Abstract: Techniques for processing path tracing probe packets using hardware (e.g., hardware memory of a node) and without the involvement of a path tracing collector component of a network controller. A source node may be configured to generate and assign random flow labels to a large number of probe packets and send them through the network to a sink node. The sink node may determine whether a flow indicated by the probe packet has previously been traversed. Additionally, the sink node may determine latency values associated with the flows, and store probe packets in corresponding latency bins. The latency bins may be stored in hardware memory of the sink node. Telemetry data representing the probe packets stored in the latency bins may be sent to a network controller for further network analysis.

Abstract: Devices, systems, methods, and processes for enabling path monitoring in multi-path networks are described herein. Load balancing of packets is often performed based on outer encapsulating headers and inner packet headers. However, inner packet headers of probe and data packets can be different. Thus, the probe packet can traverse a different path as compared to the data packet, causing inconsistent hashing. To address this, a device is provided with a routing logic that encapsulates a packet, having a packet header, with an outer header. The outer header has a control bit, source and destination address fields, and a flow label field. When a value of the control bit is set to a predetermined value, load balancing is performed exclusively based on the outer header, exempting a utilization of the packet header. Therefore, load balancing for probe and data packets performed exclusively based on the outer header is consistent.

Abstract: Techniques for processing path tracing probe packets using hardware (e.g., hardware memory of a node) and without the involvement of a path tracing collector component of a network controller. A source node may be configured to generate and assign random flow labels to a large number of probe packets and send them through the network to a sink node. The sink node may determine whether a flow indicated by the probe packet has previously been traversed. Additionally, the sink node may determine latency values associated with the flows, and store probe packets in corresponding latency bins. The latency bins may be stored in hardware memory of the sink node. Telemetry data representing the probe packets stored in the latency bins may be sent to a network controller for further network analysis.

Abstract: Techniques for providing an optimized behavior to source node(s) of a path tracing sequence allowing for implementation of path tracing source node behavior on an ASIC with edit-depth limitations and/or on an ASIC that does not have access to the full 64-bit timestamp. A source node having optimized behavior may be configured to record a first full 64-bit timestamp in an SRH PT-TLV header of a probe packet using the CPU of the source node. A source node having the optimized behavior may also be configured to compute a midpoint compressed data (MCD) entry and record the entry into an MCD stack of a probe packet using the NPU of the source node. A sink node and/or network controller may be configured to determine a final timestamp for the probe packet through the network by leveraging the SRH PT-TLV header and the MCD entry.

Abstract: Systems and techniques are provided for implementing multiprotocol label switching (MPLS) header extensions. In some examples, a method can include, receiving, by a router of a MPLS network, a data packet. In some aspects, the method can include adding, by the router of the MPLS network, at least one entry to an MPLS stack of the data packet, wherein the at least one entry includes an MPLS extension indicator (MEI) that is associated with at least one of an in-stack extension header presence indicator (IPI) and a bottom-of-stack extension header presence indicator (BPI). In some examples, the method can include adding, based on the IPI and the BPI, at least one of an in-stack extension header and a bottom-of-stack extension header to the MPLS stack of the data packet.

Abstract: Systems and techniques are provided for implementing multiprotocol label switching (MPLS) header extensions. In some examples, a method can include, receiving, by a router of a MPLS network, a data packet. In some aspects, the method can include adding, by the router of the MPLS network, at least one entry to an MPLS stack of the data packet, wherein the at least one entry includes an MPLS extension indicator (MEI) that is associated with at least one of an in-stack extension header presence indicator (IPI) and a bottom-of-stack extension header presence indicator (BPI). In some examples, the method can include adding, based on the IPI and the BPI, at least one of an in-stack extension header and a bottom-of-stack extension header to the MPLS stack of the data packet.

Abstract: Systems and techniques are provided for path tracing. For example, a process can include establishing a path tracing session associated with path tracing (PT) probe packets from a PT source node of an IPv6 network fabric. A PT probe packet can be received with a first IPv6 Destination Options Header with Path Tracing Option (DOH-PT) header that encodes path tracing information of the PT source node and indicates respective path tracing information for each PT midpoint node along a path from the PT source node to a PT sink node of the IPv6 network fabric. The received PT probe packet can be updated to include a second DOH-PT header that encodes path tracing information of the PT sink node. An updated PT probe packet includes the first and second DOH-PT headers and can be encapsulated with an additional IPv6 header corresponding to forwarding information of a collector node.

