Abstract: A method is implemented by a network device executing a local computation engine and a link state routing protocol. The local computation engine and the link state protocol support automatic establishment of redundant paths and cautious restoration in a packet network. The method includes receiving an explicit path (EP) type length value (TLV) via a link state routing protocol, executing a shortest path algorithm to obtain a shortest path for loose hops of a path identified by the EP TLV, the shortest path to be a primary path, updating a network graph to prune links of the primary path or bias links of the primary path, and calculating a backup path using the shortest path algorithm on the updated network graph.

Abstract: A method that improves multi-area routed Ethernet network design, in which multipath implementation in each of the areas is independent of each other area to allow optimal network design in each area. The network implements a shortest path bridging medium access control (SPBM) protocol. The areas include a Level 2 (L2) routing area coupled to a Level 1 (L1) routing area via multiple area border bridges (ABBs). The L1 routing area including a backbone edge bridge (BEB) coupled to the ABBs via multiple L1 multipath instances identified by respective backbone VLAN identifiers (B-VIDs). The ABBs receive an advertisement from the BEB that indicates a set of BEB identifiers, each of which identifies the BEB and is associated with a respective B-VID. Each of the BEB identifiers is unique. The ABBs also advertise into the L2 routing area, and translate the B-VIDs based on service identifiers for frames transiting the ABBs.

Abstract: A method in a network element improves load distribution in a network that includes the network element. The network element is one of a plurality of network elements in the network each of which implement a common algorithm tie-breaking process as part of a computation used to produce minimum cost shortest path trees. The network element includes a database to store the topology of the network. A set of service attachment points is mapped to network elements in the topology for services individually associated with an equal cost tree (ECT) set and associated with per service bandwidth requirements. The topology of the network includes a plurality of network elements and links between the network elements. The method generates multiple ECT tree sets for connectivity establishment and maintenance of the connectivity in the network. The method defines a bandwidth aware path selection. The method reduces the coefficient of variation of link load across the entire network.

Abstract: A method is implemented in a provider edge switch (PE) for interworking an 802.1aq control plane with an Ethernet Virtual Private Network (EVPN) Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) control plane. The method includes receiving an Intermediate System-Intermediate System (IS-IS) protocol data unit (PDU) including an IS-IS Type Length Value (TLV) by the PE and determining whether the received IS-IS PDU requires a change in a configuration of designated forwarder (DF).

Abstract: A node and a method are described herein for computing forwarding trees to distribute traffic in a network. In addition, a network is described herein that has a plurality of nodes interconnected to one another by a plurality of network links, and each node is configured to perform multiple rounds of forwarding tree computations to distribute traffic load on one or more of the network links to the other nodes.

Abstract: A method is implemented in a network element of a service network. The network element executes a packet processing element (PPE) of a plurality of PPEs, where each PPE in the plurality of PPEs executes a stage of packet processing for the service network and where the plurality of PPEs are connected to one another by a plurality of switch fabrics. The PPEs self-select a subset of a set of equivalent service chains to service with each service chain defining a subset and sequence of the plurality of PPEs. Each PPE self-selects the subset of equivalent service chains to process based upon knowledge of the plurality of PPEs servicing that stage of the full set of service chains such that there is spreading of load across all available PPEs in that stage. There is no single point of failure and minimal reassignment of PPEs for a set of equivalent data flows traversing the plurality of PPEs of the service network for changes in topography of the plurality of PPEs in the service network.

Abstract: A method to provide load balancing and routing for a plurality of end systems in a network. The network contains a load balancer (LB) and the method comprises receiving a request packet with Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6) addresses specified. A destination address is associated with a set of target end systems and presence of a nonce information indicates the requesting correspondent node is Identifier Locator Network Protocol (ILNP) capable. The method further comprises directing the request packet to a specific end system from the set of target end systems that share a load balanced address, wherein each target end system has a unique direct path locator prefix. The method also comprises overwriting a common IPv6 locator prefix with the unique direct path locator prefix, forwarding the request packet to the specific end system, and notifying a requesting correspondent node the direct path locator prefix for the specific end system.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention include a computer-implemented method of shared backup path computation in an multiprotocol label switching (MPLS) network, the shared backup path to be used upon a failure of at least one working path of the MPLS network.

Abstract: A method is implemented in a multiprotocol label swapping (MPLS) edge switch (PE) for interworking the 802.1aq control plane with an Ethernet Virtual Private Network (EVPN) Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) control plane. The method and system elect designated forwarders (DFs) for a given Backbone-Virtual Local Area Network Identifier (B-VID) in a local Provider Backbone Bridged Network (PBBN) and thereby determine which PE uniquely transfers specific I-Component Source Identifier (I-SID) and Media Access Control (MAC) information for the B-VID from an Intermediate System-Intermediate System (IS-IS) database into a BGP database and transfers I-SID and MAC information in the BGP database into the IS-IS database of the PE.

Abstract: A system and method that facilitates the migration of one or more Virtual Machines (VMs) throughout a communications network, such as a cloud network, is disclosed. A management system monitors a current traffic matrix to determine if the network is congested. If the network is congested, the management system determines a minimum number of VMs that must be migrated to unused VM sites to ease the congestion and optimize the distribution of traffic in the network. Additionally, the management system also identifies which VMs should be migrated to which unused VM sites, and a sequence in which the migration should be performed to return the bandwidth distribution in the network to an acceptable level. In addition, the management system may determine which unused VM site or sites is best for the addition of one or more new VMs or groups of VMs.

