Abstract: A method of forwarding packets by a physical network switch is provided. The method assigns egress ports that connect the network switch to each particular next hop to a weighted-cost multipathing (WCMP) group associated with the particular next hop. The method assigns weights to each egress port in each WCMP group according to the capacity of each path that connects the egress port to the next hop associated with the WCMP group and normalizes the weights over a range of values. For each packet received at the network switch, the method identifies the WCMP group associated with a next hop destination of the packet. The method calculates a hash value of a set of fields in the packet header and uses the hash value to perform a range lookup in the identified WCMP group to select an egress port for forwarding the packet to the next hop.

Abstract: Some embodiments of the invention provide a path-and-latency tracking (PLT) method. At a forwarding element, this method in some embodiments detects the path traversed by a data message through a set of forwarding elements, and the latency that the data message experiences at each of the forwarding elements in the path. In some embodiments, the method has a forwarding element in the path insert its forwarding element identifier and path latency in a header of the data message that it forwards. The method of some embodiments also uses fast PLT operators in the data plane of the forwarding elements to detect new data message flows, to gather PLT data from these data message flows, and to detect path or latency changes for previously detected data message flows. In some embodiments, the method then uses control plane processes (e.g., of the forwarding elements or other devices) to collect and analyze the PLT data gathered in the data plane from new or existing flows.

Abstract: Some embodiments of the invention provide a path-and-latency tracking (PLT) method. At a forwarding element, this method in some embodiments detects the path traversed by a data message through a set of forwarding elements, and the latency that the data message experiences at each of the forwarding elements in the path. In some embodiments, the method has a forwarding element in the path insert its forwarding element identifier and path latency in a header of the data message that it forwards. The method of some embodiments also uses fast PLT operators in the data plane of the forwarding elements to detect new data message flows, to gather PLT data from these data message flows, and to detect path or latency changes for previously detected data message flows. In some embodiments, the method then uses control plane processes (e.g., of the forwarding elements or other devices) to collect and analyze the PLT data gathered in the data plane from new or existing flows.

Abstract: Techniques are presented herein for distributing address information of host devices in a network. At a first router device, a packet is received from a first host device that is destined for a second host device. The first host device is dually-connected to the first router and a second router device. The second router device is part of a virtual port channel pair with the first router device. A message is sent to the second router device, the message indicating that the first host device is connected to the second router device. The packet is encapsulated with an overlay header and is sent to a third router device that is connected to the second host device. The encapsulated packet contains a Layer 2 address associated with the first host device and a Layer 3 address associated with the first host device.

Abstract: A method of forwarding packets by a physical network switch is provided. The method assigns egress ports that connect the network switch to each particular next hop to a weighted-cost multipathing (WCMP) group associated with the particular next hop. The method assigns weights to each egress port in each WCMP group according to the capacity of each path that connects the egress port to the next hop associated with the WCMP group and normalizes the weights over a range of values. For each packet received at the network switch, the method identifies the WCMP group associated with a next hop destination of the packet. The method calculates a hash value of a set of fields in the packet header and uses the hash value to perform a range lookup in the identified WCMP group to select an egress port for forwarding the packet to the next hop.

Abstract: A method of forwarding packets by a physical network switch is provided. The method assigns egress ports that connect the network switch to each particular next hop to a weighted-cost multipathing (WCMP) group associated with the particular next hop. The method assigns weights to each egress port in each WCMP group according to the capacity of each path that connects the egress port to the next hop associated with the WCMP group and normalizes the weights over a range of values. For each packet received at the network switch, the method identifies the WCMP group associated with a next hop destination of the packet. The method calculates a hash value of a set of fields in the packet header and uses the hash value to perform a range lookup in the identified WCMP group to select an egress port for forwarding the packet to the next hop.

