Abstract: A method for distributing an optimal path to a router using a route reflector, that includes obtaining, by the route reflector, a path location bitmask associated with the optimal path, obtaining a router location bitmask associated with the router, performing a bitwise AND operation on the path location bitmask and the router location bitmask to obtain a result bitmask, identifying a nonzero bit in the result bitmask, and in response to identifying the nonzero bit, sending the optimal path to the router.

Abstract: Requests to create entries in a hardware nexthop table can be delayed so that table entry creation rate can be dampened to reduce the occurrence of table overflow under certain transient conditions. When table utilization exceeds a threshold, received creation requests can be buffered instead of being processed right away. When table utilization falls below the threshold, received creation requests can be processed immediately without being buffered. Buffered creation requests can be periodically drained.

Abstract: Various systems and methods for performing bit indexed explicit replication (BIER) using multiprotocol label switching (MPLS). For example, one method involves receiving a packet that includes a MPLS label. The packet also includes a multicast forwarding entry. The method also involves determining, based on the value of the MPLS label, whether to use the multicast forwarding entry to forward the packet. The method further includes forwarding the packet.

Abstract: A networking system may facilitate Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) switchover between an active BGP process and a standby BGP process. A method is provided that includes using the active BGP process to establish a communication session with a peer, to add the peer to an outbound update group listing one or more peers sharing the same outbound policy, and to add a dummy peer corresponding to the peer to the outbound update group in response to receiving a synchronization request from the standby BGP process. The active BGP process can advertise a collection of routes to the standby BGP process in accordance with the dummy peer being listed in the outbound update group. The active BGP process can then perform outbound BGP message hairpinning operations with the standby BGP process.

Abstract: A networking system may perform border gateway protocol (BGP) switchover. In particular, the networking system may execute an active BGP process based on a set of received input states and execute a standby BGP process based on the set of received input states independently of the execution of the active BGP process based on the set of received input states.

Abstract: A networking system may facilitate Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) switchover between an active BGP process and a standby BGP process. A method is provided that includes using the active BGP process to establish a first communication session with a peer and a second communication session with the standby BGP process and using an active kernel associated with the active BGP process to receive a packet from the peer, to transmit the packet to the standby BGP process, and to receive the packet returning from the standby BGP process. The active kernel can optionally be used to determine whether any packets are in-flight to and from the standby BGP process.

Abstract: A method for distributing an optimal path to a router using a route reflector, that includes obtaining, by the route reflector, a path location bitmask associated with the optimal path, obtaining a router location bitmask associated with the router, performing a bitwise AND operation on the path location bitmask and the router location bitmask to obtain a result bitmask, identifying a nonzero bit in the result bitmask, and in response to identifying the nonzero bit, sending the optimal path to the router.

Abstract: Techniques for configuring a logical network switch in label-switched networks are provided. In some embodiments, a first network device in a label-switched network is configured with a network address. A second network device in the label-switched network is configured with the same network address. The first network device is configured to use a set of labels for a set of virtual local area networks (VLANs). The second network device is configured to use the same set of labels for the same set of VLANs. The configured first and second network devices appear as a logical network device from the perspective of other network devices in the label-switched network.

Abstract: Various systems and methods for performing bit indexed explicit replication (BIER) using multiprotocol label switching (MPLS). For example, one method involves receiving a packet that includes a MPLS label. The packet also includes a multicast forwarding entry. The method also involves determining, based on the value of the MPLS label, whether to use the multicast forwarding entry to forward the packet. The method further includes forwarding the packet.

Abstract: Various systems and methods for performing bit indexed explicit replication (BIER) using multiprotocol label switching (MPLS). For example, one method involves receiving a packet that includes a MPLS label. The packet also includes a multicast forwarding entry. The method also involves determining, based on the value of the MPLS label, whether to use the multicast forwarding entry to forward the packet. The method further includes forwarding the packet.

