Abstract: An emulator module integrated with a hypervisor executes on a host computer having a physical network interface card (pNIC). The hypervisor hosts a virtual machine having a virtual NIC (vNIC). The pNIC has pNIC receive pointers to point to receive packets loaded into a receive buffer by the pNIC. The vNIC has vNIC receive pointers for retrieval of the receive packets from the receive buffer. The emulator module accesses a pNIC receive pointer in the pNIC that points to the receive packet loaded into the receive buffer by the pNIC, and maps a vNIC receive pointer to the pNIC receive pointer accessed by the emulator module, to enable the vNIC to retrieve the receive packet from the receive buffer using the vNIC receive pointer. The emulator module notifies the vNIC to retrieve the receive packet from the receive buffer.

Abstract: A device is configured to support one or more virtual networking functions at a branch in a network. The device receives from a central control entity a command to deploy a particular virtual networking function, the command including or accompanied by a deployment file that identifies an external port at which the particular virtual networking function is accessed externally at the device. The device maps the external port to an internal port on an internal management network of the device, and stores a portmapping entry for the particular virtual networking function based on the mapping. The device sends to the central control entity a notification containing portmapping information that indicates the internal port to which the external port is mapped.

Abstract: An emulator module integrated with a hypervisor executes on a host computer having a physical network interface card (pNIC). The hypervisor hosts a virtual machine having a virtual NIC (vNIC). The pNIC has pNIC receive pointers to point to receive packets loaded into a receive buffer by the pNIC. The vNIC has vNIC receive pointers for retrieval of the receive packets from the receive buffer. The emulator module accesses a pNIC receive pointer in the pNIC that points to the receive packet loaded into the receive buffer by the pNIC, and maps a vNIC receive pointer to the pNIC receive pointer accessed by the emulator module, to enable the vNIC to retrieve the receive packet from the receive buffer using the vNIC receive pointer. The emulator module notifies the vNIC to retrieve the receive packet from the receive buffer.

Abstract: A device is configured to support one or more virtual networking functions at a branch in a network. The device receives from a central control entity a command to deploy a particular virtual networking function, the command including or accompanied by a deployment file that identifies an external port at which the particular virtual networking function is accessed externally at the device. The device maps the external port to an internal port on an internal management network of the device, and stores a portmapping entry for the particular virtual networking function based on the mapping. The device sends to the central control entity a notification containing portmapping information that indicates the internal port to which the external port is mapped.

Abstract: One embodiment of the invention includes a method of managing network communications in a network device. The network device includes software components and modules. Some of the components control the interaction between modules, while other components perform specific functions for associated modules. A module manager component controls the creation and destruction of modules as well as their interactions. A communications manager component manages network communications in the network device. The network communications is supported by creating a number of modules that are associated with components that implement different parts of a network protocol. As a result of the use of the modules, a component need not know which other component(s) it depends upon, nor need it know which other component(s) depend upon it. This allows components to be used together very easily in many different configurations. The modules also allow the same component to be used by multiple modules.

Abstract: One embodiment of the invention includes a method of managing network communications in a network device. The network device includes software components and modules. Some of the components control the interaction between modules, while other components perform specific functions for associated modules. A module manager component controls the creation and destruction of modules as well as their interactions. A communications manager component manages network communications in the network device. The network communications is supported by creating a number of modules that are associated with components that implement different parts of a network protocol. As a result of the use of the modules, a component need not know which other component(s) it depends upon, nor need it know which other component(s) depend upon it. This allows components to be used together very easily in many different configurations. The modules also allow the same component to be used by multiple modules.

Abstract: One embodiment of the invention includes a method of managing network communications in a network device. The network device includes software components and modules. Some of the components control the interaction between modules, while other components perform specific functions for associated modules. A module manager component controls the creation and destruction of modules as well as their interactions. A communications manager component manages network communications in the network device. The network communications is supported by creating a number of modules that are associated with components that implement different parts of a network protocol. As a result of the use of the modules, a component need not know which other components) it depends upon, nor need it know which other component(s) depend upon it. This allows components to be used together very easily in many different configurations. The modules also allow the same component to be used by multiple modules.