Abstract: Techniques are presented herein for distributing address information of host devices in a network. At a first router device, a packet is received from a first host device that is destined for a second host device. The first host device is dually-connected to the first router and a second router device. The second router device is part of a virtual port channel pair with the first router device. A message is sent to the second router device, the message indicating that the first host device is connected to the second router device. The packet is encapsulated with an overlay header and is sent to a third router device that is connected to the second host device. The encapsulated packet contains a Layer 2 address associated with the first host device and a Layer 3 address associated with the first host device.

Abstract: Techniques are presented herein for distributing address information of host devices in a network. At a first router device, a packet is received from a first host device that is destined for a second host device. The first host device is dually-connected to the first router and a second router device. The second router device is part of a virtual port channel pair with the first router device. A message is sent to the second router device, the message indicating that the first host device is connected to the second router device. The packet is encapsulated with an overlay header and is sent to a third router device that is connected to the second host device. The encapsulated packet contains a Layer 2 address associated with the first host device and a Layer 3 address associated with the first host device.

Abstract: Techniques provided herein enable a set of independent, unconnected devices in a network to support distributed Layer 3 (L3) gateway functionality for an overlay based virtual network by intelligently triggering proxy addressing information updates.

Abstract: A rate limiter incorporated in a server connected to a network. The rate limiter is adapted to reduce congestion in the network in response to a congestion notification message. The server is adapted to send packets over the network. The rate limiter includes at least one of: a server rate limiter engine adapted to rate limit the packets in response to the server; a virtual machine rate limiter engine adapted to rate limit the packets in response to a virtual machine associated with the packets, the virtual machine hosted by the server; a flow rate limiter engine adapted to rate limit the packets in response to a flow associated with the packets; the flow being one of a plurality of flows transporting packets over the network; and a transmit engine adapted to rate limit the packets in response to a virtual pipe of the network for transmitting the packets.

Abstract: Techniques are presented herein for distributing address information of host devices in a network. At a first router device, a packet is received from a first host device that is destined for a second host device. The first host device is dually-connected to the first router and a second router device. The second router device is part of a virtual port channel pair with the first router device. A message is sent to the second router device, the message indicating that the first host device is connected to the second router device. The packet is encapsulated with an overlay header and is sent to a third router device that is connected to the second host device. The encapsulated packet contains a Layer 2 address associated with the first host device and a Layer 3 address associated with the first host device.

Abstract: Techniques provided herein enable a set of independent, unconnected devices in a network to support distributed Layer 3 (L3) gateway functionality for an overlay based virtual network by intelligently triggering proxy addressing information updates.

Abstract: Techniques are presented herein for distributing address information of host devices in a network. At a first router device, a packet is received from a first host device that is destined for a second host device. The first host device is dually-connected to the first router and a second router device. The second router device is part of a virtual port channel pair with the first router device. A message is sent to the second router device, the message indicating that the first host device is connected to the second router device. The packet is encapsulated with an overlay header and is sent to a third router device that is connected to the second host device. The encapsulated packet contains a Layer 2 address associated with the first host device and a Layer 3 address associated with the first host device.

Abstract: The splitting of storage applications and functions into a control path (CP) component and a data pith (DP) component is disclosed. Reads and writes may be handled primarily in the DP. The CP may be responsible for discovery, configuration, and exception handling. The CP can also be enabled for orchestrating complex data management operations such as snapshots and migration. Storage virtualization maps a virtual I/O to one or more physical I/O. A virtual target (vTarget) in the virtual domain is associated with one physical port in the physical domain. Each vTarget may be associated with one or more virtual LUNs (vLUNs). Each vLUN includes one or more vExtents. Each vExtent may point to a region table, and each entry in the region table may contain a pointer to a region representing a portion of a pExtent, and attributes (e.g. read/write, read only, no access) for that region.

