Abstract: Methods, apparatus and systems, including computer program products, implementing and using techniques for providing a scalable and elastic two-level overlay computer network. A host network is provided. The host network includes a system of interconnected computers and can to support one or more transport layer protocols. A first overlay network is generated on top of the host network. The first overlay network includes one or more first-level nodal entities. At least some of the first-level nodal entities operate as factories for generating second-level nodal entities in a second overlay network. In response to receiving an instruction, one or more factories dynamically generate the second overlay network. The second overlay network includes several networked second-level nodal entities that can support data processing and data communication between the second-level nodal entities.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, implementing and using techniques for organizing a communication session between two or more media aware network entities in a computer network. A computer network includes several media aware network entities (MANEs). The MANEs include data writers and data readers. A model for communication between the MANEs is provided. The communication model includes: subsets of planes associated with a session between two or more MANEs in a domain, each plane representing a collection of MANEs partaking on a subset of topics within the domain; a complementary subset of planes common to all participating MANEs of a domain, an aggregation of domains and topics, and methods for addressing namespaces within the topics. Data streams are exchanged in a session between two MANEs in the computer network according to the communication model. Techniques for distributing a data stream in a computer network are also described.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus and systems, including computer program products, implementing and using techniques for providing a scalable and elastic two-level overlay computer network. A host network is provided. The host network includes a system of interconnected computers and can to support one or more transport layer protocols. A first overlay network is generated on top of the host network. The first overlay network includes one or more first-level nodal entities. At least some of the first-level nodal entities operate as factories for generating second-level nodal entities in a second overlay network. In response to receiving an instruction, one or more factories dynamically generate the second overlay network. The second overlay network includes several networked second-level nodal entities that can support data processing and data communication between the second-level nodal entities.