Abstract: A network element includes a plurality of ports, multiple computational modules, configurable forwarding circuitry and a central block. The ports include child ports coupled to child network elements or network nodes and parent ports coupled to parent network elements. The computational modules collectively perform a data reduction operation of a data reduction protocol. The forwarding circuitry interconnects among ports and computational modules. The central block receives a request indicative of child ports, a parent port, and computational modules required for performing reduction operations on data received via the child ports, for producing reduced data destined to the parent port, to derive from the request a topology that interconnects among the child ports, parent port and computational modules for performing the data reduction operations and to forward the reduced data for transmission to the selected parent port, and to configure the forwarding circuitry to apply the topology.

Abstract: A network element includes a plurality of ports, multiple computational modules, configurable forwarding circuitry and a central block. The ports include child ports coupled to child network elements or network nodes and parent ports coupled to parent network elements. The computational modules collectively perform a data reduction operation of a data reduction protocol. The forwarding circuitry interconnects among ports and computational modules. The central block receives a request indicative of child ports, a parent port, and computational modules required for performing reduction operations on data received via the child ports, for producing reduced data destined to the parent port, to derive from the request a topology that interconnects among the child ports, parent port and computational modules for performing the data reduction operations and to forward the reduced data for transmission to the selected parent port, and to configure the forwarding circuitry to apply the topology.

Abstract: A network element includes output ports, a crossbar fabric and a scheduler. The output ports are organized in groups of multiple output ports selectable over predefined time slots in accordance with a cyclic mapping assigned to each group. In each time slot, the crossbar fabric routes to fabric outputs data received from the buffers via fabric inputs, in accordance with a routing plan. The scheduler determines and applies the routing plan for transmitting packets from the buffers to the communication network via the crossbar fabric and output ports. When in a given time slot, a required readout rate from a given buffer exceeds a maximum rate, the scheduler selects a group of the output ports to which the given buffer is routed in that time slot, and modifies the cyclic mapping for that group to reduce the required readout rate from the given buffer in the given time slot.

Abstract: A network element includes output ports, a crossbar fabric and a scheduler. The output ports are organized in groups of multiple output ports selectable over predefined time slots in accordance with a cyclic mapping assigned to each group. In each time slot, the crossbar fabric routes to fabric outputs data received from the buffers via fabric inputs, in accordance with a routing plan. The scheduler determines and applies the routing plan for transmitting packets from the buffers to the communication network via the crossbar fabric and output ports. When in a given time slot, a required readout rate from a given buffer exceeds a maximum rate, the scheduler selects a group of the output ports to which the given buffer is routed in that time slot, and modifies the cyclic mapping for that group to reduce the required readout rate from the given buffer in the given time slot.

Abstract: Communication apparatus includes a plurality of interfaces for receiving and transmitting data packets from and to a network and a memory, which receives and stores context data with respect to multicast groups. Packet processing circuitry establishes reliable connections over the network with the receiving nodes in the multicast groups, and upon receiving from a packet source on the network an incoming unicast packet containing multicast data and containing multicast metadata that identifies a multicast group, sends an acknowledgment of the incoming unicast packet to the packet source, reads the context data from the memory with respect to the identified multicast group, and transmits multiple outgoing unicast packets containing the multicast data via respective egress interfaces to the receiving nodes in the multicast group over the reliable connections.

Abstract: A network switch includes circuitry and multiple ports, including multiple input ports and at least one output port, configured to connect to a communication network. The circuitry includes multiple distinct-flow counters, which are each associated with a respective input port and with the output port, and which are configured to estimate respective distinct-flow counts of distinct data flows received via the respective input ports and destined to the output port. The circuitry is configured to store packets that are destined to the output port and were received via the multiple input ports in multiple queues, to determine a transmission schedule for the packets stored in the queues, based on the estimated distinct-flow counts, and to transmit the packets via the output port in accordance with the determined transmission schedule.

Abstract: Communication apparatus includes a plurality of interfaces for receiving and transmitting data packets from and to a network and a memory, which receives and stores context data with respect to multicast groups. Packet processing circuitry establishes reliable connections over the network with the receiving nodes in the multicast groups, and upon receiving from a packet source on the network an incoming unicast packet containing multicast data and containing multicast metadata that identifies a multicast group, sends an acknowledgment of the incoming unicast packet to the packet source, reads the context data from the memory with respect to the identified multicast group, and transmits multiple outgoing unicast packets containing the multicast data via respective egress interfaces to the receiving nodes in the multicast group over the reliable connections.

Abstract: A network switch includes circuitry and multiple ports, including multiple input ports and at least one output port, configured to connect to a communication network. The circuitry includes multiple distinct-flow counters, which are each associated with a respective input port and with the output port, and which are configured to estimate respective distinct-flow counts of distinct data flows received via the respective input ports and destined to the output port. The circuitry is configured to store packets that are destined to the output port and were received via the multiple input ports in multiple queues, to determine a transmission schedule for the packets stored in the queues, based on the estimated distinct-flow counts, and to transmit the packets via the output port in accordance with the determined transmission schedule.