Abstract: Methods and devices for processing packets are provided. The processing device may Include an input interface for receiving data units containing header information of respective packets; a first module configurable to perform packet filtering based on the received data units; a second module configurable to perform traffic analysis based on the received data units; a third module configurable to perform load balancing based on the received data units; and a fourth module configurable to perform route lookups based on the received data units.

Abstract: A system provides congestion control and includes multiple queues that temporarily store data and a drop engine. The system associates a value with each of the queues, where each of the values relates to an amount of memory associated with the queue. The drop engine compares the value associated with a particular one of the queues to one or more programmable thresholds and selectively performs explicit congestion notification or packet dropping on data in the particular queue based on a result of the comparison.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes sending a configuration signal to a virtual network switch module within a control plane of a communications network. The configuration signal is configured to define a first network rule at the virtual network switch module. The method also includes configuring a packet forwarding module such that the packet forwarding module implements a second network rule, and receiving status information from the virtual network switch module and status information from the packet forwarding module. The status information is received via the control plane.

Abstract: A multi-chassis network device includes a plurality of nodes that operate as a single device within the network and a switch fabric that forwards data plane packets between the plurality of nodes. The switch fabric includes a set of multiplexed optical interconnects coupling the nodes. For example, a multi-chassis router includes a plurality of routing nodes that operate as a single router within a network and a switch fabric that forwards packets between the plurality of routing nodes. The switch fabric includes at least one multiplexed optical interconnect coupling the routing nodes. The nodes of the multi-chassis router may direct portions of the optical signal over the multiplexed optical interconnect to different each other using wave-division multiplexing.

Abstract: In some embodiments, an apparatus comprises a core network node configured to be operatively coupled to a set of network nodes. The core network node is configured to define configuration information for a network node from the set of network nodes based on a template, where the configuration information excludes virtual local area network (VLAN) information or IP subnet information. The core network node is further configured to send the configuration information to the network node.

Abstract: In some embodiments, an apparatus includes a core network node configured to be operatively coupled to a set of wired network nodes and a set of wireless network nodes. The core network node is configured to receive, at a first time, a first data packet to be sent to a wired device operatively coupled to a wired network node from the set of wired network nodes. The core network node is configured to also receive, at a second time, a second data packet to be sent to a wireless device operatively coupled to a wireless network node from the set of wireless network nodes. The core network node is configured to apply a common policy to the first data packet and the second data packet based on an identifier of a user associated with both the wireless device and the wired device.

Abstract: In some embodiments, an apparatus comprises a core network node and a control module within an enterprise network architecture. The core network node is configured to be operatively coupled to a set of wired network nodes and a set of wireless network nodes. The core network node is configured to receive a first tunneled packet associated with a first session from a wired network node from the set of wired network nodes. The core network node is configured to also receive a second tunneled packet associated with a second session from a wireless network node from the set of wireless network nodes through intervening wired network nodes from the set of wired network nodes. The control module is operatively coupled to the core network node. The control module is configured to manage the first session and the second session.

Abstract: In some embodiments, an apparatus includes a network node operatively coupled within a network. The network node is configured to send a first authentication message upon boot up, and receive, in response to the first authentication message, a second authentication message configured to be used to authenticate the network node. The network node is configured to send a first discovery message, and receive, based on the first discovery message, a second discovery message configured to be used by the network node to identify an address of the network node and an address of a core network node within the network. The network node is configured to set up a control-plane tunnel to the core network node based on the address of the network node and the address for the core network node and receive configuration information from the core network node through the control-plane tunnel.

Abstract: In some embodiments, an apparatus comprises a core network node configured to be operatively coupled to a set of network nodes. The core network node is configured to receive a broadcast signal from a network node from the set of network nodes, which is originated from a host device operatively coupled to the network node. The broadcast signal is sent via a tunnel from the network node to the core network node, such that other network nodes that are not included in the tunnel do not receive the broadcast signal. The core network node is configured to retrieve control information associated with the broadcast signal without sending another broadcast signal, and then send the control information to the network node.

Abstract: In one embodiment, edge devices can be configured to be coupled to a multi-stage switch fabric and peripheral processing devices. The edge devices and the multi-stage switch fabric can collectively define a single logical entity. A first edge device from the edge devices can be configured to be coupled to a first peripheral processing device from the peripheral processing devices. The second edge device from the edge devices can be configured to be coupled to a second peripheral processing device from the peripheral processing devices. The first edge device can be configured such that virtual resources including a first virtual resource can be defined at the first peripheral processing device. A network management module coupled to the edge devices and configured to provision the virtual resources such that the first virtual resource can be migrated from the first peripheral processing device to the second peripheral processing device.

