Abstract: Examples relate to dynamic allocation of resources within network devices. In one example, a computing device may: receive, from a particular lookup function of a plurality of lookup functions, a lookup request for a network packet; identify, based on a logical table that corresponds to the particular lookup function, at least one physical resource included in a particular resource pool of at least one dynamic resource pool; obtain, from a particular physical resource of the at least one physical resource, response data that is responsive to the lookup request; and provide the response data to the particular lookup function.

Abstract: Examples relate to dynamic allocation of hash table resources. In one example, a computing device may: receive, from a particular lookup function of a plurality of lookup functions, a lookup request; identify, based on the particular lookup function, a logical hash table that corresponds to the particular lookup function, the logical hash table mapping to at least one physical hash table resource; obtain, from one of the at least one physical hash table resource, response data that is responsive to the lookup request; and provide the response data to the particular lookup function.

Abstract: A method for handling of conflicts in a multicast routing election in a multicast network is described herein. The multicast network includes a plurality of multicast network devices. A conflict is detected in a Designated Forwarder (DF) election for a link.

Abstract: Examples relate to dynamic allocation of hash table resources. In one example, a computing device may: receive, from a particular lookup function of a plurality of lookup functions, a lookup request; identify, based on the particular lookup function, a logical hash table that corresponds to the particular lookup function, the logical hash table mapping to at least one physical hash table resource; obtain, from one of the at least one physical hash table resource, response data that is responsive to the lookup request; and provide the response data to the particular lookup function.

Abstract: Examples relate to dynamic allocation of resources within network devices. In one example, a computing device may: receive, from a particular lookup function of a plurality of lookup functions, a lookup request for a network packet; identify, based on a logical table that corresponds to the particular lookup function, at least one physical resource included in a particular resource pool of at least one dynamic resource pool; obtain, from a particular physical resource of the at least one physical resource, response data that is responsive to the lookup request; and provide the response data to the particular lookup function.

Abstract: A network device having a plurality of packet forwarding elements, each including a hardware component for receiving and forwarding data packets from and to other network devices via a plurality of input ports connected to a network. Each hardware component is configured to determine whether a received data packet is one of a predetermined class of data packets based on data in the received data packet and, if so, generate expedited processing instructions corresponding to the received data packet based on data in the received data packet. The hardware component forwards the received data packet, together with the corresponding expedited processing instructions, directly to the hardware component of all packet forwarding elements of the plurality of packet forwarding elements for processing based on the expedited processing instructions.

Abstract: A method of transmitting an upstream communication packet from a distributed trunk (DT) switch is described. The method comprises receiving a packet from a device connected to a DT port of the DT switch; and transmitting the received packet via a non-DT port of the DT switch if the DT switch is the owner of the device and transmitting the received packet via a DT interconnect (DTI) port of the DT switch if the DT switch is not the owner of the device.

Abstract: System and methods for metering output packet traffic at network devices. Ingress packet lookups are employed in combination with egress packet meters, which can be arranged in parallel fashion, and used to meter traffic across multiple blades of a switch chassis. Also, egress packet traffic metering is accomplished while matching complex ingress rules without additional egress packet processing. The system has a first node for creating requests that contain a number of filter indicies for specifying packet forwarding criteria. The first node also specifies values for the filter and meter indicies based on a packet to be forwarded. The system also has a second node coupled to the first node and to a number of ports. The second node has at least one table for specifying which of the ports are to receive the packet based on the filter values, and at least one table for accounting for egress traffic bandwidth.

Abstract: A method of selective direct memory access (DMA) in a computer system having a network interface card (NIC), a processor subsystem, and a memory accessible to the subsystem, including the steps of the NIC receiving a plurality of packets from an external source; the NIC decoding a portion of each packet and determining whether the packet should be accepted by the computer system based on a predefined rule; and if the packet is accepted, selectively truncating the packet based on the predefined rule, and storing the truncated packet in the memory.

Abstract: A method of transmitting an upstream communication packet from a distributed trunk (DT) switch is described. The method comprises receiving a packet from a device connected to a DT port of the DT switch; and transmitting the received packet via a non-DT port of the DT switch if the DT switch is the owner of the device and transmitting the received packet via a DT interconnect (DTI) port of the DT switch if the DT switch is not the owner of the device.

