Abstract: Examples described herein relate to a system including a BC network associated with a plurality of entities in a defined geographic scope. A first entity of the plurality of entities includes a connected vehicle that generates vehicular data. The BC network is governed by a smart contract. The smart contract includes a data sharing policy defined by a user of the connected vehicle, wherein the data sharing policy allows the user of the connected vehicle to selectively share the vehicular data with one or more other entities of the plurality of entities.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for providing supplemental information or data to location-based data provided by conventional asset tags. In particular, sensors such as environmentally-aware sensors, Internet of Things (IoT) sensors, and the like may be incorporated into asset tag devices. In turn, these enhanced asset tags may be integrated into network devices, such as access points, network switches, etc. Accordingly, network devices can be leveraged to provide location-based information, in addition to other information, such as environmental operating conditions relative to the location of such network devices. Moreover, secure communication links can be created between the enhanced asset tags, network devices, and controlling entities in the network, such as network management servers through a mutual authentication mechanism.

Abstract: Snapshots are created of a unit of storage such that the snapshot includes all segments allocated to the unit of storage until a subsequent snapshot is created. A backup of a first snapshot may be performed by copying segments of the snapshot to backup storage. If a preceding snapshot has been backed up, those segments of the first snapshot are copied to backup storage without copying the segments of the preceding snapshot, otherwise all segments of the snapshot are copied. Metadata describing the snapshot may be retained but storage may be freed to be overwritten. The metadata may reference identifiers of segments copied to backup storage. Data stored in backup storage may also be labeled as individual segments or be associated with snapshot metadata in backup storage.

Abstract: A network device may send, to a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) server, a request for an Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6) address to be assigned to a management port of the network device, wherein IPv6 is disabled at the network device, and may receive a message that includes information associated with a network management system (NMS) and IPv6 configuration information for enabling IPv6 processing on the management port. In response to receiving the IPv6 configuration information, the network device may enable IPv6 processing on the management port of the network device and may register with the NMS based at least in part on the information associated with the NMS. The network device may, in response to receiving one or more configuration commands sent from the NMS to the management port of the network device, configure the network device according to the one or more configuration commands.

Abstract: A system may comprise a dock. The dock may comprise a front. The front may include a front side, wherein a plurality of connectors are disposed on the front side and wherein the plurality of connectors accept external cables, and a rear side, wherein the rear side includes a plurality of extenders and wherein each one of the plurality of extenders connects to one of the plurality of connectors. The dock may comprise a rear including an aperture to allow for insertion of a computing device, wherein the plurality of extenders correspond with and connect to one of a connector on the computing device.

Abstract: Snapshots are created of a unit of storage such that the snapshot includes all segments allocated to the unit of storage until a subsequent snapshot is created. A backup of a first snapshot may be performed by copying segments of the snapshot to backup storage. If a preceding snapshot has been backed up, those segments of the first snapshot are copied to backup storage without copying the segments of the preceding snapshot, otherwise all segments of the snapshot are copied. Metadata describing the snapshot may be retained but storage may be freed to be overwritten. The metadata may reference identifiers of segments copied to backup storage. Data stored in backup storage may also be labeled as individual segments or be associated with snapshot metadata in backup storage.

Abstract: Examples described relate to disabling of MAC address aging time for an IoT device on a network switch. In an example, in response to a device joining a network, a network switch in the network may determine a media access control (MAC) address of the device. The network switch may then send the MAC address to an authentication server. In response, the network switch may receive a Vendor Specific Attribute (VSA) associated with the MAC address from the authentication server. The VSA indicates that the MAC address relates to an IoT device. Based on the VSA, the network switch may recognize the MAC address of the device as a MAC address of the IoT device. In response to recognizing, the network switch may disable MAC address aging time for the MAC address of the IoT device on the network switch.

Abstract: Examples described herein relate to a system including a BC network associated with a plurality of entities in a defined geographic scope. A first entity of the plurality of entities includes a connected vehicle that generates vehicular data. The BC network is governed by a smart contract. The smart contract includes a data sharing policy defined by a user of the connected vehicle, wherein the data sharing policy allows the user of the connected vehicle to selectively share the vehicular data with one or more other entities of the plurality of entities.

Abstract: Examples include systems and methods for managing a network for example, an enterprise network using a distributed ledger. Some examples include maintaining a distributed ledger by a plurality of NMS units in the network. Use of such distributed ledger may allow communication among NMS units of the plurality of NMS units deployed in the network through the distributed ledger.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed in which Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) servers form a blockchain network. Each SNMP server stores and maintains a local copy of a consensus ledger for which a consensus agreement has been obtained among the SNMP servers. The consensus agreement may be based on a validation of one or more fingerprints for one or more blocks of information in the ledger. The fingerprint for each block may be based on information in a preceding block. The consensus ledger includes transaction information for SNMP operations performed between the SNMP servers and managed devices. The common consensus ledger helps ensure that bandwidth, CPU time, and energy for the managed devices and the SNMP servers is not wasted on duplicate SNMP operations.