Abstract: Techniques for configuring a logical network switch in label-switched networks are provided. In some embodiments, a first network device in a label-switched network is configured with a network address. A second network device in the label-switched network is configured with the same network address. The first network device is configured to use a set of labels for a set of virtual local area networks (VLANs). The second network device is configured to use the same set of labels for the same set of VLANs. The configured first and second network devices appear as a logical network device from the perspective of other network devices in the label-switched network.

Abstract: Various systems and methods for performing bit indexed explicit replication (BIER) using multiprotocol label switching (MPLS). For example, one method involves receiving a packet that includes a MPLS label. The packet also includes a multicast forwarding entry. The method also involves determining, based on the value of the MPLS label, whether to use the multicast forwarding entry to forward the packet. The method further includes forwarding the packet.

Abstract: Various systems and methods for performing bit indexed explicit replication (BIER) using multiprotocol label switching (MPLS). For example, one method involves receiving a packet that includes a MPLS label. The packet also includes a multicast forwarding entry. The method also involves determining, based on the value of the MPLS label, whether to use the multicast forwarding entry to forward the packet. The method further includes forwarding the packet.

Abstract: Various systems and methods for performing bit indexed explicit replication (BIER) using multiprotocol label switching (MPLS). For example, one method involves receiving a packet that includes a MPLS label. The packet also includes a multicast forwarding entry. The method also involves determining, based on the value of the MPLS label, whether to use the multicast forwarding entry to forward the packet. The method further includes forwarding the packet.

Abstract: Various systems and methods for performing bit indexed explicit replication (BIER) using multiprotocol label switching (MPLS). For example, one method involves receiving a packet that includes a MPLS label. The packet also includes a multicast forwarding entry. The method also involves determining, based on the value of the MPLS label, whether to use the multicast forwarding entry to forward the packet. The method further includes forwarding the packet.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes receiving at a first network device in a first virtual private network, a packet destined for a second network device in communication with a second virtual private network, and transmitting the packet over the second network, wherein the packet is encapsulated for transmittal on a tunnel extending from the first network device to the second network device. The first network device is in communication with a system operable to map and encapsulate the packet and provide an overlay that traverses over the second virtual private network. An apparatus and logic are also disclosed herein.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes receiving at a first network device in a first virtual private network, a packet destined for a second network device in communication with a second virtual private network, and transmitting the packet over the second network, wherein the packet is encapsulated for transmittal on a tunnel extending from the first network device to the second network device. The first network device is in communication with a system operable to map and encapsulate the packet and provide an overlay that traverses over the second virtual private network. An apparatus and logic are also disclosed herein.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes receiving at a first network device in a first virtual private network, a packet destined for a second network device in communication with a second virtual private network, and transmitting the packet over the second network, wherein the packet is encapsulated for transmittal on a tunnel extending from the first network device to the second network device. The first network device is in communication with a system operable to map and encapsulate the packet and provide an overlay that traverses over the second virtual private network. An apparatus and logic are also disclosed herein.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a device receives a payload encapsulated in an Internet Protocol (IP) transport header having a time-to-live (TTL) value, and decapsulates the payload while maintaining the TTL value. In response to determining that a destination of the payload is not attached to the device, the device may then re-encapsulate the payload in a new IP transport header with a new TTL value that is less than the maintained TTL value, and transmits the re-encapsulated payload toward the destination. In this manner, loops in overlay networks may be prevented based on eventual expiration of the TTL value of the IP transport header, accordingly.

Abstract: Systems and methods are described for maintaining communication between hosts that, due to the roaming of a host, are no longer in the same LAN segment within a network. In one embodiment, the method includes receiving an address resolution request from the first host, the address resolution request requesting an actual media access control (MAC) address associated with an internet protocol (IP) address of the second host, obtaining the actual MAC address of the second host, the second host having roamed from away from a first network location where a first host is located, receiving a data packet from the first host that is to be delivered to the second host, and routing the data packet to the second host at its current location, the current location of the second host being determined by its actual MAC address.