Abstract: Methods, apparatus and data structures are provided for managing multicast IP flows. According to one embodiment, a router identifies active multicast IP sessions. A data structure is maintained by the router that contains information regarding the active multicast IP sessions and includes multiple pairs of a source field and a group field ({S, G} pairs), a first pointer associated with each of the {S,G} pairs and a set of slots. Each of the {S, G} pairs defines an active multicast IP session. The source field defines a source of a multicast transmission of the multicast IP session and the group field defines a group corresponding to the multicast IP session. The first pointer points to a dynamically allocated set of outbound interface (OIF) blocks. Each slot has stored therein a second pointer to a transmit control block (TCB) data structure that services users participating in the multicast IP session.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus and data structures are provided for managing multicast IP flows. According to one embodiment, a router identifies active multicast IP sessions. A data structure is maintained by the router that contains information regarding the active multicast IP sessions and includes multiple pairs of a source field and a group field ({S, G} pairs), a first pointer associated with each of the {S,G} pairs and a set of slots. Each of the {S, G} pairs defines an active multicast IP session. The source field defines a source of a multicast transmission of the multicast IP session and the group field defines a group corresponding to the multicast IP session. The first pointer points to a dynamically allocated set of outbound interface (OIF) blocks. Each slot has stored therein a second pointer to a transmit control block (TCB) data structure that services users participating in the multicast IP session.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus and data structures are provided for managing multicast IP flows. According to one embodiment, a router identifies active multicast IP sessions. A data structure is maintained by the router that contains information regarding the active multicast IP sessions and includes multiple pairs of a source field and a group field ({S, G} pairs), a first pointer associated with each of the {S,G} pairs and a set of slots. Each of the {S, G} pairs defines an active multicast IP session. The source field defines a source of a multicast transmission of the multicast IP session and the group field defines a group corresponding to the multicast IP session. The first pointer points to a dynamically allocated set of outbound interface (OIF) blocks. Each slot has stored therein a second pointer to a transmit control block (TCB) data structure that services users participating in the multicast IP session.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus and data structures are provided for managing multicast IP flows. According to one embodiment, a router identifies active multicast IP sessions. A data structure is maintained by the router that contains information regarding the active multicast IP sessions and includes multiple pairs of a source field and a group field ({S, G} pairs), a first pointer associated with each of the {S,G} pairs and a set of slots. Each of the {S, G} pairs defines an active multicast IP session. The source field defines a source of a multicast transmission of the multicast IP session and the group field defines a group corresponding to the multicast IP session. The first pointer points to a dynamically allocated set of outbound interface (OIF) blocks. Each slot has stored therein a second pointer to a transmit control block (TCB) data structure that services users participating in the multicast IP session.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus and data structures are provided for managing multicast IP flows. According to one embodiment, a network switch module includes a memory and multiple processors partitioned among multiple virtual routers (VRs). Each VR maintains a data structure containing therein information regarding the multicast sessions, including a first value for each of the multicast sessions, at least one chain of one or more blocks of second values and one or more transmit control blocks (TCBs). Each first value is indicative of a chain of one or more blocks of second values. Each second value corresponds to an outbound interface (OIF) participating in the multicast session and identifies a number of times packets associated with the multicast session are to be replicated. The TCBs have stored therein control information to process or route packets. Each second value is indicative of a TCB that identifies an OIF of the network device through which packets are to be transmitted.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus and data structures are provided for managing multicast IP flows. According to one embodiment, active multicast IP sessions are identified by a network device. A data structure is maintained by the network device and contains therein information regarding the multicast sessions, including a first value for each of the multicast sessions, at least one chain of one or more blocks of second values and one or more transmit control blocks (TCBs). Each first value is indicative of a chain of one or more blocks of second values. Each second value corresponds to an outbound interface (OIF) participating in the multicast session and identifies a number of times packets associated with the multicast session are to be replicated. The TCBs have stored therein control information to process or route packets. Each second value is indicative of a TCB that identifies an OIF of the network device through which packets are to be transmitted.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus and data structures are provided for managing multicast IP flows. According to one embodiment, a network switch module includes a memory and multiple processors partitioned among multiple virtual routers (VRs). Each VR maintains a data structure containing therein information regarding the multicast sessions, including a first value for each of the multicast sessions, at least one chain of one or more blocks of second values and one or more transmit control blocks (TCBs). Each first value is indicative of a chain of one or more blocks of second values. Each second value corresponds to an outbound interface (OIF) participating in the multicast session and identifies a number of times packets associated with the multicast session are to be replicated. The TCBs have stored therein control information to process or route packets. Each second value is indicative of a TCB that identifies an OIF of the network device through which packets are to be transmitted.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus and data structures are provided for managing multicast IP flows. According to one embodiment, active multicast IP sessions are identified by a network device. A data structure is maintained by the network device and contains therein information regarding the multicast sessions, including a first value for each of the multicast sessions, at least one chain of one or more blocks of second values and one or more transmit control blocks (TCBs). Each first value is indicative of a chain of one or more blocks of second values. Each second value corresponds to an outbound interface (OIF) participating in the multicast session and identifies a number of times packets associated with the multicast session are to be replicated. The TCBs have stored therein control information to process or route packets. Each second value is indicative of a TCB that identifies an OIF of the network device through which packets are to be transmitted.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus and data structures are provided for managing multicast IP flows. According to one embodiment, active multicast IP sessions are identified by a router. A data structure is maintained by the router and contains therein information regarding the multicast sessions, including a first pointer for each of the multicast sessions, at least one chain of one or more blocks of second pointers and one or more transmit control blocks (TCBs). Each first pointer points to a chain of one or more blocks of second pointers. Each second pointer corresponds to an outbound interface (OIF) participating in the multicast session and identifies a number of times packets associated with the multicast session are to be replicated. The TCBs have stored therein control information to process or route packets. Each second pointer points to a TCB that identifies an OIF of the router through which packets are to be transmitted.

