Abstract: Described herein are methods and devices (e.g., routers) that add network services to a multiprotocol label switching (MPLS) network. A method can include a network device of the MPLS network receiving a packet, the network device of the MPLS network modifying the packet by adding multiple MPLS extension headers, wherein each of the multiple MPLS extension headers added to the packet is used to support a different one of multiple network services for the MPLS network, and the network device of the MPLS network forwarding the packet as modified to another network device of the MPLS network.

Abstract: Described herein are methods and devices (e.g., routers) that add in-network services to a multiprotocol label switching (MPLS) network. A method can include a router of the MPLS network receiving a packet and modifying the packet by adding one or more MPLS extension headers, adding a header of the extension header(s), and adding an indication within an MPLS label stack that one or more MPLS extension headers have been added to the packet. The method can also include the router forwarding the packet as modified to another router of the MPLS network. In certain embodiments, an extension header label (EHL) within a label value field of a label stack entry indicates that one or more MPLS extension headers have been added to the packet. In other embodiments, a forward equivalent class (FEC) indicates that one or more MPLS extension headers follow the MPLS label stack.

Abstract: Described herein are methods and devices (e.g., routers) for performing segment routing over a multiprotocol label switching (MPLS) network. A method can include a router of the MPLS network receiving a packet, and the router modifying the packet by adding a segment routing header (SRH) type MPLS extension header. The SRH type MPLS extension header includes one or more segment identifiers (SIDs) that collectively provide a SID list for use in segment routing. The method further comprises the router copying one of the one or more SIDs in the SRH type MPLS extension header to a top of an MPLS label stack, and the router forwarding the packet as modified to another router of the MPLS network based on the one of the one or more SIDs included in a label stack entry at the top of the MPLS label stack.

Abstract: Described herein are methods and devices (e.g., routers) that add in-network services to a multiprotocol label switching (MPLS) network. A method can include a router of the MPLS network receiving a packet and modifying the packet by adding one or more MPLS extension headers, adding a header of the extension header(s), and adding an indication within an MPLS label stack that one or more MPLS extension headers have been added to the packet. The method can also include the router forwarding the packet as modified to another router of the MPLS network. In certain embodiments, an extension header label (EHL) within a label value field of a label stack entry indicates that one or more MPLS extension headers have been added to the packet. In other embodiments, a forward equivalent class (FEC) indicates that one or more MPLS extension headers follow the MPLS label stack.

Abstract: A multiprotocol label switching (MPLS) node sends an output packet including control information and payload data. The MPLS node is configured to: receive an input packet including the payload data, from a first pseudo-wire segment; modify an encapsulation format of the payload data of the input packet to generate the output packet; and send the output packet to a second pseudo-wire segment. The MPLS node can also be configured to support the opposite operating direction, that is an MPLS, node may be configured to receive an input packet including the payload data from a second pseudo-wire segment; modify an encapsulation format of the payload data of the input packet to generate an output packet; and send the output packet to a first pseudo-wire segment.

Abstract: Described herein are methods and devices (e.g., routers) for performing segment routing over a multiprotocol label switching (MPLS) network. A method can include a router of the MPLS network receiving a packet, and the router modifying the packet by adding a segment routing header (SRH) type MPLS extension header. The SRH type MPLS extension header includes one or more segment identifiers (SIDs) that collectively provide a SID list for use in segment routing. The method further comprises the router copying one of the one or more SIDs in the SRH type MPLS extension header to a top of an MPLS label stack, and the router forwarding the packet as modified to another router of the MPLS network based on the one of the one or more SIDs included in a label stack entry at the top of the MPLS label stack.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes identifying a change in network topology at a network device, transmitting a test packet from the network device to determine if an adjacent network device located in a backup path has converged following the network topology change, and updating a forwarding information base at the network device in response to the network topology change if a response to the test packet indicates that the adjacent network device has converged. An apparatus and logic are also disclosed herein.

Abstract: Particular embodiments described herein provide for a communication system that can be configured to identify a system that includes network traffic, where at least a portion of the network traffic includes packets, at least a portion of the packets include a stack, and at least a portion of each stack includes one or more previously allocated labels. The communication system can further be configured to determine a synonymous label that triggers an action and to replace a label from the one of the one or more previously allocated labels in a specific stack of a specific packet with the synonymous label. In an example, the synonymous label can be used to identify a subset of packets in the network traffic or a source of the specific packet.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a receiver device determines that it accepts flow entropy, and accordingly determines a set of entropy labels the receiver device is accepting. After transmitting the set of entropy labels from the receiver device to one or more sender devices, the receiver device may then receive packets from the one or more sender devices with selected particular entropy labels from the set of entropy labels. In another embodiment, a sender device receives from a receiver device a set of entropy labels the receiver device is accepting. As such, when determining a packet to forward to the receiver device with flow entropy, the sender device may select a particular entropy label from the set of entropy labels for that receiver device, and transmits the packet device to the receiver device with the selected particular entropy label.

