Abstract: A method, system and computer program product for generating variable price billing whereby a customer may balance its data traffic in response to such billing. A subsystem in an edge gateway may extract the packet header from a copy of a received packet of data associated with a session between a customer and a server and generate a key based on the extracted packet header. The key may be used to index into a table that may store pointers to particular statistics records associated with particular sessions. Once the subsystem identifies the statistics record associated with the current session, the subsystem may execute a per packet statistics update for the statistics record associated with the session. A per packet statistics update may include one or more of the following: time stamping arrival of the packet, updating packet count, updating byte count, determining transfer rate, determining distance packet traveled.

Abstract: Methods, systems and computer program products are provided which control message storms in a network by classifying multiple destination messages into a plurality of broadcast message classes based upon characteristics of the broadcast messages. The number of multiple destination messages for each class of broadcast messages of the plurality of classes of broadcast messages are then counted so as to provide a plurality of broadcast message class counts. Multiple destination messages of a class of broadcast messages are then selectively transmitted based upon the broadcast message class count for the class of broadcast messages.

Abstract: A device for interconnecting Local Area Networks (LANs) includes ports for attaching LAN segments and port modules for connecting the ports to a switch fabric. Each of the port modules include a mechanism which searches the Routing Information (RI) field of a Received frame to detect at least two Triplets (a minimum configuration for a LAN segment) indicating a Source path from an originator user and a Destination path to a destination user. The Triplet (single or in combination) is used to access a database (tables) which identifies the Port of Exit (POE) through which the frame is to be routed.

Abstract: A network management frame contains a clear text (unencrypted) management command field and a security field. The management frame is sent to a data communications network by an authorized managing entity (manager). The management frame is addressed to a managing agent (agent). The security field includes two sub fields. The first sub field is a clear text time stamp. The second sub field includes this same time stamp value concatenated with a checksum that is calculated by the manager for the specific clear text management command contained within the management frame. The concatenated value is then encrypted under a secret cryptographic key that is shared by the manager and the agent. The agent receives the management frame, calculates a checksum of the clear text management command, and appends this checksum to the clear text time stamp as contained in the received management frame. This value is then encrypted using the shared cryptographic code.