Abstract: Disclosed are various embodiments for frame preemption and fragmentation at the media access control (MAC) sublayer of the link layer or the MAC merge sublayer of the link layer. Traffic classes may be organized into preemptive traffic classes and non-preemptive traffic classes. Preemptable frames may be fragmented when a preemptive frame is to be transmitted. The fragmentation may be indicated through modification of the value of cyclic redundancy check (CRC) field in a predetermined way, through addition of a fragmentation trailer, and/or through other approaches.

Abstract: A system and method for unique identifier exchange during auto-negotiation. Wired networks can include non-conformant bridges and/or repeaters that can erroneously forward link protocol frames such as LLDP. These present a problem for higher layer protocols that attempt to manage properties of the link. The unique identifiers exchanged during auto-negotiation can be passed up to higher layers for an integrity check of unique identifiers exchanged using higher layer protocols.

Abstract: Aspects of a method and system for matching and repairing network configuration are provided. In this regard, one or more circuits and/or processors may be operable to determine a configuration of one or more parameters in a plurality of devices along a network path, and detect whether any of the one or more parameters are configured such that communication between the plurality of devices is disabled and/or suboptimal. The devices may comprise at least one server and one or more of a network switch, a network bridge, and a router. In instances that one or more parameters are incompatibly or sub-optimally configured, a notification of the incompatibility may be communicated to a network management entity and/or one or more messages may be generated to reconfigure the one or more parameters in one or more of the plurality of devices. The determining and/or detecting may be performed automatically in response to various events.

Abstract: Aspects of a method and system for physical layer aggregation are provided. An example method includes receiving, form a medium access control (MAC) layer protocol entity, data encapsulated into a packet comprising a preamble, fragmenting said packet into a plurality of fragment payloads, and conveying each of said fragment payloads to said third portion of said one or more circuits, wherein at least one of said plurality of fragment payloads comprises one or more octets copied from said preamble.

Abstract: Aspects of a method and system for matching and repairing network configuration are provided. In this regard, one or more circuits and/or processors may be operable to determine a configuration of one or more parameters in a plurality of devices along a network path, and detect whether any of the one or more parameters are configured such that communication between the plurality of devices is disabled and/or suboptimal. The devices may comprise at least one server and one or more of a network switch, a network bridge, and a router. In instances that one or more parameters are incompatibly or sub-optimally configured, a notification of the incompatibility may be communicated to a network management entity and/or one or more messages may be generated to reconfigure the one or more parameters in one or more of the plurality of devices. The determining and/or detecting may be performed automatically in response to various events.

Abstract: Disclosed are various embodiments for frame preemption and fragmentation at the media access control (MAC) sublayer of the link layer or the MAC merge sublayer of the link layer. Traffic classes may be organized into preemptive traffic classes and non-preemptive traffic classes. Preemptable frames may be fragmented when a preemptive frame is to be transmitted. The fragmentation may be indicated through modification of the value of cyclic redundancy check (CRC) field in a predetermined way, through addition of a fragmentation trailer, and/or through other approaches.

Abstract: Methods and systems for a fast drop recovery for a TCP connection are disclosed. Aspects of one method may include a receiving device on a network receiving an out-of-order data. The receiving device may then signal to a transmitting device on the network, which sent the out-of-order packet, to enter a congestion alleviation mode without waiting for a delay period. The network packet transfer may be via TCP protocol, for example. The delay period may comprise a retransmission time-out period if the receiving device does not save isles. If the receiving device does save one or more isles, the delay period may be a period associated with delayed ACK. The signal may comprise a TCP option and/or an available TCP flag. The signal may also comprise, for example, three duplicate ACKs. Other similar signals may be used for networks that use other protocols than TCP.

Abstract: Aspects of a method and system for physical layer aggregation are provided. A first portion of one or more circuits of a network device may be operable to implement media access control (MAC) functions, a second portion of the one or more circuits may be operable to perform physical layer aggregation, and a third portion of the one or more circuits may be operable to perform physical layer functions for communicating over a plurality of physical links. The first portion of the one or more circuits may be operable to encapsulate data into a packet comprising a preamble and convey the packet to the second portion of the one or more circuits. The second portion of the one or more circuits may be operable to fragment the packet into a plurality of fragment payloads and convey each of the fragment payloads to the third portion of the one or more circuits, wherein at least one of the plurality of fragment payloads comprises at least a portion of the preamble.

Abstract: A system and method for unique identifier exchange during auto-negotiation. Wired networks can include non-conformant bridges and/or repeaters that can erroneously forward link protocol frames such as LLDP. These present a problem for higher layer protocols that attempt to manage properties of the link. The unique identifiers exchanged during auto-negotiation can be passed up to higher layers for an integrity check of unique identifiers exchanged using higher layer protocols.

Abstract: Aspects of a system for physical layer aggregation may include one or more switch ICs and/or physical (PHY) layer ICs that enable reception of data packets via a medium access control (MAC) layer protocol entity. Each of the received data packets may be fragmented into a plurality of fragment payloads. Each of the plurality of fragment payloads may be sent to a PHY layer protocol entity instance a physical layer protocol entity instance selected from a plurality of physical layer protocol entity instances.