Abstract: One embodiment of the invention includes a method of managing network communications in a network device. The network device includes software components and modules. Some of the components control the interaction between modules, while other components perform specific functions for associated modules. A module manager component controls the creation and destruction of modules as well as their interactions. A communications manager component manages network communications in the network device. The network communications is supported by creating a number of modules that are associated with components that implement different parts of a network protocol. As a result of the use of the modules, a component need not know which other component(s) it depends upon, nor need it know which other component(s) depend upon it. This allows components to be used together very easily in many different configurations. The modules also allow the same component to be used by multiple modules.

Abstract: One embodiment of the invention includes a method of managing network communications in a network device. The network device includes software components and modules. Some of the components control the interaction between modules, while other components perform specific functions for associated modules. A module manager component controls the creation and destruction of modules as well as their interactions. A communications manager component manages network communications in the network device. The network communications is supported by creating a number of modules that are associated with components that implement different parts of a network protocol. As a result of the use of the modules, a component need not know which other component(s) it depends upon, nor need it know which other component(s) depend upon it. This allows components to be used together very easily in many different configurations. The modules also allow the same component to be used by multiple modules.

Abstract: One embodiment of the invention includes a method of managing network communications in a network device. The network device includes software components and modules. Some of the components control the interaction between modules, while other components perform specific functions for associated modules. A module manager component controls the creation and destruction of modules as well as their interactions. A communications manager component manages network communications in the network device. The network communications is supported by creating a number of modules that are associated with components that implement different parts of a network protocol. As a result of the use of the modules, a component need not know which other component(s) it depends upon, nor need it know which other component(s) depend upon it. This allows components to be used together very easily in many different configurations. The modules also allow the same component to be used by multiple modules.

Abstract: A communication technique for high volume connectionless-protocol, backbone communication links in distributed processing systems provides for control of latency and reliability of messages transmitted. The system provides for transmit list and receive list processes in the processors on the link. On the transmit side, a high priority command list and a normal priority command list are provided. In the message passing process, the command transmit function transmits commands across the backplane according to a queue priority rule that allows for control of transmit latency. Messages that require low latency are written into the high priority transmit list, while a majority of messages are written into the high throughput or normal priority transmit list. A receive filtering process in the receiving processor includes dispatch logic which dispatches messages either to a high priority receive list or a normal priority receive list.

Abstract: A high performance scalable networking bridge/router system is based on a backbone communication medium and message passing process which interconnects a plurality of input/output modules. The input/output modules vary in complexity from a simple network interface device having no switching or routing resources on board, to a fully functional bridge/router system. Also, in between these two extremes input/output modules which support distributed protocol processing are supported. A central internetworking engine includes a shared memory resource coupled to the backbone.

Abstract: A system uses a message passing paradigm for transferring large amounts of input/output data among a plurality of processors, such as a network intermediate system or router. A bus interconnects the plurality of processors with a plurality of bus interface devices. The bus interface device which originates a transfer includes a command list storing lists of commands which characterize transfers of data messages from local memory across the bus and a packing buffer which buffers the data subject of the command being executed between local memory and the bus. A bus interface device which receives a transfer includes a free buffer list storing pointers to free buffers in local memory into which the data may be loaded from the bus, and a receive list storing pointers to buffers in local memory loaded with data from the bus. The command list includes a first high priority command list and a second lower priority command list for managing latency of the higher priority commands in the software of the processor.

Abstract: A reverse address resolution protocol for use in a communication network which allows resolution logic to provide a higher level protocol information (such as an IP address) to a source of a request for such information, independent of the physical network address of such source. The protocol is used in a processor having a plurality of ports, at least one of such ports connected by a point-to-point channel to a remote network device. Reverse address resolution protocol is responsive to a resolution request from the remote network device across the point-to-point channel to supply the higher level protocol information based upon the port through which the resolution request is received, rather than the physical network address of the requesting device. Thus, a remote device may be coupled to a network, and connected to a central management site across a point-to-point communication link, in a "plug and play" mode.