Abstract: Methods are provided for managing hierarchically organized subscriber profiles. According to one embodiment, a connection for a subscriber is created based on a service context of the subscriber. A connection request is received from a subscriber of a network service delivery environment. The subscriber is associated with a first-level profile identifier indicative of a service context for the subscriber. One or more other subscribers can be associated with the first-level profile identifier. Lower-level profile identifiers are determined using the first-level profile identifier. The lower-level profile identifiers indicate a set of services that is available to the subscriber during the connection. Creating a connection for the subscriber that enables forwarding of packets based on the lower-level profile identifiers.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus and data structures are provided for managing multicast IP flows. According to one embodiment, a network switch module includes a memory and multiple processors partitioned among multiple virtual routers (VRs). Each VR maintains a data structure including information relating to multicast sessions handled by the VR and including a first pointer for each multicast session, a chain of blocks of second pointers and one or more TCBs. Each first pointer points to a chain of blocks of second pointers. Each second pointer corresponds to an OIF of the VR participating in the multicast session defined by the first pointer and defines how many times to replicate packets associated with the multicast session. The TCBs store control information relevant to processing or routing packets. Each second pointer points to a TCB, which identifies the OIF out which packets of the multicast session are transmitted from the VR.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for managing multicast Internet Protocol (IP) flows. According to one embodiment, a multicast IP flow is identified at an interface of a network device using information from a packet header. For any newly identified multicast IP flow, if flow-specific services are required, a new first transmit control block (TCB), which includes one or more attributes relating to flow-specific services required by the newly identified multicast IP flow, is created for the newly identified multicast IP flow. Otherwise, if flow-specific services are not required by the newly identified multicast IP flow, a default second TCB, which excludes any attributes relating to flow-specific services and which includes one or more attributes related to a virtual interface (VI) serving as an outbound interface (OIF) for the newly identified multicast IP flow, is used.

Abstract: Methods are provided for managing hierarchically organized subscriber profiles. According to one embodiment, a connection for a subscriber is created based on a service context of the subscriber. A connection request is received from a subscriber of a network service delivery environment. The subscriber is associated with a first-level profile identifier indicative of a service context for the subscriber. One or more other subscribers can be associated with the first-level profile identifier. Lower-level profile identifiers are determined using the first-level profile identifier. The lower-level profile identifiers indicate a set of services that is available to the subscriber during the connection. Creating a connection for the subscriber that enables forwarding of packets based on the lower-level profile identifiers.

