Abstract: A network device, is to be deployed in a network between a first network domain and a second network domain, and is to be configured for fast reroute. The network device includes a first traffic forwarder control module, corresponding to the first network domain, which is to determine a primary next hop in the first network domain. The control plane includes a second traffic forwarder control module, corresponding to the second network domain, which is to determine a backup next hop in the second network domain. The backup next hop is to be used as a fast reroute for the primary next hop in response to a failure associated with the primary next hop. The control plane includes a controller module, in communication with the first and second traffic forwarder control modules, which is to configure a forwarding structure of the forwarding plane with the primary and backup next hops.

Abstract: A method is provided that is implemented by a computing device to automate management functions in a network. The method collects existing state of the network from local database tables, logs or remote system tables. An expected network state is generated from a predefined set of expectations. The expected network state is compared to the collected existing state to identify errors in the network. The method then generates a set of notifications for administrators for the identified errors.

Abstract: Exemplary methods performed by a first network device (ND) include generating first and second prefix entries associating incoming Internet Protocol (IP) traffic to first and second data structures (DSs), respectively. Generating the first DS includes generating a first proxy including forwarding information causing incoming IP traffic to be forwarded to a second ND, and generating a second proxy referencing a third DS. Generating the second DS includes generating a first proxy including forwarding information causing incoming IP traffic to be forwarded to the second ND, and generating a second proxy referencing the third DS. The methods include generating the third DS including forwarding information causing the incoming IP traffic to be forwarded to a third ND, the third DS further including first state information indicating whether the forwarding information included in the first proxies of the first and second DSs should be used for forwarding the incoming IP traffic.

Abstract: Exemplary methods include generating a first fast reroute (FRR) next hop (NH) comprising of a first primary next hop (PNH), a first secondary next hop (SNH), and a first attribute, wherein the first PNH and first SNH include forwarding information that causes traffic to be forwarded towards a second and third network device, respectively. The methods include sending a first request to a forwarding plane to generate a second FRR NH comprising of a second PNH, a second SNH, and a second attribute. The methods include updating contents of the first FRR NH, and sending a second request to the forwarding plane to update the second FRR NH, wherein the second request causes the forwarding plane to determine whether to revert back to using the second PNH based on whether the first attribute included in the second request is different from the second attribute of the second FRR NH.

Abstract: A method is provided that is implemented by a computing device to automate management functions in a network. The method collects existing state of the network from local database tables, logs or remote system tables. An expected network state is generated from a predefined set of expectations. The expected network state is compared to the collected existing state to identify errors in the network. The method then generates a set of notifications for administrators for the identified errors.

Abstract: A method is disclosed that is implemented by a router for executing an internet protocol fast reroute process in response to a network event invalidating a current route to a destination node without degrading forwarding plane functionality or performance caused by indirect forwarding information base lookups. The method comprises a set steps including receiving or generating the network event by the router, the network event associated with a network event identifier and looking up the network event identifier in an event table to determine routes that are affected by the network event. The method further includes determining whether a route with a fast reroute forwarding object is affected by the network event in the routing information base and overwriting a current next hop forwarding object using a backup next hop forwarding object in the forwarding information base.

Abstract: A method is implemented by a network device in a network having a plurality of nodes. The method computes a remote loop free alternative (RLFA) next hop as a backup for a primary path next hop. The method improves RLFA computation efficiency for a Q-Space list of nodes in a Q-space for an endpoint node by reducing calculations of the loop free condition for a path from a source node to a destination node via a tunnel between the source node and the endpoint node. The method includes adding a neighbor node to a poison list where the candidate node is in the poison list and the neighbor node is not in the candidate list, the poison list indicating that a node is not a candidate for Q-Space, and determining the Q-Space list by removing nodes from poison list from the plurality of nodes.

Abstract: Exemplary methods include generating a first fast reroute (FRR) next hop (NH) comprising of a first primary next hop (PNH), a first secondary next hop (SNH), and a first attribute, wherein the first PNH and first SNH include forwarding information that causes traffic to be forwarded towards a second and third network device, respectively. The methods include sending a first request to a forwarding plane to generate a second FRR NH comprising of a second PNH, a second SNH, and a second attribute. The methods include updating contents of the first FRR NH, and sending a second request to the forwarding plane to update the second FRR NH, wherein the second request causes the forwarding plane to determine whether to revert back to using the second PNH based on whether the first attribute included in the second request is different from the second attribute of the second FRR NH.

Abstract: Exemplary methods performed by a first network device (ND) include generating first and second prefix entries associating incoming Internet Protocol (IP) traffic to first and second data structures (DSs), respectively. Generating the first DS includes generating a first proxy including forwarding information causing incoming IP traffic to be forwarded to a second ND, and generating a second proxy referencing a third DS. Generating the second DS includes generating a first proxy including forwarding information causing incoming IP traffic to be forwarded to the second ND, and generating a second proxy referencing the third DS. The methods include generating the third DS including forwarding information causing the incoming IP traffic to be forwarded to a third ND, the third DS further including first state information indicating whether the forwarding information included in the first proxies of the first and second DSs should be used for forwarding the incoming IP traffic.

Abstract: A network device, is to be deployed in a network between a first network domain and a second network domain, and is to be configured for fast reroute. The network device includes a first traffic forwarder control module, corresponding to the first network domain, which is to determine a primary next hop in the first network domain. The control plane includes a second traffic forwarder control module, corresponding to the second network domain, which is to determine a backup next hop in the second network domain. The backup next hop is to be used as a fast reroute for the primary next hop in response to a failure associated with the primary next hop. The control plane includes a controller module, in communication with the first and second traffic forwarder control modules, which is to configure a forwarding structure of the forwarding plane with the primary and backup next hops.