Abstract: A three stage folded Clos network is used for Ethernet routing with improved efficiency for computational complexity, network administration, multicast addressing and load redistribution upon failure. The network includes an array of root nodes coupled to an array of edge nodes. Forwarding states are computed and installed for spanning trees rooted on the root nodes. When an edge node is identified as having a failed connection to a root node, a shortest path first (SPF) tree rooted on that edge node is constructed for each Backbone VLAN identifier (B-VID) for the spanning trees rooted on that root node and use the failed connection. A filtering database in each node is populated for edge node pairs having a common service identifier, and unicast and multicast data are forwarded between the edge node pairs according to the filtering database via the SPF trees using a hybrid multicast addressing.

Abstract: A process is implemented in a network element of a packet data to route packets with embedded virtual local area network information and an IP header to far end addresses of virtual forwarding instances. The method receiving a frame including an embedded virtual network identifier (VNI). The VNI is looked up to identify a virtual forwarding instance (VFI), the VFI having a correlated an I-Component Service Identifier (I-SID) and an internet protocol (IP) to backbone media access control (B-MAC) table that is shared with a set of VFIs each having correlated I-SIDs. The VFI resolves an IP address of the frame to a B-MAC address using the shared IP to B-MAC resolution table and encapsulates the frame with the I-SID and B-MAC; and the frame is then sent to the remote B-MAC address.

Abstract: A method forward Ethernet frames at a node in a network supporting an implementation of shortest path bridging (SPB) protocol is disclosed. The method starts with a shortest path computation for the node (referred to as the computing node). The shortest path computation selects at least a shortest path to each destination node in the network, where a neighboring node on the shortest path to reach each node is recorded. Then it computes a downstream loop-free alternate (LFA) node for a destination node, where the LFA node is downstream of the computing node but not on the selected shortest path to the destination node from the computing node. Then when connectivity to the neighboring node on the computed shortest path is detected to be abnormal, the node forwards an Ethernet frame with a destination media access control (MAC) address corresponding to the destination node through the LFA node.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for performing load spreading in a network are described. According to one embodiment, a request to allocate network resources for a flow is received from a load distribution module in an edge network element. The request includes a resource requirement for the flow. A path is selected from the currently available equal cost paths, and a path identifier value that represents the path selected is determined. The path identifier value is used by the nodes in the network to correctly perform multipath forwarding for the flow. The path identifier value that represents the path selected is communicated to the load distribution module in the edge network element, and is to be inserted by the edge network element into subsequent frames belonging to the flow to be used in subsequent forwarding decisions by nodes along the path selected.

Abstract: A flow classification process is used at the edge of the shortest path bridging network to determine a flow label for attachment to a client frame entering the network. Any of several flow labels can be assigned to a client frame traversing the network to a particular egress node, and the flow labels are used by forwarding nodes to select among multiple equal-cost paths. In several embodiments, the flow label is calculated as a function of the client frame contents, which provide an entropy source for randomizing the selection of the flow label. This entropy source comprises the Internet Protocol (IP) header in the client frame, in some embodiments, but may comprise other client frame content in other cases.

Abstract: A network element disposed in a network, where the network element implements a process to manage load distribution across a plurality of network interfaces of the network. The network element redirects traffic flow directed toward the plurality of network interfaces in response to changes in configuration of the plurality of network interfaces, where each traffic flow is a set of protocol data units (PDUs), having an ordered delivery requirement, and where the PDUs are transmitted across the network between a source node and a destination node. The redirection process minimizes data traffic flow disruption when the load distribution is determined using a set of load distribution tables instead of a hashing algorithm.

Abstract: A flow classification process is used at the edge of the shortest path bridging network to determine a flow label for attachment to a client frame entering the network. Any of several flow labels can be assigned to a client frame traversing the network to a particular egress node, and the flow labels are used by forwarding nodes to select among multiple equal-cost paths. In several embodiments, the flow label is calculated as a function of the client frame contents, which provide an entropy source for randomizing the selection of the flow label. This entropy source comprises the Internet Protocol (IP) header in the client frame, in some embodiments, but may comprise other client frame content in other cases.

Abstract: A method to provide load balancing and routing for a plurality of end systems in a network. The network contains a load balancer (LB) and the method comprises receiving a request frame with Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6) addresses specified. A destination address is associated with a set of target end systems and presence of a nonce option indicates the requesting correspondent node is Identifier Locator Network Protocol (ILNP) capable. The method further comprises directing the request frame to a specific end system from the set of target end systems that share a load balanced address, wherein each target end system has a unique Media Access Control (MAC) address, and wherein each end system of the set of target end systems is uniquely addressable using a unique direct path locator prefix and common identifier combination. The request frame is then forwarded to the specific end system.

Abstract: A method to provide load balancing and routing for a plurality of end systems in a network. The network contains a load balancer (LB) and the method comprises receiving a request packet with Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6) addresses specified. A destination address is associated with a set of target end systems and presence of a nonce information indicates the requesting correspondent node is Identifier Locator Network Protocol (ILNP) capable. The method further comprises directing the request packet to a specific end system from the set of target end systems that share a load balanced address, wherein each target end system has a unique direct path locator prefix. The method also comprises overwriting a common IPv6 locator prefix with the unique direct path locator prefix, forwarding the request packet to the specific end system, and notifying a requesting correspondent node the direct path locator prefix for the specific end system.

Abstract: A network element acting as a forwarding plane within a software-defined network to reduce negative effects of slow-path packet processing is described. The network element, upon receiving a first packet, determines whether it matches any flow entry within a set of flow tables. When the first packet does not match any flow entry of the set of flow tables, the network element performs a miss procedure including inserting at least a portion of the first packet into a packet miss table of the network element, which is accessed by a controller. The controller may access the packet miss table using a pull mechanism. The miss procedure may also include accessing a configurable default rule table of the network element, which includes rules enabling limited forwarding for those packets that do not match any entry of the set of flow tables.