Abstract: In general, techniques are described in which a plurality of network switches automatically configure themselves to operate as a single virtual network switch. A virtual switch is a collection of individual switch devices that operate like as single network switch. As described herein, network switches in a network that are capable of participating in a virtual switch may automatically discover one another. The participating network switches may then elect one of the participating switches as a master switch. The master switch may generate forwarding information and store the forwarding information in the participating switches, including the master switch. The forwarding information causes the participating switches to act like a single network switch.

Abstract: A media content pipeline architecture is described that enables media devices to efficiently receive, store, play, and stream media content. In general, a media content pipeline as described herein is configured to receive media content streams from one or more input sources, segment and store the media content streams into fixed-sized or variable-sized data buffers, encrypt the data stored in the buffers, and store the encrypted data in an in-memory buffer cache for further processing. The media content pipeline further may be configured to write the encrypted buffers stored in the in-memory buffer cache to a secondary storage device (e.g., a hard disk) in response to the occurrence of one or more defined operating conditions. The media content pipeline may enable a media device to efficiently receive and process media content data streams, write the media content data streams to storage, and stream the media content data to client devices.

Abstract: In general, techniques are described for configuring and managing virtual networks. For example, a distributed virtual network controller is described that configures and manages an overlay network within a physical network formed by plurality of switches. A plurality of servers are interconnected by the switch fabric, each of the servers comprising an operating environment executing one or more virtual machines in communication via the overlay networks. The servers comprises a set of virtual switches that extends the overlay network as a virtual network to the operating environment of the virtual machines.

Abstract: A virtual device includes multiple devices connected to operate as a single device. A first one of the devices is configured to determine that the first device connects to a second one of the devices via a first link; identify a second link; determine that the second link connects the first device to the second device; and automatically aggregate the first link and the second link to form a link aggregation with the second device based on determining that the first device connects to the second device via both the first and second links. The first device is further configured to transmit packets to the second device via the first and second links of the link aggregation.

Abstract: In one example, a controller device includes one or more network interfaces communicatively coupled to one or more devices of a virtual network, and a processor configured to determine, for the virtual network, a set of two or more related processes executed by respective devices in the virtual network, receive via the network interfaces data for the set of two or more related processes, and aggregate the data for the set of two or more related processes to form aggregated data for the set of two or more related processes.

Abstract: A virtual device includes multiple devices connected to operate as a single device. A first one of the devices is configured to determine that the first device connects to a second one of the devices via a first link; identify a second link; determine that the second link connects the first device to the second device; and automatically aggregate the first link and the second link to form a link aggregation with the second device based on determining that the first device connects to the second device via both the first and second links. The first device is further configured to transmit packets to the second device via the first and second links of the link aggregation.

Abstract: A method performed by network devices that includes operating in a normal mode, where the network devices form a virtual chassis that corresponds to a single logical network device; detecting when a failure within the virtual chassis occurs; executing a splitting process to form one or more new virtual chassis in correspondence to the failure; determining whether one of the one or more new virtual chassis operates as a functioning virtual chassis based on whether at least one of a set of criteria is satisfied, where the functioning virtual chassis operates according to resources configured for the virtual chassis; and operating as a nonfunctioning virtual chassis when it is determined that the one of the one or more virtual chassis does not satisfy the at least one of the set of criteria, where the nonfunctioning virtual chassis operates in a pass-through mode.

Abstract: In some embodiments, an apparatus includes a first switch having an egress port configured to be coupled to a second switch to collectively to define a single logical entity having a set of virtual identifiers. A first set of virtual identifiers from the set of virtual identifiers is associated with the first switch, a second set of virtual identifiers from the set of virtual identifiers is associated with the second switch. The first switch is configured to receive a forwarding table associating a first set of destination addresses with a set of identifiers local to the first switch and associating a second set of destination addresses with a set of identifiers local to the second switch. Each identifier from the first set of identifiers is uniquely associated the first set of virtual identifiers. Each identifier from the set of identifiers is uniquely associated the second set of virtual identifiers.

Abstract: In general, techniques are described for determining a physical network path taken by packets of a network packet flow. The techniques may be applied to determine, or “trace,” a physical network path in the virtualized network domain. In some examples, a network device includes one or more processors and a switch executed by the processors to forward packets of a packet flow to a physical network path. The network device also includes a flow trace module to generate one or more flow trace packets having incrementally increasing respective time-to-live (TTL) values, wherein the switch module forwards the flow trace packets on an outbound interface of the network device for the physical network path, and wherein the flow trace module receives corresponding time exceeded messages for the flow trace packets, wherein each of the time exceeded message includes a source network address of a network element on the physical network path.

Abstract: In one example, a controller device includes one or more network interfaces communicatively coupled to one or more devices of a virtual network, and a processor configured to determine, for the virtual network, a set of two or more related processes executed by respective devices in the virtual network, receive via the network interfaces data for the set of two or more related processes, and aggregate the data for the set of two or more related processes to form aggregated data for the set of two or more related processes.

