Abstract: A method and an apparatus are disclosed that mitigate congestion in a backbone network that is associated with a wireless network. The illustrative embodiment of the present invention mitigates the congestion by reducing the occurrences of a bridge data-processing system flooding out pre-authentication-related packets, as well as some other types of packets, on multiple ports of the bridge. In particular, each access point initially advertises its wireless network MAC address to the backbone network, in accordance with the illustrative embodiment, in addition to advertising its backbone network MAC address. Doing so enables each bridge in the backbone network to learn and recognize the wireless network MAC address, which results in the bridge directing the pre-authentication packet to a specific port that corresponds to the target access point.

Abstract: An enterprise network includes at least one communication device 208-1, an Open Systems Interconnect (OSI) Layer 2 switch 206, and a corresponding enterprise switch 208. The communication device 208-1 is connected to at least one of an access point 904-1 and a respective port 207-1 of the Layer 2 switch 206. The enterprise network includes a plurality of Emergency Location Information Numbers (ELINs) corresponding to differing segments of the enterprise network. The Layer 2 switch 206 serves at least one of the differing segments. The communication device 208-1 includes a discovery agent 252 operable, when a predetermined first event occurs, to obtain from the Layer 2 switch 206 at least one of an access point identifier, a switch identifier from the Layer 2 switch 206, and a port identifier identifying the respective port 207-1.

Abstract: A method of reducing tunneling in a wireless packet network. The method includes defining a home access point for a client station, determining that the client station is being serviced by an access point different from the home access point, deciding if the client station should change its home access point to the access point from which the client station receives service and initiating a change of the home access point of the client station, if so decided.

Abstract: A method of handling broadcast packets, which are for a single network unit. The method includes receiving, by a network device, a packet, having a broadcast address, but directed to a single network unit and forwarding the packet through a plurality of ports of the network device, but not through at least one port of the device through which the packet was not received.

Abstract: Systems and methods for pre-authenticating a mobile client in a wireless network. Authenticators in a secured section of the wireless network share a master key generated during an authentication session between a mobile client and an authentication server. The shared master key is not allowed to reside on any devices located outside the secured section of the network. Accordingly, the likelihood that the master key may be hijacked is essentially eliminated. A first session encryption key is derived from the master key and used by the mobile client and a first access point during a first communications session. When the mobile client roams to a second access point, a fast authentication process is performed. The fast authentication process retrieves the shared master key and generates a second session encryption key. A full authentication process between the authentication server and the mobile client is not required.

Abstract: A method of providing policy enforcement within a network. The method includes receiving a packet by a first network element at an entrance to the network, replacing a value of an address field of the packet to an internal address related to a policy profile according to which the packet is to be handled, forwarding the packet to a second network element in the network, and handling the packet in accordance with a policy profile determined from the internal address in the address field of the packet.

Abstract: A method of selecting, by a global server load balancer (GSLB), a server to represent a virtual server hosted by a plurality of servers. The method includes receiving, by the GSLB, values of one or more communication parameters of paths between at least one test unit and at least two servers from the plurality of servers, receiving, by the GSLB, a request to establish a connection with the virtual server from a client, selecting a test unit from the at least one test unit to represent the client, and selecting one of the plurality of servers to represent the virtual server before the client, responsive to the values of the one or more parameters for paths between the selected test unit and the at least two servers of the selected test units.

Abstract: A method of avoiding packet fragmentation. The method includes receiving a data packet belonging to a data connection, determining whether the received data packet was fragmented or determining whether the received data packet is expected to be fragmented on the way to its destination and registering the data connection of the received packet in a list of connections that carried packets that were fragmented or were expected to be fragmented.

Abstract: A method of selecting a server to represent a virtual server hosted by a plurality of servers. The method includes providing, by a load balancer not associated with the virtual server, values, for one or more parameters, of two or more paths, each path defined between a point in a vicinity of a client accessing the virtual server and one of the plurality of servers representing the virtual server, and selecting a server to provide data for the client, responsive to the values of the one or more parameters.

Abstract: A method of load balancing messages to servers of a server farm, by a load balancer. The method includes configuring the load balancer with information on the session ID values which may be assigned by at least one of the servers, determining, by the load balancer, for at least some client messages including a non-empty session ID field, which server or sub-group of servers is associated with the ID in the ID field, responsive to the configured information, and selecting, by the load balancer, a server to receive each of the at least some client messages, at least partially responsive to the determination.