Abstract: The splitting of storage applications and functions into a control path (CP) component and a data path (DP) component is disclosed. Reads and writes may be handled primarily in the DP. The CP may be responsible for discovery, configuration, and exception handling. The CP can also be enabled for orchestrating complex data management operations such as snapshots and migration. Storage virtualization maps a virtual I/O to one or more physical I/O. A virtual target (vTarget) in the virtual domain is associated with one physical port in the physical domain. Each vTarget may be associated with one or more virtual LUNs (vLUNs). Each vLUN includes one or more vExtents. Each vExtent may point to a region table, and each entry in the region table may contain a pointer to a region representing a portion of a pExtent, and attributes (e.g. read/write, read only, no access) for that region.

Abstract: Techniques are presented herein for distributing address information of host devices in a network. At a first router device, a packet is received from a first host device that is destined for a second host device. The first host device is dually-connected to the first router and a second router device. The second router device is part of a virtual port channel pair with the first router device. A message is sent to the second router device, the message indicating that the first host device is connected to the second router device. The packet is encapsulated with an overlay header and is sent to a third router device that is connected to the second host device. The encapsulated packet contains a Layer 2 address associated with the first host device and a Layer 3 address associated with the first host device.

Abstract: A hardware switch for use with hypervisors and blade servers is disclosed. The hardware switch enables switching to occur between different guest OSs running in the same server, or between different servers in a multi-root IOV system, or between different guest OSs running in the same server in single-root IOV systems. Whether embedded in a host bus adapter (HBA), converged network adapter (CNA), network interface card (NIC) or other similar device, the hardware switch can provide fast switching with access to and sharing of at least one external network port such as a Fibre Channel (FC) port, 10 Gigabit Ethernet (10 GbE) port, FC over Ethernet (FCoE) port, or other similar port. The hardware switch can be utilized when no hypervisor is present or when one or more servers have hypervisors, because it allows for switching (e.g. Ethernet switching) between the OSs on a single hypervisor.

Abstract: A rate limiter incorporated in a server connected to a network. The rate limiter is adapted to reduce congestion in the network in response to a congestion notification message. The server is adapted to send packets over the network. The rate limiter includes at least one of: a server rate limiter engine adapted to rate limit the packets in response to the server; a virtual machine rate limiter engine adapted to rate limit the packets in response to a virtual machine associated with the packets, the virtual machine hosted by the server; a flow rate limiter engine adapted to rate limit the packets in response to a flow associated with the packets; the flow being one of a plurality of flows transporting packets over the network; and a transmit engine adapted to rate limit the packets in response to a virtual pipe of the network for transmitting the packets.

Abstract: A hardware switch for use with hypervisors and blade servers is disclosed. The hardware switch enables switching to occur between different guest OSs running in the same server, or between different servers in a multi-root IOV system, or between different guest OSs running in the same server in single-root IOV systems. Whether embedded in a host bus adapter (HBA), converged network adapter (CNA), network interface card (NIC) or other similar device, the hardware switch can provide fast switching with access to and sharing of at least one external network port such as a Fibre Channel (FC) port, 10 Gigabit Ethernet (10 GbE) port, FC over Ethernet (FCOE) port, or other similar port. The hardware switch can be utilized when no hypervisor is present or when one or more servers have hypervisors, because it allows for switching (e.g. Ethernet switching) between the OSs on a single hypervisor.

Abstract: The splitting of storage applications and functions into a control path (CP) component and a data path (DP) component is disclosed. Reads and writes may be handled primarily in the DP. The CP may be responsible for discovery, configuration, and exception handling. The CP can also be enabled for orchestrating complex data management operations such as snapshots and migration. Storage virtualization maps a virtual I/O to one or more physical I/O. A virtual target (vTarget) in the virtual domain is associated with one physical port in the physical domain. Each vTarget may be associated with one or more virtual LUNs (vLUNs). Each vLUN includes one or more vExtents. Each vExtent may point to a region table, and each entry in the region table may contain a pointer to a region representing a portion of a pExtent, and attributes (e.g. read/write, read only, no access) for that region.