Abstract: A method is provided in one example embodiment and includes generating a first document and a second document associated with video data that includes a group of pictures (GOPs). The method also includes hashing a plurality of video frames associated with the video data. Additionally, the method includes appending each of the video frames' respective hash and respective display times to the first document, and appending each of a plurality of I-frames' respective hash and respective display times to the second document. The method further includes communicating the first document and the second document in a reliable manner over a network to a next destination.

Abstract: A network content service apparatus includes a set of compute elements adapted to perform a set of network services; and a switching fabric coupling compute elements in said set of compute elements. The set of network services includes firewall protection, Network Address Translation, Internet Protocol forwarding, bandwidth management, Secure Sockets Layer operations, Web caching, Web switching, and virtual private networking. Code operable on the compute elements enables the network services, and the compute elements are provided on blades which further include at least one input/output port.

Abstract: A method is provided in one example embodiment and includes receiving a video frame from an encoder associated with a first camera that is coupled to a network; appending the video frame to a data block; associating a parity block to the video frame; evaluating whether the data block is full; and communicating the data block to a second camera in the network. In other embodiments, the method can include receiving additional video frames from the encoder; appending the additional video frames to a plurality of data blocks; and aligning particular sizes of the plurality of data blocks to a plurality of corresponding disk write sizes.

Abstract: In one embodiment, the system may identify a virtual network, the virtual network including a plurality of virtual entities and connections among the plurality of virtual entities. The system may automatically map each of the plurality of virtual entities to one or more resources or resource pools such that the virtual network is mapped to a physical network, wherein mapping includes allocating one or more resources or resource pools to a corresponding one of the plurality of virtual entities.

Abstract: A network service administration system including a plurality of service objects, a plurality of address objects; and a service configuration application for a multifunction appliance running on a client computer coupled to the appliance via a network. The service configuration application includes an interface allowing subscribers to configure at least a subset of application content services provided by the appliance and including a rule set implementing rules in ones of said application content services in said subset based on changes to configurations of any other of said application content services. Each of said service objects may comprise an individual network service definition.

Abstract: In one embodiment, the system may identify a virtual network, the virtual network including a plurality of virtual entities and connections among the plurality of virtual entities. The system may automatically map each of the plurality of virtual entities to one or more resources or resource pools such that the virtual network is mapped to a physical network, wherein mapping includes allocating one or more resources or resource pools to a corresponding one of the plurality of virtual entities.

Abstract: In one embodiment a method and apparatus that support virtual services including virtual network interface control functionality for virtual machines running on a server. A method includes receiving a packet at a network interface card from a data communication network, classifying, within the network interface card, the packet to select one of multiple flow tables to which the packet should be assigned to obtain a selected flow table, the classifying being based, at least, on a logical interface with which the packet is associated, processing the packet based on information stored in the selected flow table, and passing the packet to a virtual machine operating on a computer to which the network interface card is communicatively connected, the virtual machine being associated with the logical interface.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes receiving a request packet at a flow director in communication with a plurality of servers, each server comprising a virtual load balancer module and one or more virtual machines and forwarding the request packet to one of the virtual load balancer modules at one of the servers. The virtual load balancer module is configured to select one of the virtual machines to receive the request packet and transmit a response packet. The response packet is transmitted without passing through the flow director. An apparatus for load balancing in a virtual machine environment is also disclosed.

Abstract: A method is provided in one example embodiment and includes generating a first document and a second document associated with video data that includes a group of pictures (GOPs). The method also includes hashing a plurality of video frames associated with the video data. Additionally, the method includes appending each of the video frames' respective hash and respective display times to the first document, and appending each of a plurality of I-frames' respective hash and respective display times to the second document. The method further includes communicating the first document and the second document in a reliable manner over a network to a next destination.

Abstract: A method is provided in one example embodiment and includes receiving a video frame from an encoder associated with a first camera that is coupled to a network; appending the video frame to a data block; associating a parity block to the video frame; evaluating whether the data block is full; and communicating the data block to a second camera in the network. In other embodiments, the method can include receiving additional video frames from the encoder; appending the additional video frames to a plurality of data blocks; and aligning particular sizes of the plurality of data blocks to a plurality of corresponding disk write sizes.

Abstract: In one embodiment, the system may identify a virtual network, the virtual network including a plurality of virtual entities and connections among the plurality of virtual entities, wherein each of the plurality of virtual entities is mapped to one or more of a plurality of resources such that the virtual network is mapped to a physical network. The system may automatically obtain data during operation of the physical network, and provide a representation of the virtual network and the data obtained during operation of the physical network.