Abstract: Methods are provided for managing hierarchically organized subscriber profiles. According to one embodiment, a policy engine of a VR defines services available to subscribers in terms of profile identifiers. A scalable subscriber profile database is established having a memory requirement dependent upon the number of available service contexts by hierarchically organizing profile identifiers as leaf profile identifiers, which explicitly define services, and intermediate profile identifiers, which indirectly represent services. The policy engine receives a first-level profile identifier and determines whether it is among those stored in the database. If not, then it obtains service profile information associated with the first-level profile identifier. If the first-level profile identifier is an intermediate profile identifier having leaf profile identifiers, then it further obtains them and associated profile information and stores this information in the database.

Abstract: Methods are provided for managing hierarchically organized subscriber profiles. According to one embodiment, a policy engine of a VR defines services available to subscribers in terms of profile identifiers. A scalable subscriber profile database is established having a memory requirement dependent upon the number of available service contexts by hierarchically organizing profile identifiers as leaf profile identifiers, which explicitly define services, and intermediate profile identifiers, which indirectly represent services. The policy engine receives a first-level profile identifier and determines whether it is among those stored in the database. If not, then it obtains service profile information associated with the first-level profile identifier. If the first-level profile identifier is an intermediate profile identifier having leaf profile identifiers, then it further obtains them and associated profile information and stores this information in the database.

Abstract: Methods are provided for managing hierarchically organized subscriber profiles. According to one embodiment of the present invention, a subscriber connection is created with a virtual router operable within a telecommunications system of a service provider. A connection request is received from a subscriber of multiple subscribers of the service provider at a subscriber manager of the virtual router. The virtual router maintains a database of hierarchically organized profile identifiers, including multiple lower-level profile identifiers, which explicitly define subscriber services, and multiple first-level profile identifiers, which define service contexts representing combinations of services available to subscribers when connected by (i) explicitly defining the subscriber services or (ii) referring to one or more of the multiple lower-level profile identifiers.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus and data structures are provided for managing multicast IP flows. According to one embodiment, a network switch module includes a memory and multiple processors partitioned among multiple virtual routers (VRs). Each VR maintains a data structure including information relating to multicast sessions handled by the VR and including a first pointer for each multicast session, a chain of blocks of second pointers and one or more TCBs. Each first pointer points to a chain of blocks of second pointers. Each second pointer corresponds to an OIF of the VR participating in the multicast session defined by the first pointer and defines how many times to replicate packets associated with the multicast session. The TCBs store control information relevant to processing or routing packets. Each second pointer points to a TCB, which identifies the OIF out which packets of the multicast session are transmitted from the VR.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus and data structures are provided for managing multicast IP flows. According to one embodiment, a memory of a router has stored therein a data structure, which includes information relating to multicast sessions being handled by the router and including a first pointer for each multicast session, at least one chain of blocks of second pointers and one or more TCBs. Each first pointer points to a chain of blocks of second pointers. Each second pointer corresponds to an OIF of the router participating in the multicast session defined by the first pointer and defines how many times packets associated with the multicast session are to be replicated. The TCBs are configured to store control information relevant to processing or routing packets. Each second pointer points to a TCB and each TCB identifies the OIF out which packets of the multicast session are transmitted from the router.

Abstract: Methods are provided for managing hierarchically organized subscriber profiles. According to one embodiment, subscriber services are modified without requiring a change to the subscriber's first-level profile identifier and without requiring the subscriber to reestablish a connection with the service provider. A database of hierarchically organized profile identifiers, including multiple lower-level profile identifiers, explicitly defining subscriber services, and multiple first-level profile identifiers, defining service contexts representing combinations of services available to subscribers by (i) explicitly defining the subscriber services or (ii) referring to one or more of the lower-level profile identifiers, are maintained within a virtual router operable within a telecommunications system of the service provider. Updated service profile information, representing a change to the subscriber's service context, is received.

Abstract: Apparatus are provided for managing hierarchically organized subscriber profiles. According to one embodiment, a router includes a subscriber manager, a database and a virtual interface. The subscriber manager is operable to receive a connection request from a subscriber of a service provider. The database has stored therein hierarchically organized profile identifiers, including multiple lower-level profile identifiers, which explicitly define subscriber services, and multiple first-level profile identifiers, which define service contexts representing combinations of services available to subscribers when connected to the service provider by (i) explicitly defining the subscriber services or (ii) referring to one or more of the plurality of lower-level profile identifiers.