Abstract: In general, techniques are described in which a plurality of network switches automatically configure themselves to operate as a single virtual network switch. A virtual switch is a collection of individual switch devices that operate like as single network switch. As described herein, network switches in a network that are capable of participating in a virtual switch may automatically discover one another. The participating network switches may then elect one of the participating switches as a master switch. The master switch may generate forwarding information and store the forwarding information in the participating switches, including the master switch. The forwarding information causes the participating switches to act like a single network switch.

Abstract: In general, techniques are described for automatically identifying likely faulty components in massively distributed complex systems. In some examples, snapshots of component parameters are automatically repeatedly fed to a pre-trained classifier and the classifier indicates whether each received snapshot is likely to belong to a fault and failure class or to a non-fault/failure class. Components whose snapshots indicate a high likelihood of fault or failure are investigated, restarted or taken off line as a pre-emptive measure. The techniques may be applied in a massively distributed complex system such as a data center.

Abstract: In general, techniques are described for dynamically modifying the extent of logging performed by logging information generators in response to events detected in logging information received by the collector. In some examples, a network device includes one or more processors and a collector executed by the processors to receive a log message that includes logging information from a generator. The network device also includes a rules engine to apply one or more rules that each specify a condition and a corresponding action to the logging information to identify a matching rule, wherein the rules engine, upon identifying a matching rule, executes the action of the matching rule to generate and send a logging modification message to increase an extent to which the generator generates logging information.

Abstract: In general, techniques are described for determining a physical network path taken by packets of a network packet flow. The techniques may be applied to determine, or “trace,” a physical network path in the virtualized network domain. In some examples, a network device includes one or more processors and a switch executed by the processors to forward packets of a packet flow to a physical network path. The network device also includes a flow trace module to generate one or more flow trace packets having incrementally increasing respective time-to-live (TTL) values, wherein the switch module forwards the flow trace packets on an outbound interface of the network device for the physical network path, and wherein the flow trace module receives corresponding time exceeded messages for the flow trace packets, wherein each of the time exceeded message includes a source network address of a network element on the physical network path.

Abstract: Access switches in a switching system may use virtual aggregated links. When a link between an aggregation switch and an access switch fails, the link failure may be reflected in the virtual aggregated link and data traffic to another access switch may be switched away from the failed switch. A forwarding table in the access switch stores a number of entries that each define a correspondence between destination addresses and an output identifier for the switch. At least a first output identifier includes an aggregated link that represents a first set of possible output links. At least a second output identifier includes a virtual aggregated link, associated with a second network switch that represents a second set of possible output links. Destination addresses in the forwarding table for the virtual aggregated link correspond to network devices connected to the second network switch.

Abstract: Access switches in a switching system may use virtual aggregated links. When a link between an aggregation switch and an access switch fails, the link failure may be reflected in the virtual aggregated link and data traffic to another access switch may be switched away from the failed switch. A forwarding table in the access switch stores a number of entries that each define a correspondence between destination addresses and an output identifier for the switch. At least a first output identifier includes an aggregated link that represents a first set of possible output links. At least a second output identifier includes a virtual aggregated link, associated with a second network switch that represents a second set of possible output links. Destination addresses in the forwarding table for the virtual aggregated link correspond to network devices connected to the second network switch.

Abstract: An aspect of the present invention simplifies addition of new server systems which serve web pages to client systems, when an authentication server requires registration before providing authentication services. In an embodiment, a backend server is provided, which is registered with an authentication server. The server systems are implemented to redirect unauthorized access requests to the backend server, and the configurations performed during registration of the backend server system are used for authenticating a user and receiving an authentication result. The backend server communicates the authentication result and other information received from the authentication server to the server system. According to another aspect, such simplification is performed in a single sign-on (SSO) environment.

Abstract: A method performed by network devices that includes operating in a normal mode, where the network devices form a virtual chassis that corresponds to a single logical network device; detecting when a failure within the virtual chassis occurs; executing a splitting process to form one or more new virtual chassis in correspondence to the failure; determining whether one of the one or more new virtual chassis operates as a functioning virtual chassis based on whether at least one of a set of criteria is satisfied, where the functioning virtual chassis operates according to resources configured for the virtual chassis; and operating as a nonfunctioning virtual chassis when it is determined that the one of the one or more virtual chassis does not satisfy the at least one of the set of criteria, where the nonfunctioning virtual chassis operates in a pass-through mode.

Abstract: A device receives network traffic and bypass traffic, performs a first weighting operation on the network traffic and the bypass traffic to produce weighted network traffic and weighted bypass traffic, performs a second weighting operation on the weighted network traffic and the weighted bypass traffic to produce additionally weighted traffic, and transmits the additionally weighted traffic based on weights assigned by the second weighting operation.

Abstract: A virtual device includes multiple devices connected to operate as a single device. A first one of the devices is configured to determine that the first device connects to a second one of the devices via a first link; identify a second link; determine that the second link connects the first device to the second device; and automatically aggregate the first link and the second link to form a link aggregation with the second device based on determining that the first device connects to the second device via both the first and second links. The first device is further configured to transmit packets to the second device via the first and second links of the link aggregation.