Abstract: A method and system of network communication receive load balancing. At least some of the illustrative embodiments are methods comprising determining communication path cost information by a computer system (the computer system coupled to plurality of clients over a network), configuring communications from the plurality of clients to the computer system such that the communications are distributed across a plurality of teamed communication ports (the distribution proportional to communication path cost information associated with each communication port), and receiving message packets distributed across the plurality of teamed communication ports.

Abstract: A computer system teams its network resources by apportioning each of the one or more network resources into one of two or more groups. The resources of each of the groups have links that are operative to be coupled in parallel to a different one of two or more network devices that provide connectivity to a network. One of the two or more groups is selected to be a primary group. A team layer2 address is assigned to one of the resources apportioned to the selected group. Each of the resources of the selected group is enabled to receive on the team layer2 address. The network device to which the selected group is coupled is enabled to load balance data received from the network among the resources of the selected group. Data transmitted from the system to the network is load-balanced over all of the resources independent of the group to which they belong.

Abstract: A method of operating a network computer system provides redundant Internet Protocol (IP) Multicast traffic flow on a group of physical ports and comprises virtualizing the group of physical ports into a single virtual Network Interface Controller (NIC), validating network connectivity in a logical group comprising at least one of the physical ports in the virtualized group, and responding to failure of a physical port that is actively receiving on an IP Multicast traffic flow by instigating failover of the actively received IP Multicast traffic flow to a physical port in the logical group with validated network connectivity.

Abstract: Systems, methodologies, media, and other embodiments associated with network load balancing are described. One exemplary system embodiment includes a load balancing logic configured to cause different portions of network traffic to be transmitted from a transmitting node to different network adapters in a receiving node to cause the network traffic to be receive load balanced.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and other embodiments associated with monitoring a server port in a server network environment are described. In one embodiment, a graphical user interface (GUI) allows server port(s) to be selected for monitoring. The GUI also allows for an uplink port to be selected, where the uplink port is a port that may be connected to a network analyzer. In response to the selections, a virtual local area network (VLAN) is created to establish communication between the selected server port(s) and the selected uplink port. Network traffic that passes through the selected server port(s) can then be duplicated and transmitted through the VLAN to the selected uplink port to be monitored and analyzed by a network analyzer connected to the uplink port.

Abstract: Systems and methods or implementing priority failover determination are disclosed. An exemplary method includes prioritizing ranking criteria for plurality of network adapter ports based at least in part on user input. The method also includes determining a ranking value for each of the plurality of network adapter ports based on the prioritized ranking criteria. The method further includes designating a primary adapter port and at least a secondary network adapter port based on the ranking value for each of the plurality of network adapter ports.

Abstract: A method and system of implementing virtual local area networks (VLANs) with teamed communication ports. At least some of the illustrative embodiments are methods comprising teaming a plurality of communication ports to form a single virtual communication port (the single virtual port comprising a first set of ports and a second set of ports), sending messages belonging to a first virtual local area network (VLAN) exclusively over the first set of ports from a first device to a second device, and sending messages belonging to a second VLAN exclusively over the second set of ports from the first device to the second device.

Abstract: A computer system teams its network resource ports on a per virtual network basis. The system configures one or more virtual networks. For each of the one or more configured virtual networks, the system establishes a team comprising two or more of the network resource ports. The system selects a layer2 address that is uniquely associated with one of the ports of the team. The system assigns the selected unique layer2 address to be the primary layer2 address for the team.

Abstract: A method is implemented in a network that comprises a plurality of ports and an indicator associated with each port The method comprises forming a frame The frame passes through the network. The frame causes indicators of multiple ports to illuminate to provide an indication of a path through the network Each of the ports remain illuminated for at least a period of time after the frame passes through each such port to enable a person to concurrently visualize all of the ports comprising the path.

Abstract: Network administration systems and methods are disclosed. In an exemplary implementation, a method of administering a computer network may include listening to inter-switch communication at a server computer in the computer network. The method may also include parsing the inter-switch communication. The method may also include extracting data about the network from the inter-switch communication for display to a user at the server computer.

