Abstract: Techniques for synchronizing routing data include determining whether conditions are satisfied for one-way transfer with an adjacent router. If it is determined that conditions are satisfied for one-way transfer of routing table data with the adjacent router, then a refresh-notice message is sent from the initiating router to the adjacent router. The refresh-notice message includes data that indicates a particular direction for transfer of routing table data. If the particular direction is inbound, then a copy of an adjacent routing table is received without sending a copy of the initiating router's own routing table. If the particular direction is outbound, then a copy of the own routing table is sent without receiving a copy of the adjacent routing table.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes receiving topology data that indicates multiple communication links and multiple intermediate network nodes in communication based on the communication links. The intermediate network nodes include multiple leaf nodes that terminate communications and multiple transit nodes that facilitate the passage of information between leaf nodes. Aggregation point data is also received, which indicates all aggregation points on the intermediate network nodes. An aggregation point is an interface between a network node and a communication link, through which is output data that is a combination of data received through multiple different interfaces upstream of the interface. A set of paths is determined for which each path in the set connects a different pair of leaf nodes. A measure of aggregation is determined based on a number of aggregated paths of the set of paths. An aggregated path passes through an aggregation point.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method for using a two-hop relay includes receiving an update message for a distance vector routing protocol from a first neighbor. The update message is sent to a different neighbor. Often, it is first determined whether the receiving node is a relay node for the first neighbor in the protocol. The relay node is a node preferred to update a particular node two hops from the first neighbor. In another embodiment, a method for serving as the two-hop relay includes receiving from each neighbor a first message that includes neighbor data that indicates nodes that are in direct communication with the neighbor. A relay set of fewer than all neighbors is determined. Every node two hops from the first node is updated using only the relay set of neighbors. The relay set is sent in a second message for the protocol.

Abstract: Techniques for recovering lost routes include receiving reported costs for transmitting data to a destination from neighboring nodes; and determining total costs as a sum of costs for transmitting data packets to the neighboring nodes and a corresponding reported cost. A selected neighboring node with a minimum total cost is determined as the next hop for the route to the destination. A feasible successor set of neighboring nodes which have reported costs less than the total cost of the selected neighboring node and excluding the selected neighboring node, and successor data about the feasible successor set, are determined. The successor data is sent to the neighboring nodes. A neighboring node that loses a route to the particular destination node is able to determine whether to query the sending node while recovering a lost route to the destination based on the successor data, thereby reducing network resource consumption.

Abstract: Techniques for sharing routing information over a network include determining whether the scale of a flooding domain exceeds a threshold. If so, then a router announcement message is sent over a particular link. The message indicates the local router is a flooding domain border router (FDBR). Summary routing information is determined with less than a certain level of detail used in the flooding domain for routers connected to the local router through links different from the particular link. The summary routing information is sent over the particular link in a link state message that includes type data that indicates summary routing information that crosses a FDBR. These techniques allow automatic favorable scaling of domains of shared routing information as the size of a mobile ad hoc network grows.

Abstract: Techniques for sending data in a packet-switched communications network include determining multiple subsets of adjacent network nodes of the network. The adjacent network nodes communicate without intervening network nodes with a particular network node through an interface on the particular network node. Each subset includes multiple adjacent network nodes. Subset definition data is sent through the interface. The subset definition data indicates which adjacent network nodes belong to which subset. Data for fewer than all adjacent network nodes in all subsets are sent by including, in a multicast data packet sent over the interface with a multicast destination address, subset identifier data that indicates a particular subset. When such data is received by a node, it is discarded unless the subset identifier matches the receiving node's subset identifier. Among other effects, this allows routing messages to be more efficiently sent to better performing neighboring network nodes.

Abstract: Techniques for sharing routing information over a network include determining whether the scale of a flooding domain exceeds a threshold. If so, then a router announcement message is sent over a particular link. The message indicates the local router is a flooding domain border router (FDBR). Summary routing information is determined with less than a certain level of detail used in the flooding domain for routers connected to the local router through links different from the particular link. The summary routing information is sent over the particular link in a link state message that includes type data that indicates summary routing information that crosses a FDBR. These techniques allow automatic favorable scaling of domains of shared routing information as the size of a mobile ad hoc network grows.

Abstract: In one embodiment, information is signaled between aggregating routers indicating the components of aggregated addresses. This information is used to dynamically leak, or deaggregate, specific parts of the aggregated address space to reduce sub-optimal routing and possibly prevent routing black holes from occurring in a network.

Abstract: A method of processing both two-octet and four-octet autonomous system (AS) identifier values in a first network node that communicates with peer network nodes using Border Gateway Protocol (BGP), comprises receiving a first route message from a BGP peer node that is outside a local autonomous system that includes the first network node, wherein the BGP peer node can process only two-octet AS identifier values; identifying one or more extended community attributes in a route in the received route update message; for each of the identified extended community attributes, modifying the received route by creating an AS set containing four-octet AS identifier values carried in the identified extended community attributes, and attaching the AS set to the received route; and sending the modified received route to a third BGP node.

