Abstract: A data processing apparatus comprises instructions to perform sending and receiving one or more messages conforming to a network routing protocol, such as Open Shortest Path First (OSPF); obtaining one or more information elements that specify one or more capabilities of the apparatus; creating a particular routing protocol message comprising an opaque advertisement that includes the one or more information elements; and sending the particular message on one of the network interfaces. For example, a router or switch that implements a network routing protocol can use OSPF Opaque Link State Advertisements to advertise and discover services and capabilities of other routers or switches.

Abstract: Enforcing network service level agreements in a network infrastructure element comprises receiving, at the network infrastructure element, an application-layer message comprising one or more of the packets; forwarding the application-layer message toward a destination endpoint and concurrently copying the application-layer message without disrupting the forwarding; using the copied application-layer message, discovering one or more applications or services that are using the network; using the copied application-layer message, identifying one or more network-layer condition metrics, and identifying one or more application-layer condition metrics; determining, based on the identified network-layer condition metrics and the application-layer condition metrics, whether one or more conditions of a service level agreement are violated; and in response to determining a violation, performing one or more responsive operations on one or more network elements.

Abstract: A network element such as a router or switch provides application-level quality of service for application-layer messages processed in the network element, using application QoS logic which when executed by the one or more processors is operable to cause receiving an application-layer message; matching one or more attributes of the application-layer message to the message classification rules; determining a message classification of the application-layer message based on the matching; selecting one of the network-level QoS values using the mapping and based on the determined message classification; and marking a network-level header of the application-layer message using the selected QoS value. As a result, attributes of application messages at OSI Layer 5, 6, or 7 can be used to determine how to mark packets of the messages with QoS values at OSI Layer 2, 3 or 4, integrating application-level concepts of order and priority into network-layer QoS mechanisms.

Abstract: Network elements provide application-level QoS for application-layer messages processed therein. An application based message is examined upon IP reassembly thereof. Information is accessed about a sender of the message. A credential is assigned to the sender based on the sender information and/or a status validated for a device that sends said message. The message is dynamically prioritized in relation to other network traffic to provide application QoS based on the sender credential and/or the device status. The message priority is changeable on the fly according to the dynamically variable information. Sender information relates to a role or authority level associated therewith and is dynamically variable with respect to time, situation and/or circumstance. Thus, OSI Layer 5, 6, or 7 application message role/status based attributes determine how packets are marked with Layer 2, 3 or 4 QoS values, integrating application-level concepts of order and priority into network-layer QoS mechanisms.

Abstract: A method and system for validating a Command Line Interface (CLI) configlet on an image is provided. The method includes creating a parse graph using a plurality of self-describing data constructs, identifying a plurality of parse chain data constructs in the parse graph, deriving at least one CLI/configlet from the image file based on the plurality of self-describing data constructs; and comparing the at least one CLI/configlet derived from the image file with a plurality of CLIs/configlets.

Abstract: In one embodiment, an apparatus comprises logic encoded in one or more tangible media for enhancing transmission reliability of monitored data. The logic is operable to receive a plurality of segments for transmission over a TCP connection to a network node, where the TCP connection is associated with a transmit queue and a retransmit queue. The logic is also operable to detect a transmission anomaly on the TCP connection to the network node, and in response to detecting the transmission anomaly, is operable to perform any one of: store segments into a persistent buffer prior to transferring the segments into the transmit queue; copy segments from the retransmit queue into the persistent buffer, where the segments have been transmitted but not yet acknowledged by the network node; and copy segments from the transmit queue into the persistent buffer, where the segments have not yet been transmitted to the network node.

Abstract: In one embodiment, an apparatus comprises logic encoded in one or more tangible media for enhancing transmission reliability of monitored data. The logic is operable to receive a plurality of segments for transmission over a TCP connection to a network node, where the TCP connection is associated with a transmit queue and a retransmit queue. The logic is also operable to detect a transmission anomaly on the TCP connection to the network node, and in response to detecting the transmission anomaly, is operable to perform any one of: store segments into a persistent buffer prior to transferring the segments into the transmit queue; copy segments from the retransmit queue into the persistent buffer, where the segments have been transmitted but not yet acknowledged by the network node; and copy segments from the transmit queue into the persistent buffer, where the segments have not yet been transmitted to the network node.

