Abstract: Some embodiments provide a network forwarding element with a data-plane forwarding circuit that has a parameter collecting circuit to store and distribute parameter values computed by several machines in a network. In some embodiments, the machines perform distributed computing operations, and the parameter values that compute are parameter values associated with the distributed computing operations. The parameter collecting circuit of the data-plane forwarding circuit (data plane) in some embodiments (1) stores a set of parameter values computed and sent by a first set of machines, and (2) distributes the collected parameter values to a second set of machines once it has collected the set of parameter values from all the machines in the first set. The first and second sets of machines are the same set of machines in some embodiments, while they are different sets of machines (e.g., one set has at least one machine that is not in the other set) in other embodiments.

Abstract: Some embodiments provide a network forwarding element with a data-plane forwarding circuit that has a parameter collecting circuit to store and distribute parameter values computed by several machines in a network. In some embodiments, the machines perform distributed computing operations, and the parameter values that compute are parameter values associated with the distributed computing operations. The parameter collecting circuit of the data-plane forwarding circuit (data plane) in some embodiments (1) stores a set of parameter values computed and sent by a first set of machines, and (2) distributes the collected parameter values to a second set of machines once it has collected the set of parameter values from all the machines in the first set. The first and second sets of machines are the same set of machines in some embodiments, while they are different sets of machines (e.g., one set has at least one machine that is not in the other set) in other embodiments.

Abstract: Some embodiments of the invention provide a data-plane forwarding circuit (data plane) that has a flow-size detection circuit that generates flow-size density distribution for all or some of the data message flows that it processes for forwarding in a network. The flow-size (FS) detection circuit in some embodiments generates statistical values regarding the processed data message flows, and based on these statistical values, it generates a FS density distribution that expresses a number of flows in different flow-size sub-ranges in a range of flow sizes. In some embodiments, the density distribution is a probabilistic density distribution that is based on probabilistic statistical values that the flow-size detection circuit generates for the data message flows that are processed for forwarding within the network.