Abstract: Techniques for implementing forwarding in network devices are provided. Proxy addresses are used in place of next hop addresses so that a large routing table is not required. Pairs of proxy IP and MAC addresses can be used to allow this optimization to occur completely transparent to any other device in the network. One or more smaller tables can be utilized in place of a large routing table to more efficiently implement forwarding. Additionally, the technique can be utilized without requiring modification of other hardware devices in the network.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are presented supporting shortest path first (SPF) routing of data packets over a network by establishing link-state data at an router. Link-state data indicates direct links between the router and a different router and establishes an adjacency relationship with the different node. Initial link-state data is stored at a first router. After the initial link-state data is stored, a hello message is received at the first router. The hello message indicates a direct connection with a different second router on one network segment. Based on the initial link-state data, it is determined whether establishing an adjacency relationship with the second router is sufficiently valuable. If not, then an adjacency relationship is not established with the second router in response to the hello message. A shortest path first routing for a data packet traversing the network is determined based on one or more adjacency relationships indicated in link-state data stored at the first router.

Abstract: A router identifies transit links and non-transit links. Only the non-transit links are advertised as routes to adjacent routers, thereby protecting the transit links from edge traffic which terminates on a network on one of the transit links. In another aspect of the invention, an administrative whitelist supplements the routes which identify the transit link network routes. In another aspect of the invention, a method for advertising routes identifies entries in a router table as broadcast or point-to-point. Only the router table entries for point-to-point links which are not transit or broadcast links that are not for a neighboring router are advertised, whereas the point-to-point transit links or broadcast transit links are advertised as transit links if an administrative whitelist is enabled.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes receiving topology data that indicates multiple communication links and multiple intermediate network nodes in communication based on the communication links. The intermediate network nodes include multiple leaf nodes that terminate communications and multiple transit nodes that facilitate the passage of information between leaf nodes. Aggregation point data is also received, which indicates all aggregation points on the intermediate network nodes. An aggregation point is an interface between a network node and a communication link, through which is output data that is a combination of data received through multiple different interfaces upstream of the interface. A set of paths is determined for which each path in the set connects a different pair of leaf nodes. A measure of aggregation is determined based on a number of aggregated paths of the set of paths. An aggregated path passes through an aggregation point.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes sending an adjacency discovery message 1 from a local router over a direct link to a first neighbor router. An adjacency discovery message is not forwarded and includes a repair address. The repair address indicates the local router but is not advertised as reachable over the direct link. An outbound routing update message is sent to a different second neighbor router. The outbound routing update message is forwarded and includes reachability data that indicates the repair address is reachable. A payload of an inbound tunneled packet received at the local router and directed to the repair address is forwarded based on a destination indicated in the payload.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes receiving a first link state initiation (HELLO) message from a first neighboring router. The HELLO message requests that a recipient node send a unique identifier for itself in a link state routing protocol. In response to receiving the first HELLO message, a first response message is sent that includes a first identifier from an identifier pool. The identifier pool contains for a local node a plurality of network identifiers that are unique among all nodes in the network that uses the link state routing protocol. A second HELLO message is received from a different second neighboring router. In response to receiving the second HELLO message, a second response message is sent that includes a different second identifier from the identifier pool.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes receiving authenticated site data that includes site ID data and address data. The site ID data indicates a unique site ID for each site among multiple sites for a first network that uses an internal routing protocol. Multiple edge sites of those sites are separate from each other and connected to a second network that is under separate administrative control of at least one different party. The address data indicates network addresses associated with each site of the plurality of sites. An external routing protocol message is discounted based on the authenticated site data.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes receiving advertised costs to reach a destination address from neighbor routers. Based on the advertised costs, a minimum first cost to reach the destination address from the local router through the neighbors is determined. The first cost corresponds to a successor among the neighbors. Also determined is a minimum second cost of the advertised costs excluding only an advertised cost from the successor. The second cost corresponds to a second router. If it is determined that communication with the successor is interrupted, and the second cost is not less than the first cost, then it is determined whether the second cost is equal to the first cost. If so, then a data packet, which is directed to the destination address and received from a neighbor that is different from the second router, is forwarded to the second router.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes receiving on a first communication link at a local router all routing information at a certain level of detail for each router of multiple routers communicating in a first flooding domain. A measure of distance is determined from a particular router in the first flooding domain to the local router. It is determined whether the measure of distance exceeds a threshold. If the measure of distance exceeds the threshold, then summary routing information with less than the certain level of detail is determined for the particular router. Also, certain routing information is sent over a different second communication link at the local router. The certain routing information includes the summary information for the particular router, and all routing information at the certain level of detail for a subset of routers communicating in the first flooding domain, which subset excludes the particular router.

Abstract: A method for communicating packets in a network environment is provided that includes receiving a packet at a network element and identifying a sequence number included in the packet that correlates to awareness information associated with one or more adjacent network elements. A table included in the network element may be updated in order to account for the awareness information included within the packet that has not been accounted for by the network element. In cases where the awareness information included in the packet has already been accounted for, the packet may be ignored.

Abstract: A system and method for keeping ledger accounts in synchronization between a back-end procurement system and a front-end requisition and catalog system. An extract utility extracts a file of general ledger (G/L) accounts, including account code, description, and company code, from a chart of accounts in the back-end and transfers it to the front-end, where it is updated by an update utility to include company group code from a company group table and then loaded into a data store of valid general ledger accounts. Maintenance of the front end data store of valid accounts includes pushing to all companies in a company group ledger code entered with respect to any one of the companies in that group.