Abstract: Various embodiments of the present disclosure provide methods for randomly mapping entries in a suitable lookup table across multiple switch devices and/or multiple switch chipsets in each of the multiple switch devices by using two or more independent hash functions. In some embodiments, the number of entries in the lookup table is equal to be the least common multiple of all possible M (i.e., a number of switch devices) choosing R values (i.e., a desired redundancy level).

Abstract: Apparatus, systems and methods may be used to monitor data flows and to select and track particularly large data flows. A method of tracking data flows and identifying large-data (“elephant”) flows comprises extracting fields from a packet of data to construct a flow key, computing a hash value on the flow key to provide a hashed flow signature, entering and/or comparing the hashed flow signature with entries in a flow hash table. Each hash table entry includes a byte count for a respective flow. When the byte count for a flow exceeds a threshold value, the flow is added to a large-data flow (“elephant”) table and the flow is then tracked in the large-data flow table.

Abstract: The subject technology addresses the need in the art for directly measuring a maximum latency number with respect to a percentile of network traffic, which a network operator may utilize as an performance indication or metric. Given a traffic percentile, a tracking algorithm in accordance with embodiments described herein may be implemented in hardware and/or software to determine a maximum latency for this specific percentile of traffic.

Abstract: A ternary content-addressable memory (TCAM) that is implemented based on other types of memory (e.g., SRAM) in conjunction with processing, including hashing functions. Such a H-TCAM may be used, for example, in implementation of routing equipment. A method of storing routing information on a network device, the routing information comprising a plurality of entries, each entry has a key value and a mask value, commences by identifying a plurality of groups, each group comprising a subset number of entries having a different common mask. The groups are identified by determining a subset number of entries that have a common mask value, meaning at least a portion of the mask value that is the same for all entries of the subset number of entries.

Abstract: Techniques are provided for forwarding packets via an intermediate network device. A packet comprising a destination MAC address is received at a first port of a network device having a plurality of bi-directional ports. A second port of the network device to which the packet should be forwarded is identified through the use of at least an approximate ingress table at the first port comprising a plurality of compressed destination MAC addresses each having an associated egress port, and the packet is forwarded to the second port. At the second port, a subsequent network device to which the packet should be forwarded is identified through the use of an exact egress table at the second port including exact destination MAC addresses each associated with a network device connected to the second port, and the packet is forwarded to the subsequent network device.