Abstract: This disclosure describes techniques for detecting and monitoring paths in a network. The techniques include causing a source node to generate probe packets to traverse a multi-protocol label switching (MPLS) network, for instance. In some examples, the probe packets include entropy values that correspond to individual equal-cost multi-path (ECMP) paths of the network. The probe packets may be received at an SDN controller from a sink node after traversing the network. Analysis of the probe packets allow path discovery and mapping of the entropy values to ECMP paths. The mapping of discovered paths may be used for optimization of network monitoring activities, including second subsequent probe packets over particular ECMP paths based on the mapped entropy values.

Abstract: This disclosure describes techniques and mechanisms for coupling measurement probes with customer data traffic and enabling real-time and selective management of ECMP pathways that are not meeting performance metric(s) in a service provider network. Nodes within the service provider network are configured to perform specific hashing behavior. An ingress node may be configured to create and maintain a TCAM table to store flow label(s) corresponding to ECMP pathways that are not meeting performance metric(s). The system may configure performance measurement session(s) between an ingress node and an egress node. The system may receive performance data, identify pathway(s) violating performance metric(s), and may perform action(s) in real-time.

Abstract: This disclosure describes techniques for detecting and monitoring paths in a network. The techniques include causing a source node to generate probe packets to traverse a multi-protocol label switching (MPLS) network, for instance. In some examples, the probe packets include entropy values that correspond to individual equal-cost multi-path (ECMP) paths of the network. The probe packets may be received at an SDN controller from a sink node after traversing the network. Analysis of the probe packets allow path discovery and mapping of the entropy values to ECMP paths. The mapping of discovered paths may be used for optimization of network monitoring activities, including second subsequent probe packets over particular ECMP paths based on the mapped entropy values.

Abstract: Techniques for providing an optimized behavior to source node(s) of a path tracing sequence allowing for implementation of path tracing source node behavior on an ASIC with edit-depth limitations and/or on an ASIC that does not have access to the full 64-bit timestamp. A source node having optimized behavior may be configured to record a first full 64-bit timestamp in an SRH PT-TLV header of a probe packet using the CPU of the source node. A source node having the optimized behavior may also be configured to compute a midpoint compressed data (MCD) entry and record the entry into an MCD stack of a probe packet using the NPU of the source node. A sink node and/or network controller may be configured to determine a final timestamp for the probe packet through the network by leveraging the SRH PT-TLV header and the MCD entry.

Abstract: Techniques for processing path tracing probe packets using hardware (e.g., hardware memory of a node) and without the involvement of a path tracing collector component of a network controller. A source node may be configured to generate and assign random flow labels to a large number of probe packets and send them through the network to a sink node. The sink node may determine whether a flow indicated by the probe packet has previously been traversed. Additionally, the sink node may determine latency values associated with the flows, and store probe packets in corresponding latency bins. The latency bins may be stored in hardware memory of the sink node. Telemetry data representing the probe packets stored in the latency bins may be sent to a network controller for further network analysis.

Abstract: Systems and techniques are provided for implementing multiprotocol label switching (MPLS) header extensions. In some examples, a method can include, receiving, by a router of a MPLS network, a data packet. In some aspects, the method can include adding, by the router of the MPLS network, at least one entry to an MPLS stack of the data packet, wherein the at least one entry includes an MPLS extension indicator (MEI) that is associated with at least one of an in-stack extension header presence indicator (IPI) and a bottom-of-stack extension header presence indicator (BPI). In some examples, the method can include adding, based on the IPI and the BPI, at least one of an in-stack extension header and a bottom-of-stack extension header to the MPLS stack of the data packet.