Abstract: Network elements provide application-level QoS for application-layer messages processed therein. An application based message is examined upon IP reassembly thereof. Information is accessed about a sender of the message. A credential is assigned to the sender based on the sender information and/or a status validated for a device that sends said message. The message is dynamically prioritized in relation to other network traffic to provide application QoS based on the sender credential and/or the device status. The message priority is changeable on the fly according to the dynamically variable information. Sender information relates to a role or authority level associated therewith and is dynamically variable with respect to time, situation and/or circumstance. Thus, OSI Layer 5, 6, or 7 application message role/status based attributes determine how packets are marked with Layer 2, 3 or 4 QoS values, integrating application-level concepts of order and priority into network-layer QoS mechanisms.

Abstract: Methods and devices are provided for maintaining configuration synchronization when an Active unit and a Standby unit have different versions of a software image. Preferred implementations allow the system to operate in a stateful mode even after the Standby unit has had an image upgrade. Other implementations allow the system to operate in a stateful mode when the Active unit has a higher-level version of the image than the Standby unit.

Abstract: A data processing apparatus comprises instructions to perform sending and receiving one or more messages conforming to a network routing protocol, such as Open Shortest Path First (OSPF); obtaining one or more information elements that specify one or more capabilities of the apparatus; creating a particular routing protocol message comprising an opaque advertisement that includes the one or more information elements; and sending the particular message on one of the network interfaces. For example, a router or switch that implements a network routing protocol can use OSPF Opaque Link State Advertisements to advertise and discover services and capabilities of other routers or switches.

Abstract: Methods and devices are disclosed for changing the configuration state of a network device such as a router, a switch or a similar device without the need for a person to interpret a textual diff. According to some aspects of the invention, a programmatic diff file that includes the output of two comparisons is used as an input file to a program that “rolls back” the current configuration state to a prior configuration state. According to other aspects of the invention, the output of a single comparison is input to an “incremental diff” process, which adds new commands to a configuration state. According to preferred aspects of the invention, the output files generated by the comparison processes preserve the hierarchical context of each command in a programmatic format that is usable as direct input by the network device or by another device (such as a host controlled by a network administrator) that performs the incremental diff.

Abstract: Enforcing network service level agreements in a network infrastructure element comprises receiving, at the network infrastructure element, an application-layer message comprising one or more of the packets; forwarding the application-layer message toward a destination endpoint and concurrently copying the application-layer message without disrupting the forwarding; using the copied application-layer message, discovering one or more applications or services that are using the network; using the copied application-layer message, identifying one or more network-layer condition metrics, and identifying one or more application-layer condition metrics; determining, based on the identified network-layer condition metrics and the application-layer condition metrics, whether one or more conditions of a service level agreement are violated; and in response to determining a violation, performing one or more responsive operations on one or more network elements.

Abstract: A network element such as a router or switch provides application-level quality of service for application-layer messages processed in the network element, using application QoS logic which when executed by the one or more processors is operable to cause receiving an application-layer message; matching one or more attributes of the application-layer message to the message classification rules; determining a message classification of the application-layer message based on the matching; selecting one of the network-level QoS values using the mapping and based on the determined message classification; and marking a network-level header of the application-layer message using the selected QoS value. As a result, attributes of application messages at OSI Layer 5, 6, or 7 can be used to determine how to mark packets of the messages with QoS values at OSI Layer 2, 3 or 4, integrating application-level concepts of order and priority into network-layer QoS mechanisms.

Abstract: Methods and devices are disclosed for determining differences in the configuration states of network devices. Context-sensitive diffs are produced by comparing two configuration files of a network device. According to some aspects of the invention, the context of each command is preserved in a “programmatic” format that is usable by a network element such as a router. In some aspects of the invention, only commands at a corresponding hierarchical level of the configuration files are compared when producing a diff, in order to increase accuracy and efficiency.

Abstract: A method and system for validating a Command Line Interface (CLI) configlet on an image is provided. The method includes creating a parse graph using a plurality of self-describing data constructs, identifying a plurality of parse chain data constructs in the parse graph, deriving at least one CLI/configlet from the image file based on the plurality of self-describing data constructs; and comparing the at least one CLI/configlet derived from the image file with a plurality of CLIs/configlets.

Abstract: A system and method for supporting a “hitless” switchover from an Active to a Standby processor utilizes several points of configuration synchronization. The startup and running configuration files are copied to the Standby processor and subsequent modifications to the Active configuration are synchronized to the Standby configuration.

Abstract: Methods and devices are provided for maintaining configuration synchronization when an Active unit and a Standby unit have different versions of a software image. Preferred implementations allow the system to operate in a stateful mode even after the Standby unit has had an image upgrade. Other implementations allow the system to operate in a stateful mode when the Active unit has a higher-level version of the image than the Standby unit.