Abstract: A system comprises a first host bus adapter (HBA) that uses a first context to facilitate the transmission of packets through a logical connection through the first HBA. The system also comprises a second HBA and memory in which the first context is stored. The memory is accessible by both of the first and second HBAs. Upon receiving a packet associated with the logical connection, the second HBA accesses the memory to use the first context to process the packet in accordance with the first context.

Abstract: A method and system of distributing multicast group join requests in computer systems operating with teamed communication ports At least some of the illustrative embodiments are computer-readable media storing a program that when executed by a processor, causes the processor to intercept multicast group join requests sent from a network layer program executed by the processor, and distribute the multicast join requests across a plurality of communication ports operating as a single virtual port.

Abstract: A method and system of assigning media access control (MAC) addresses across teamed communication ports. At least some of the illustrative embodiments are methods comprising teaming a plurality of communication ports in a computer system to appear as a single virtual port to an application program (each communication port transmits message packets with any of a number M possible MAC addresses, wherein the number communication ports is greater than M), assigning a set of size M of MAC addresses to each of the plurality communication ports such that each MAC address appears in the set for a communication port for which the MAC address is the primary address (and such that each MAC address appears in M-1 other sets for other communication ports), and receiving a message packet from a client device across a network, the message packet directed to a primary MAC address of the first of the plurality communication ports.

Abstract: A method and system of network communication receive load balancing At least some of the illustrative embodiments are methods comprising determining communication path cost information by a computer system (the computer system coupled to plurality of clients over a network), configuring communications from the plurality of clients to the computer system such that the communications are distributed across a plurality of teamed communication ports (the distribution proportional to communication path cost information associated with each communication port), and receiving message packets distributed across the plurality of teamed communication ports.

Abstract: A method comprises on a first port, receiving a frame from a network device and determining whether the received frame includes a system identifier (ID) that matches a system ID corresponding to a second port. If the received frame's system ID matches the second port's system ID, the method further comprises discontinuing an aggregation protocol that otherwise enables multiple ports to be operated together as a virtual port.

Abstract: A method and system of transmit load balancing across multiple physical ports. At least some of the illustrative embodiments are methods comprising teaming a first and second communication ports to create a teamed communication port, creating a plurality of virtual ports which abstract the first and second communication ports (and wherein a number of virtual ports utilizing each communication port is based on parameters associated with the communication ports), selecting one of the plurality of virtual ports out which to send a message packet thus designating a select virtual port (the selecting implements transmit load balancing across plurality of virtual ports) and sending the message packets out the first or second communication port utilized by the selected virtual port.

Abstract: A method of operating a network computer system to manage failover in the network computer system comprising communicating traffic via the plurality of network resources, and failing over from a primary pathway to a secondary pathway of the pathway plurality based on failure to receive the user-specified traffic defined by the failover criteria in the primary pathway in combination with availability of the user-specified traffic via the secondary pathway.

Abstract: A method of operating a network computer system provides redundant Internet Protocol (IP) Multicast traffic flow on a group of physical ports and comprises virtualizing the group of physical ports into a single virtual Network Interface Controller (NIC), validating network connectivity in a logical group comprising at least one of the physical ports in the virtualized group, and responding to failure of a physical port that is actively receiving on an IP Multicast traffic flow by instigating failover of the actively received IP Multicast traffic flow to a physical port in the logical group with validated network connectivity.

Abstract: A portable device includes a location detector, a time detector, and an alarm module to generate alarms based on both time-based and location-based criteria. A current time provided by the time detector is compared to a time-based criterion, and a current geographical location provided by the location detector (e.g., global positioning system or GPS receiver) is compared to a location-based criterion to determine whether or not to generate an alarm.

Abstract: A portable device includes a location detector, a time detector, and an alarm module to generate alarms based on both time-based and location-based criteria. A current time provided by the time detector is compared to a time-based criterion, and a current geographical location provided by the location detector (e.g., global positioning system or GPS receiver) is compared to a location-based criterion to determine whether or not to generate an alarm.