Abstract: The invention includes a method and apparatus for configuring a spanning tree. Specifically, one method according to the present invention includes determining a network topology associated with at least a portion of a network where the network topology includes at least one bridge and at least one link, obtaining network information associated with the network, and computing the spanning tree according to the network topology information and the network information. The network information is operable for evaluating the at least one bridge and the at least one link for inclusion in the spanning tree. The spanning tree includes at least one spanning tree segment, where the at least one spanning tree segment includes at least one communication path operable for supporting network traffic.

Abstract: The invention includes a method for determining a maximum size of a token bucket. One method includes detecting a condition and determining the maximum token bucket size in response to the condition. The condition may include one of a packet drop and a reduction of a current token bucket size, an actual information rate satisfying a rate threshold, or a current token bucket size satisfying a size threshold. Another method includes detecting a packet drop, detecting a reduction of a current token bucket size, and determining the maximum token bucket size in response to the packet drop and the reduction of the current token bucket size. Another method includes detecting a condition and performing an initial bucket size adaptation in response to the condition where the initial bucket size adaptation has an initial adaptation rate greater than a subsequent adaptation rate associated with a subsequent bucket size adaptation.

Abstract: Communication network including a source and a switch for receiving and forwarding data packets originating from the source, wherein the network includes at least two mutually different routing paths between the source and the switch, wherein the switch includes at least two incoming ports for receiving the data packets originating from the source, wherein the switch is arranged to discard for a period of time any data packet originating from the source at the first one of the at least two incoming ports upon receiving a data packet originating from the source at the second one of the at least two incoming ports after receiving a data packet originating from the source at the first one of the at least two incoming ports.

Abstract: Ethernet hardware is configured to realize a load balancing network by using Ethernet bridging hardware that is VLAN-aware.

Abstract: The invention includes a method for determining a window size for a connection. One method according to the invention includes determining a peak information rate for the connection, determining a round trip time for the connection, and determining the window size using the peak information rate and the round trip time. Another method includes determining a token bucket size of a token bucket in response to detecting a condition associated with the token bucket and determining the window size using the token bucket size. Another method includes determining a plurality of connection window sizes for each of a plurality of connections. In this embodiment, the connection window sizes are determined by distributing a total window size across the plurality of connections. A determined window size may be communicated to at least one of a sender of the connection, a receiver of the connection, and a policing module.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for rebooting a bridge in a network containing a plurality of bridges. The method includes sending notification to other bridges that the bridge will be updated; updating the bridge; restoring a state of the network prior to the bridge being updated; and sending notification to the other bridges in the network that the update is complete. Sending notification includes sending a special bridge protocol data unit along forwarding links connected to the bridge. The method further includes the other bridges initiating a condition of not expecting additional messages from the bridge subsequent to the notification of the update and disabling a part of the bridge prior to updating. An apparatus includes a forwarding plane adapted to provide physical control of ports in the bridge and a control plane adapted for issuing and executing instructions in accordance with the method that control the physical action of the ports.

Abstract: The invention includes a method and apparatus for processing traffic in a load-balancing network comprising a plurality of nodes. The method includes determining an egress node associated with each of a plurality of packets of a traffic flow received at an ingress node of the plurality of nodes, determining, for each packet, whether a congestion condition exists on the egress node, and processing the packets such that packets associated with egress nodes for which the congestion condition does not exist have a different queuing priority within the load-balancing network than packets associated with egress nodes for which the congestion condition exists. The ingress node on which the traffic flow is received is adapted for splitting the traffic flow into a plurality of traffic flow portions independent of the egress node by which each packet is scheduled to exit the load-balancing network.

Abstract: A user enters a search query at interface 1 for performing a search on a computer network, such as the Internet. The search results are enhanced by adjusting their weightings to take into account previous searches carried out by members of a group, the membership of which is selected by the user. The group may be a user-defined co-user list, for example. Those previous search results that were of interest to members of the group are thus given greater prominence in the search results presented to the user at display 8. The user's behavior in considering the search results is monitored and the information gained used to update a database 5 holding group search information.

Abstract: The invention includes a method and apparatus for performing packet policing by operating an input queue as a leaky bucket queue. The method includes storing a received packet in a shared memory shared by a plurality of input queues and a plurality of output queues, storing a corresponding packet pointer for the packet in one of the plurality of input queues, transferring the packet pointer from the one of the plurality of input queues to one of the plurality of output queues associated with an output port to which the packet is assigned, and transmitting the packet from the output port using the packet pointer. The packet pointer identifies a storage location in the shared memory. The packet pointer is removed from the one of the plurality of output queues and used for retrieving the packet from the shared memory.

Abstract: The invention includes a method for determining a window size for a connection. One method according to the invention includes determining a peak information rate for the connection, determining a round trip time for the connection, and determining the window size using the peak information rate and the round trip time. Another method includes determining a token bucket size of a token bucket in response to detecting a condition associated with the token bucket and determining the window size using the token bucket size. Another method includes determining a plurality of connection window sizes for each of a plurality of connections. In this embodiment, the connection window sizes are determined by distributing a total window size across the plurality of connections. A determined window size may be communicated to at least one of a sender of the connection, a receiver of the connection, and a policing module.

Abstract: The invention includes a method and apparatus for configuring a spanning tree. Specifically, one method according to the present invention includes determining a network topology associated with at least a portion of a network where the network topology includes at least one bridge and at least one link, obtaining network information associated with the network, and computing the spanning tree according to the network topology information and the network information. The network information is operable for evaluating the at least one bridge and the at least one link for inclusion in the spanning tree. The spanning tree includes at least one spanning tree segment, where the at least one spanning tree segment includes at least one communication path operable for supporting network traffic.

Abstract: Communication network comprising a source and a switch for receiving and forwarding data packets originating from the source, wherein the network comprises at least two mutually different routing paths between the source and the switch, wherein the switch comprises at least two incoming ports for receiving the data packets originating from the source, wherein the switch is arranged to discard for a period of time any data packet originating from the source at the first one of the at least two incoming ports upon receiving a data packet originating from the source at the second one of the at least two incoming ports after receiving a data packet originating from the source at the first one of the at least two incoming ports.