Abstract: Examples include systems and methods for managing a network for example, an enterprise network using a distributed ledger. Some examples include maintaining a distributed ledger by a plurality of NMS units in the network. Use of such distributed ledger may allow communication among NMS units of the plurality of NMS units deployed in the network through the distributed ledger.

Abstract: A system may comprise a dock. The dock may comprise a front. The front may include a front side, wherein a plurality of connectors are disposed on the front side and wherein the plurality of connectors accept external cables, and a rear side, wherein the rear side includes a plurality of extenders and wherein each one of the plurality of extenders connects to one of the plurality of connectors. The dock may comprise a rear including an aperture to allow for insertion of a computing device, wherein the plurality of extenders correspond with and connect to one of a connector on the computing device.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for providing supplemental information or data to location-based data provided by conventional asset tags. In particular, sensors such as environmentally-aware sensors, Internet of Things (IoT) sensors, and the like may be incorporated into asset tag devices. In turn, these enhanced asset tags may be integrated into network devices, such as access points, network switches, etc. Accordingly, network devices can be leveraged to provide location-based information, in addition to other information, such as environmental operating conditions relative to the location of such network devices. Moreover, secure communication links can be created between the enhanced asset tags, network devices, and controlling entities in the network, such as network management servers through a mutual authentication mechanism.

Abstract: A network device may send, to a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) server, a request for an Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6) address to be assigned to a management port of the network device, wherein IPv6 is disabled at the network device, and may receive a message that includes information associated with a network management system (NMS) and IPv6 configuration information for enabling IPv6 processing on the management port. In response to receiving the IPv6 configuration information, the network device may enable IPv6 processing on the management port of the network device and may register with the NMS based at least in part on the information associated with the NMS. The network device may, in response to receiving one or more configuration commands sent from the NMS to the management port of the network device, configure the network device according to the one or more configuration commands.

Abstract: A method for network communication, the method including distributing a distributed ledger across a network having a plurality of nodes and maintaining the distributed ledger on each of the plurality of nodes of the network. The method further including initiating a modification to the network, verifying the modification to the network by checking the distributed ledger maintained by each of the plurality of nodes of the network, and permitting the modification to the network when the modification to the network is authorized by the distributed ledger maintained on each of the plurality of nodes in the network.

Abstract: A method for network communication, the method including distributing a distributed ledger across a network having a plurality of nodes and maintaining the distributed ledger on each of the plurality of nodes of the network. The method further including initiating a modification to the network, verifying the modification to the network by checking the distributed ledger maintained by each of the plurality of nodes of the network, and permitting the modification to the network when the modification to the network is authorized by the distributed ledger maintained on each of the plurality of nodes in the network.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed in which access devices such as routers and switches form a blockchain network. Each router and switch stores and maintains a local copy of a network topology ledger for which a consensus agreement has been obtained among the routers and switches. The consensus agreement may be based on a validation of one or more fingerprints for one or more blocks of information in the ledger. The fingerprint for each block may be based on information in a preceding block. The network topology ledger includes device identification, routing, and/or other information for device authentication and packet routing by the routers and switches.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed in which Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) servers form a blockchain network. Each SNMP server stores and maintains a local copy of a consensus ledger for which a consensus agreement has been obtained among the SNMP servers. The consensus agreement may be based on a validation of one or more fingerprints for one or more blocks of information in the ledger. The fingerprint for each block may be based on information in a preceding block. The consensus ledger includes transaction information for SNMP operations performed between the SNMP servers and managed devices. The common consensus ledger helps ensure that bandwidth, CPU time, and energy for the managed devices and the SNMP servers is not wasted on duplicate SNMP operations.

Abstract: A method, executable by a switch to automatically onboard end devices connected thereto, comprises detecting that an end device has connected to the switch, and determining a device identity of the connected end device. The determined device identity is used to obtain a configuration template profile associated with the connected end device. The switch is configured using the obtained configuration template profile.

Abstract: A software image download security method may include storing an authentic cryptographic hash for an authentic software image at an authentication server, receiving, at the authentication server from a client network device, a candidate cryptographic hash for a candidate software image for which a download request has been received by the client network device, comparing, at the authentication server, the candidate cryptographic hash to the authentic cryptographic hash, and transmitting a result of the comparing to the client network device, wherein the client network device is to not download the candidate software image in response to the candidate cryptographic hash not matching the authentic cryptographic hash.