Abstract: Aspects of a method and system for matching and repairing network configuration are provided. In this regard, one or more circuits and/or processors may be operable to determine a configuration of one or more parameters in a plurality of devices along a network path, and detect whether any of the one or more parameters are configured such that communication between the plurality of devices is disabled and/or suboptimal. The devices may comprise at least one server and one or more of a network switch, a network bridge, and a router. In instances that one or more parameters are incompatibly or sub-optimally configured, a notification of the incompatibility may be communicated to a network management entity and/or one or more messages may be generated to reconfigure the one or more parameters in one or more of the plurality of devices. The determining and/or detecting may be performed automatically in response to various events.

Abstract: A method for coding a packet of information words into frames for transmission, includes receiving blocks of input data, including control words and the packet of information words. When the block consists exclusively of information words, a master transition having a first sense is scrambled and appended to the block to form one of the frames. When the block does not consist exclusively of information words: the block is condensed to accommodate a TYPE word; a TYPE word having a value that indicates a structural property of the block is generated and inserted into the block; and a master transition having a second sense, opposite to the first sense, is scrambled and appended to the block to form one of the frames.

Abstract: A system for computing a CRC value includes at least one memory for storing a data message, a current CRC value, and a plurality of lookup tables. The data message includes a plurality of words, with each word including a plurality of bytes. Each of the lookup tables stores a plurality of multi-byte CRC values. The system includes a processor for processing the message a word at a time. The processor is configured to update the current CRC value during processing each word based on an XOR of the word and the current CRC value, and based on a multi-byte CRC value retrieved from each one of the lookup tables.

Abstract: Aspects of a method and system for programmable data rate thresholds for configurable data rate via inter-packet gap adjustment to support energy efficient networks. In this regard, an inter-packet gap may be adjusted to control a data rate on an Ethernet link. An IPG may be adjusted such that a data rate on a network link may be communicated at a non-standardized rate suited to an audio and/or video stream. An IPG may be adjusted such that data is communicated over the link at a standardized rate. In this regard, adjusting the IPG may compensate for a non-standardized data rate resulting from altering other parameters of the link. The IPG may be adjusted based on a control policy which may govern data rates on a network link. Each of a plurality of inter-packet gaps may be differently adjusted to achieve a desired average data rate on the link.

Abstract: Methods and systems for a fast drop recovery for a TCP connection are disclosed. Aspects of one method may include a receiving device on a network receiving an out-of-order data. The receiving device may then signal to a transmitting device on the network, which sent the out-of-order packet, to enter a congestion alleviation mode without waiting for a delay period. The network packet transfer may be via TCP protocol, for example. The delay period may comprise a retransmission time-out period if the receiving device does not save isles. If the receiving device does save one or more isles, the delay period may be a period associated with delayed ACK. The signal may comprise a TCP option and/or an available TCP flag. The signal may also comprise, for example, three duplicate ACKs. Other similar signals may be used for networks that use other protocols than TCP.

Abstract: A method for coding a packet of information words into frames for transmission, includes receiving blocks of input data, including control words and the packet of information words. When the block consists exclusively of information words, a master transition having a first sense is scrambled and appended to the block to form one of the frames. When the block does not consist exclusively of information words: the block is condensed to accommodate a TYPE word; a TYPE word having a value that indicates a structural property of the block is generated and inserted into the block; and a master transition having a second sense, opposite to the first sense, is scrambled and appended to the block to form one of the frames.

Abstract: A method of generating a CRC for a composite sub-message based on a CRC generating polynomial having at least two factors. The composite sub-message includes sub-message data and a number, n, of trailing zeros. The method includes generating a first remainder based on the sub-message data and a first factor of the CRC generating polynomial. A second remainder is generated based on the sub-message data and a second factor of the CRC generating polynomial. The CRC for the composite sub-message is generated based on adjusted versions of the first and the second remainders.

Abstract: A method for coding a packet of information words into frames for transmission, includes receiving blocks of input data, including control words and the packet of information words. When the block consists exclusively of information words, a master transition having a first sense is scrambled and appended to the block to form one of the frames. When the block does not consist exclusively of information words: the block is condensed to accommodate a TYPE word; a TYPE word having a value that indicates a structural property of the block is generated and inserted into the block; and a master transition having a second sense, opposite to the first sense, is scrambled and appended to the block to form one of the frames.

Abstract: Aspects of a system for physical layer aggregation may include one or more switch ICs and/or physical (PHY) layer ICs that enable reception of data packets via a medium access control (MAC) layer protocol entity. Each of the received data packets may be fragmented into a plurality of fragment payloads. Each of the plurality of fragment payloads may be sent to a PHY layer protocol entity instance a physical layer protocol entity instance selected from a plurality of physical layer protocol entity instances.

Abstract: A method for coding a packet of information words into frames for transmission, includes receiving blocks of input data, including control words and the packet of information words. When the block consists exclusively of information words, a master transition having a first sense is scrambled and appended to the block to form one of the frames. When the block does not consist exclusively of information words: the block is condensed to accommodate a TYPE word; a TYPE word having a value that indicates a structural property of the block is generated and inserted into the block; and a master transition having a second sense, opposite to the first sense, is scrambled and appended to the block to form one of the frames.