Abstract: A solution is provided wherein the interfaces between multiple chassis (e.g., edge switches) in a network of layer 2 devices and a spanning tree device are treated as a single emulated switch. This emulated switch effectively enables two different views to the two different sides. Thus, frames from the network of layer 2 switches destined to any port of the emulated switch may take any of the links (through any of the physical switches), thereby enabling effective load-balancing for frames traveling from the layer 2 network side into the spanning tree device. Meanwhile the spanning tree device does not recognize an illegal loop in its connection to two different edge switches as it views the two links as a single logical EtherChannel.

Abstract: Increased usage of network links is provided and smaller forwarding tables are required. A combination of STP and Multipath methods may be implemented in a network. Frames may be forwarded between switches not only according to MAC addresses, but also according to switch IDs and local IDs. Switch IDs do not need to be globally unique, but should be unique within a particular network. Local IDs need only be unique within a particular switch. Some preferred implementations allow frames to be delivered in order to devices requiring in-order delivery. Preferably, core switches need only learn the switch IDs of each core switch and each edge switch, and the appropriate exit port(s) corresponding to each switch. Preferably, the forwarding tables of each edge switch indicate the addresses of each device attached to that edge switch, the address of each device that is in communication with an attached device and the address of every other switch in the network.

Abstract: A data structure defining a field in an electronic file is described, the field including updateable text. The data structure can be included, for example, in a computer-aided design drawing. In one implementation, the data structure includes: an evaluator identifier; a field code; a child field quantity; if the child field quantity is greater than zero, then one or more child field identifiers; an object reference quantity; if the object reference quantity is greater than zero, then one or more object reference identifiers; a field format; a field filing option; a field state; an evaluation status; an evaluation error; an evaluation error message; an evaluated field value; a formatted field value; a formatted field value length; an extended data quantity; and, if the extended data quantity is greater then zero, than one or more extended data.

Abstract: In one embodiment, an apparatus obtains a switch port identifier mapping for each of the plurality of ports of a network device, wherein the switch port identifier mapping indicates a port identifier of one of the plurality of ports of the network device and a switch port identifier of a switch port to which the one of the plurality of ports is connected. The apparatus obtains a set of switch information for each of a plurality of switches, the set of switch information including a set of switch port identifiers associated with the corresponding one of the plurality of switches. The apparatus ascertains for each one of the plurality of ports, a corresponding one of the plurality of switches and a port of the one of the plurality of switches to which the one of the plurality of ports is connected.

Abstract: A network content service apparatus includes a set of compute elements adapted to perform a set of network services; and a switching fabric coupling compute elements in said set of compute elements. The set of network services includes firewall protection, Network Address Translation, Internet Protocol forwarding, bandwidth management, Secure Sockets Layer operations, Web caching, Web switching, and virtual private networking. Code operable on the compute elements enables the network services, and the compute elements are provided on blades which further include at least one input/output port.

Abstract: A network service administration system including a plurality of service objects, a plurality of address objects; and a service configuration application for a multifunction appliance running on a client computer coupled to the appliance via a network. The service configuration application includes an interface allowing subscribers to configure at least a subset of application content services provided by the appliance and including a rule set implementing rules in ones of said application content services in said subset based on changes to configurations of any other of said application content services. Each of said service objects may comprise an individual network service definition.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes receiving a request packet at a flow director in communication with a plurality of servers, each server comprising a virtual load balancer module and one or more virtual machines and forwarding the request packet to one of the virtual load balancer modules at one of the servers. The virtual load balancer module is configured to select one of the virtual machines to receive the request packet and transmit a response packet. The response packet is transmitted without passing through the flow director. An apparatus for load balancing in a virtual machine environment is also disclosed.

Abstract: A network service administration system including a plurality of service objects, a plurality of address objects; and a service configuration application for a multifunction appliance running on a client computer coupled to the appliance via a network. The service configuration application includes an interface allowing subscribers to configure at least a subset of application content services provided by the appliance and including a rule set implementing rules in ones of said application content services in said subset based on changes to configurations of any other of said application content services. Each of said service objects may comprise an individual network service definition.

Abstract: In one embodiment a method and apparatus that support virtual services including virtual network interface control functionality for virtual machines running on a server. A method includes receiving a packet at a network interface card from a data communication network, classifying, within the network interface card, the packet to select one of multiple flow tables to which the packet should be assigned to obtain a selected flow table, the classifying being based, at least, on a logical interface with which the packet is associated, processing the packet based on information stored in the selected flow table, and passing the packet to a virtual machine operating on a computer to which the network interface card is communicatively connected, the virtual machine being associated with the logical interface.