Abstract: A network device, is to be deployed in a network between a first network domain and a second network domain, and is to be configured for fast reroute. The network device includes a first traffic forwarder control module, corresponding to the first network domain, which is to determine a primary next hop in the first network domain. The control plane includes a second traffic forwarder control module, corresponding to the second network domain, which is to determine a backup next hop in the second network domain. The backup next hop is to be used as a fast reroute for the primary next hop in response to a failure associated with the primary next hop. The control plane includes a controller module, in communication with the first and second traffic forwarder control modules, which is to configure a forwarding structure of the forwarding plane with the primary and backup next hops.

Abstract: A method is implemented by a network device in a network having a plurality of nodes. The method computes a remote loop free alternative (RLFA) next hop as a backup for a primary path next hop. The method improves RLFA computation efficiency for a Q-Space list of nodes in a Q-space for an endpoint node by reducing calculations of the loop free condition for a path from a source node to a destination node via a tunnel between the source node and the endpoint node. The method includes adding a neighbor node to a poison list where the candidate node is in the poison list and the neighbor node is not in the candidate list, the poison list indicating that a node is not a candidate for Q-Space, and determining the Q-Space list by removing nodes from poison list from the plurality of nodes.

Abstract: A method implemented for a link aggregation group is disclosed. The link aggregation group contains a local interface and a remote interface. The local interface is a logical interface formed by a plurality of network elements including a local network element and a peer network element. The local network element communicates with the peer network element through an inter-peer link. The method starts with determining that the local network element is active by checking that an aggregate state of the links coupled to the local network element is active. The method continues with detecting an anomaly of the active links and sending a notification to the peer network element about the anomaly. Then method continues with receiving an activation confirmation that the peer network element is ready for switching and switching traffic from the active links to the inter-peer link in response to receiving the activation confirmation.

Abstract: A method is implemented by a network element to improve efficiency of loop free alternative (LFA) path computation by caching data from a shortest path first calculation for use in the LFA path calculation. The shortest path first calculation determines a shortest path from a source vertex to each vertex in a network topology graph representing the network in which the network element operates, where an endpoint for each shortest path is the shortest path vertex, and where each shortest path determined by the shortest path first calculation is stored.

Abstract: A method is implemented by a network device to improve efficiency of computing a node-protecting remote loop-free alternate (LFA) in a network topology graph. The method computes a reverse shortest path first (SPF) algorithm rooted at the primary next hop node, where the reverse SPF algorithm rooted at the primary next hop maintains a reverse path of a shortest path computed by the reverse SPF algorithm rooted at the primary next hop node. The method selects a node that is in both the source node's node-protecting extended P-space that protects the primary next hop node and the primary next hop node's link-protecting Q-space that protects the S-E link.

Abstract: A method is implemented by a network device to improve efficiency of computing a node-protecting remote loop-free alternate (LFA) in a network topology graph. The method computes a reverse shortest path first (SPF) algorithm rooted at the primary next hop node, where the reverse SPF algorithm rooted at the primary next hop maintains a reverse path of a shortest path computed by the reverse SPF algorithm rooted at the primary next hop node. The method selects a node that is in both the source node's node-protecting extended P-space that protects the primary next hop node and the primary next hop node's link-protecting Q-space that protects the S-E link.

Abstract: A method is implemented by a network element to improve efficiency of loop free alternative (LFA) path computation by caching data from a shortest path first calculation for use in the LFA path calculation. The shortest path first calculation determines a shortest path from a source vertex to each vertex in a network topology graph representing the network in which the network element operates, where an endpoint for each shortest path is the shortest path vertex, and where each shortest path determined by the shortest path first calculation is stored.

Abstract: A method is implemented by a network element for determining a next hop of a backup path for a fast reroute process to be utilized in response to a network event invalidating a primary path to a destination node. The method reduces computational requirements of the network element by reducing a number of paths to be evaluated without affecting selection of the backup path. The method selects a neighbor node P of a source node S to calculate a shortest path tree (SPT) for P for use in identifying backup paths for S. The SPT is calculated for P, pruning paths from the SPT that traverse S or that fail an LFA condition. P is selected for the next hop of the backup path for a destination node X where the SPT of P provides an LFA path from S to the destination node X.

Abstract: A method implemented for a link aggregation group is disclosed. The link aggregation group contains a local interface and a remote interface. The local interface is a logical interface formed by a plurality of network elements including a local network element and a peer network element. The local network element communicates with the peer network element through an inter-peer link. The method starts with determining that the local network element is active by checking that an aggregate state of the links coupled to the local network element is active. The method continues with detecting an anomaly of the active links and sending a notification to the peer network element about the anomaly. Then method continues with receiving an activation confirmation that the peer network element is ready for switching and switching traffic from the active links to the inter-peer link in response to receiving the activation confirmation.

Abstract: A method is disclosed that is implemented by a router for executing an internet protocol fast reroute process in response to a network event invalidating a current route to a destination node without degrading forwarding plane functionality or performance caused by indirect forwarding information base lookups. The method comprises a set steps including receiving or generating the network event by the router, the network event associated with a network event identifier and looking up the network event identifier in an event table to determine routes that are affected by the network event. The method further includes determining whether a route with a fast reroute forwarding object is affected by the network event in the routing information base and overwriting a current next hop forwarding object using a backup next hop forwarding object in the forwarding information base.