Abstract: In an embodiment, a computer apparatus comprises a network interface; a processor; a packet forwarding unit; and instructions which when executed cause storing a first executable software module in computer storage; receiving and storing, in association with the first software module, a first human-readable declaration of one or more available extension points within the first software module; receiving and storing an extension software module that implements a particular one or more of the extension points; installing and executing the first software module and the extension software module; and invoking the extension software module when the particular extension point is reached during execution of the first software module. In an embodiment, a declaration of extension points enables extending a software module while running in a host, by registering an extension matching the extension points, yet the author of the extension does not need to access any code of the extended module.

Abstract: In an embodiment, an XPath automaton with state look-ahead capability can efficiently determine whether XML documents, received in a stream in serialized form in a network element, match any of a set of XPath expressions. A token processor receives a structured electronic document in serialized format and identifies entities. A name recognition engine recognizes names of elements of the document and recognizes names of attributes of the elements. A finite state automaton comprises states and transitions representing structural relationships among elements and attributes of structured path expressions and state look-ahead logic that is configured to output a final state when an entity matches one or more of the structured path expressions. The automaton performs state transitions resulting in reaching a specified final state if a match to an expression occurs.

Abstract: In an embodiment, an XPath automaton with state look-ahead capability can efficiently determine whether XML documents, received in a stream in serialized form in a network element, match any of a set of XPath expressions. A token processor receives a structured electronic document in serialized format and identifies entities. A name recognition engine recognizes names of elements of the document and recognizes names of attributes of the elements. A finite state automaton comprises states and transitions representing structural relationships among elements and attributes of structured path expressions and state look-ahead logic that is configured to output a final state when an entity matches one or more of the structured path expressions. The automaton performs state transitions resulting in reaching a specified final state if a match to an expression occurs.

Abstract: In an embodiment, a computer apparatus comprises a network interface; a processor; a packet forwarding unit; and instructions which when executed cause storing a first executable software module in computer storage; receiving and storing, in association with the first software module, a first human-readable declaration of one or more available extension points within the first software module; receiving and storing an extension software module that implements a particular one or more of the extension points; installing and executing the first software module and the extension software module; and invoking the extension software module when the particular extension point is reached during execution of the first software module. In an embodiment, a declaration of extension points enables extending a software module while running in a host, by registering an extension matching the extension points, yet the author of the extension does not need to access any code of the extended module.