channel from the port excess value when the excess queue for the channel becomes not excess, calculate an oversubscription ratio based on the port load value and port excess value, calculate a shaping rate for each of the plurality of channels, and shape the traffic for each of the plurality channels using the shaping rate.

Abstract: In one aspect, the present invention reduces average power consumption in a distributed processing system by concentrating an overall processing load to the minimum number of processing units required to maintain a defined level of processing redundancy. When the required number of active processing units is fewer than all available processing units, the inactive processing units may be held in a reduced-power condition. The present invention thereby maintains the defined level of processing redundancy for reallocating jobs responsive to the failure of one of the active processing units, while reducing power consumption and simplifying jobs allocation and re-allocation when expanding or shrinking the active set of processing units responsive to changing processing load. As a non-limiting example, the distributed processing system is implemented within a telecommunications network router or other apparatus having a configured set of processing cards, such as control-plane processing cards.

Abstract: A method and apparatus to shape packet traffic rates of packets in-transit from a plurality of channels to a port, monitor a status of each queue, subtract a CIR from a port load value when an empty queue becomes active, add the CIR to the port load value when an active queue becomes empty, add a difference between an EIR and the CIR for a channel to a port excess value when a queue of the channel becomes excess, subtract the difference for the channel from the port excess value when the excess queue for the channel becomes not excess, calculate an oversubscription ratio based on the port load value and port excess value, calculate a shaping rate for each of the plurality of channels, and shape the traffic for each of the plurality channels using the shaping rate.

Abstract: Apparatus and techniques for scheduling packets to reduce congestion in a packet data network are described. In one embodiment of the invention, packets are received through each of a plurality of channels and are stored in a respective queue for each channel. The status of each queue is monitored as empty or not empty. When an empty queue becomes not empty, then bandwidth allocation value is added for the respective channel to a port load value. When a not empty queue becomes empty, then the bandwidth allocation for the respective channel is subtracted from the port load value. The traffic rate through the port is then scaled based upon the port load value.