Abstract: Methods for controlling a Designated Forwarder (DF) election in a multicast network are described herein. The multicast network includes a plurality of multicast network devices, including a first network device and a second network device. A Designated Forwarder is determined. It is determined whether to initiate a Designated Forwarder election based on a comparison of a metric measuring a distance to a Rendezvous Point Address from a first network device and a metric measuring the distance to the Rendezvous Point Address from the second network device.

Abstract: An example method includes creating a plurality of redundant, non-looping paths to a plurality of switches, and providing information to the plurality of switches about the plurality of redundant, non-looping paths. The method further comprises assigning each of a plurality of clients to one of the plurality of redundant, non-looping paths, and providing information to the plurality of switches about which of the plurality of redundant, non-looping paths each client of the plurality of clients is assigned to. Then, in response to receiving a packet from a client of the plurality of clients, the method comprises transmitting the packet on one of the plurality of redundant, non-looping paths to one of the plurality of switches based at least in part on which of the plurality of redundant, non-looping paths the client is assigned to.

Abstract: A method of transmitting an upstream communication packet from a distributed trunk (DT) switch is described. The method comprises receiving a packet from a device connected to a DT port of the DT switch; and transmitting the received packet via a non-DT port of the DT switch if the DT switch is the owner of the device and transmitting the received packet via a DT interconnect (DTI) port of the DT switch if the DT switch is not the owner of the device.

Abstract: A network, network devices, and methods are described for packet processing indication. A method includes tunneling a packet from a first network device to a second network device associated with a first checking functionality. The second network device has an address different than an original destination address of the packet. The method also includes return-tunneling the packet from the second network device to the first network device with an indication of whether the packet was processed by the first checking functionality. The method includes tunneling the packet from the first network device to a third network device associated with a second checking functionality in response to the indication being that the packet was not processed by the first checking functionality. The third network device has an address different from the original destination address of the packet.

Abstract: A network, network devices, and methods are described for packet processing indication. A method includes tunneling a packet from a first network device to a second network device associated with a first checking functionality. The second network device has an address different than an original destination address of the packet. The method also includes return-tunneling the packet from the second network device to the first network device with an indication of whether the packet was processed by the first checking functionality. The method includes tunneling the packet from the first network device to a third network device associated with a second checking functionality in response to the indication being that the packet was not processed by the first checking functionality. The third network device has an address different from the original destination address of the packet.

Abstract: A method includes reading content of network traffic that arrives at a network port of a network switch of a mesh of network switches. A hash algorithm is applied to the read content to indicate a path to a destination network switch of the mesh, the hash algorithm being common to all network switches of the mesh. The network traffic is forwarded via a network port that is associated with the indicated path.

Abstract: A network device having a plurality of packet forwarding elements, each including a hardware component for receiving and forwarding data packets from and to other network devices via a plurality of input ports connected to a network. Each hardware component is configured to determine whether a received data packet is one of a predetermined class of data packets based on data in the received data packet and, if so, generate expedited processing instructions corresponding to the received data packet based on data in the received data packet. The hardware component forwards the received data packet, together with the corresponding expedited processing instructions, directly to the hardware component of all packet forwarding elements of the plurality of packet forwarding elements for processing based on the expedited processing instructions.

Abstract: A network, network devices, and methods are described for marked packet forwarding. A network device includes a network chip having a number of network ports for receiving and transmitting packets. The network chip includes logic to decapsulate a packet received from a tunnel, mark the packet with a handle associated with an originating network device of the packet using information from an encapsulation header, and forward the marked packet to a checking functionality having a destination address different from an original destination address of the packet.

Abstract: Methods for controlling a Designated Forwarder (DF) election in a multicast network are described herein. The multicast network includes a plurality of multicast network devices, including a first network device and a second network device. A Designated Forwarder is determined. It is determined whether to initiate a Designated Forwarder election based on a comparison of a metric measuring a distance to a Rendezvous Point Address from a first network device and a metric measuring the distance to the Rendezvous Point Address from the second network device.

Abstract: Dynamic hardware address assignment to network devices in a switch mesh is described. In an example, a network device in a switch mesh dynamically assigns a hardware address to a network interface. The network device receives an address request from a client through the switch mesh. The network device calculates an index value for the client based on data in the address request. The network device selects the hardware address of a plurality of hardware addresses assigned to the network interface based on the index value. The switch mesh includes a plurality of traffic paths respectively for the plurality of hardware addresses. The network device sends the hardware address in a reply to the client through the switch mesh.