Abstract: In one embodiment, an apparatus can include a first edge device that can have a packet processing module. The first edge device can be configured to receive a packet. The packet processing module of the first edge device can be configured to produce cells based on the packet. A second edge device can have a packet processing module configured to reassemble the packet based on the cells. A multi-stage switch fabric can be coupled to the first edge device and the second edge device. The multi-stage switch fabric can define a single logical entity. The multi-stage switch fabric can have switch modules. Each switch module from the switch modules can have a shared memory device. The multi-stage switch fabric can be configured to switch the cells so that the cells are sent to the second edge device.

Abstract: In one embodiment, an apparatus includes a switch core that has a multi-stage switch fabric. The multi-stage switch fabric has a set of ingress ports and a set of egress ports. The switch core can be configured to be coupled to a set of edge devices via the set of ingress ports and the set of egress ports. The switch core can be configured to receive a packet from an ingress port from the set of ingress ports. The switch core can be configured to send a set of cells associated with the packet from the ingress port to an egress port from the set of egress ports without a store-and-forward delay associated with a zero-load latency for the switch core.

Abstract: A system selectively drops data from queues. The system includes a drop table that stores drop probabilities. The system selects one of the queues to examine and generates an index into the drop table to identify one of the drop probabilities for the examined queue. The system then determines whether to drop data from the examined queue based on the identified drop probability.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method can include receiving at an egress schedule module a request to schedule transmission of a group of cells from an ingress queue through a switch fabric of a multi-stage switch. The ingress queue can be associated with an ingress stage of the multi-stage switch. The egress schedule module can be associated with an egress stage of the multi-stage switch. The method can also include determining, in response to the request, that an egress port at the egress stage of the multi-stage switch is available to transmit the group of cells from the multi-stage switch.

Abstract: A method performed by an I/O unit connected to another I/O unit in a network device. The method includes receiving a packet; segmenting the packet into a group of data blocks; storing the group of data blocks in a data memory; generating data protection information for a data block of the group of data blocks; creating a control block for the data block; storing, in a control memory, a group of data items for the control block, the group of data items including information associated with a location, of the data block, within the data memory and the data protection information for the data block; performing a data integrity check on the data block, using the data protection information, to determine whether the data block contains a data error; and outputting the data block when the data integrity check indicates that the data block does not contain a data error.

Abstract: Methods and devices for processing packets are provided. The processing device may Include an input interface for receiving data units containing header information of respective packets; a first module configurable to perform packet filtering based on the received data units; a second module configurable to perform traffic analysis based on the received data units; a third module configurable to perform load balancing based on the received data units; and a fourth module configurable to perform route lookups based on the received data units.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes sending a first flow control signal to a first stage of transmit queues when a receive queue is in a congestion state. The method also includes sending a second flow control signal to a second stage of transmit queues different from the first stage of transmit queues when the receive queue is in the congestion state.

Abstract: A method may include receiving a packet at an ingress line interface in a forwarding plane of a network element, the packet including header information. The method may also include conducting a flow table lookup in the forwarding plane to identify an existing flow for the packet and determining, in the forwarding plane and based on the header information, whether a predicted flow can be identified for the packet if an existing flow can not be identified. The method may further include performing a service access control list (ACL) lookup in the forwarding plane if a predicted flow can not be identified; and forwarding the packet to one of a services plane or an egress line interface in the forwarding plane based on one of the existing flow, the predicted flow, or the service ACL lookup.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a processor-readable medium can store code representing instructions that when executed by a processor cause the processor to receive a value representing a congestion level of a receive queue and a value representing a state of a transmit queue. At least a portion of the transmit queue can be defined by a plurality of packets addressed to the receive queue. A rate value for the transmit queue can be defined based on the value representing the congestion level of the receive queue and the value representing the state of the transmit queue. The processor-readable medium can store code representing instructions that when executed by the processor cause the processor to define a suspension time value for the transmit queue based on the value representing the congestion level of the receive queue and the value representing the state of the transmit queue.

Abstract: Techniques are described for initiating a video conference between two video conferencing devices by leveraging information obtained from two mobile phones that are engaged in a mobile phone session with one another and are each associated with a respective one of the video conferencing devices. A video conferencing device may obtain the information, including the telephone numbers for both mobile phones, using a Bluetooth connection between the mobile phone and the video conferencing device. A data center receives and maintains the mobile phone session information, determines whether each mobile phone engaged in the mobile phone session is associated with an available video conferencing device, and, if so, invites the associated video conferencing devices to initiate a video conference with one another.