Abstract: Systems and techniques are provided for implementing multiprotocol label switching (MPLS) header extensions. In some examples, a method can include, receiving, by a router of a MPLS network, a data packet. In some aspects, the method can include adding, by the router of the MPLS network, at least one entry to an MPLS stack of the data packet, wherein the at least one entry includes an MPLS extension indicator (MEI) that is associated with at least one of an in-stack extension header presence indicator (IPI) and a bottom-of-stack extension header presence indicator (BPI). In some examples, the method can include adding, based on the IPI and the BPI, at least one of an in-stack extension header and a bottom-of-stack extension header to the MPLS stack of the data packet.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a Segment Routing network node provides efficiencies in processing and communicating Internet Protocol packets in a network. This Segment Routing node typically advertises (e.g., using Border Gateway Protocol) its Segment Routing processing capabilities, such as Penultimate Segment Pop (PSP) and/or Ultimate Segment Pop (USP) of a Segment Routing Header (including in the context of a packet that has multiple Segment Routing Headers). Subsequently, an Internet Protocol Segment Routing packet having multiple Segment Routing Headers is received. The packet is processed according to a Segment Routing function, with is processing including removing a first one of the Segment Routing Headers and forwarding the resultant Segment Routing packet. The value of the Segments Left field in the first Segment Routing Header identifies to perform PSP when the value is one, to perform USP when the value is zero, or to perform other processing.

Abstract: Systems and techniques are provided for implementing multiprotocol label switching (MPLS) header extensions. In some examples, a method can include, receiving, by a router of a MPLS network, a data packet. In some aspects, the method can include adding, by the router of the MPLS network, at least one entry to an MPLS stack of the data packet, wherein the at least one entry includes an MPLS extension indicator (MEI) that is associated with at least one of an in-stack extension header presence indicator (IPI) and a bottom-of-stack extension header presence indicator (BPI). In some examples, the method can include adding, based on the IPI and the BPI, at least one of an in-stack extension header and a bottom-of-stack extension header to the MPLS stack of the data packet.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes receiving a packet comprising a destination address in a destination address field of the packet, where the destination address including at least a first global identifier and a second global identifier, determining that the first global identifier corresponds to the first network apparatus, determining that a local identifier in the destination address is associated with the first global identifier, identifying one or more instructions associated with the local identifier, performing one or more functions instructed by the one or more instructions, updating the destination address in the destination field of the packet to an updated destination address, determining a forwarding rule associated with the packet, and forwarding the packet with the updated destination address based on the forwarding rule.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a Segment Routing network node provides efficiencies in processing and communicating Internet Protocol packets in a network. This Segment Routing node typically advertises (e.g., using Border Gateway Protocol) its Segment Routing processing capabilities, such as Penultimate Segment Pop (PSP) and/or Ultimate Segment Pop (USP) of a Segment Routing Header (including in the context of a packet that has multiple Segment Routing Headers). Subsequently, an Internet Protocol Segment Routing packet having multiple Segment Routing Headers is received. The packet is processed according to a Segment Routing function, with is processing including removing a first one of the Segment Routing Headers and forwarding the resultant Segment Routing packet. The value of the Segments Left field in the first Segment Routing Header identifies to perform PSP when the value is one, to perform USP when the value is zero, or to perform other processing.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a Segment Routing network node provides efficiencies in processing and communicating Internet Protocol packets in a network. This Segment Routing node typically advertises (e.g., using Border Gateway Protocol) its Segment Routing processing capabilities, such as Penultimate Segment Pop (PSP) and/or Ultimate Segment Pop (USP) of a Segment Routing Header (including in the context of a packet that has multiple Segment Routing Headers). Subsequently, an Internet Protocol Segment Routing packet having multiple Segment Routing Headers is received. The packet is processed according to a Segment Routing function, with is processing including removing a first one of the Segment Routing Headers and forwarding the resultant Segment Routing packet. The value of the Segments Left field in the first Segment Routing Header identifies to perform PSP when the value is one, to perform USP when the value is zero, or to perform other processing.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes receiving a packet comprising a destination address in a destination address field of the packet, where the destination address including at least a first global identifier and a second global identifier, determining that the first global identifier corresponds to the first network apparatus, determining that a local identifier in the destination address is associated with the first global identifier, identifying one or more instructions associated with the local identifier, performing one or more functions instructed by the one or more instructions, updating the destination address in the destination field of the packet to an updated destination address, determining a forwarding rule associated with the packet, and forwarding the packet with the updated destination address based on the forwarding rule.