Abstract: In one embodiment, micro-loops are avoided in ring topologies of packet switching devices by changing the order of propagation of link state information concerning failed communications between a particular packet switching device and a neighbor packet switching device. In one embodiment, the particular packet switching device communicates link state information of a high cost of the particular communications (e.g., in the direction from particular to neighbor packet switching devices) such that this link state information will propagate towards the particular packet switching device from at least from the furthest packet switching device in the ring topology that is currently configured to forward packets having a destination address of the neighbor packet switching device through the particular packet switching device.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes generating at a network device, a continuity test packet configured to pass through a set of communication paths terminating at the network device and at least one other network device located at an opposite end of the communication paths, transmitting at the network device the continuity test packet on a first communication path in the set of communication paths, and identifying at the network device a failure in the set of communication paths if the continuity test packet is not received on a last communication path in the set of communication paths. An apparatus and logic are also disclosed herein.

Abstract: In one embodiment, for each particular multicast flow of a plurality of multicast flows of packets a particular consolidation encoding of a plurality of consolidation encodings is selected based on the sparseness of bit positions within a bit string corresponding to designated receiving packet switching devices of the particular multicast flow. The packet switching device sends one or more packets corresponding to said particular packet, with each of these one or more packets including designated receiving packet switching devices of the particular multicast flow in the header of said particular packet according to the particular consolidation encoding. In one embodiment, different consolidation encodings of the plurality of consolidation encodings are used for at least two different multicast flows of the plurality of multicast flows of packets. In one embodiment, each of said receiving packet switching devices is Bit Index Explicit Replication (BIER) Bit-Forwarding Router (BFR).

Abstract: In one embodiment, operations analysis of packet groups identified based on timestamps is performed. One embodiment includes sending a plurality of sent timeframe groups of a plurality of time-stamped packets from a first packet network node towards a second packet network node in a network and recording first information associated with each of the plurality of said sent timeframe groups of the plurality of time-stamped packets. The second network node receives a plurality of received timeframe groups of a received plurality of time-stamped packets of said sent plurality of time-stamped packets and recording second information associated with each of the plurality of said received timeframe groups of the received plurality of time-stamped packets. Operations analysis based on one or more operations characteristics of said first information and said second information to produce analysis results.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes generating at a network device, a continuity test packet configured to pass through a set of communication paths terminating at the network device and at least one other network device located at an opposite end of the communication paths, transmitting at the network device the continuity test packet on a first communication path in the set of communication paths, and identifying at the network device a failure in the set of communication paths if the continuity test packet is not received on a last communication path in the set of communication paths. An apparatus and logic are also disclosed herein.

Abstract: An example method for independently verifying a transit point in a network environment is provided and includes receiving, at a transit point in a packet network, at least two radio signals from corresponding different radio sources, receiving, at the transit point, a sampling request in an packet message, and transmitting in another packet message a sample of the at least two radio signals such that by comparing the sample with an expected sample, a location of the transit point is determined. The expected sample can comprise another sample of the at least two radio signals that would have been received by the transit point at an expected location at a time of receipt of the sampling request, and if the expected sample matches the sample, the transit point is determined to be at the expected location.

Abstract: In one embodiment, for each particular multicast flow of a plurality of multicast flows of packets a particular consolidation encoding of a plurality of consolidation encodings is selected based on the sparseness of bit positions within a bit string corresponding to designated receiving packet switching devices of the particular multicast flow. The packet switching device sends one or more packets corresponding to said particular packet, with each of these one or more packets including designated receiving packet switching devices of the particular multicast flow in the header of said particular packet according to the particular consolidation encoding. In one embodiment, different consolidation encodings of the plurality of consolidation encodings are used for at least two different multicast flows of the plurality of multicast flows of packets. In one embodiment, each of said receiving packet switching devices is Bit Index Explicit Replication (BIER) Bit-Forwarding Router (BFR).

Abstract: In an embodiment, a method comprises: receiving a data communications packet comprising one or more labels in a label stack; determining whether a table identifier is present in the label stack. In response to determining that the table identifier is present in the label stack: based, at least in part, on the table identifier, a label table is determined; a next hop for the data communications packet is determined by performing a next-hop lookup in the label table using at least one of the one or more labels; and the data communications packet is forwarded to the next hop. In an embodiment, the method is performed by one or more computing devices.

Abstract: Particular embodiments described herein provide for a communication system that can be configured to identify a system that includes network traffic, where at least a portion of the network traffic includes packets, at least a portion of the packets include a stack, and at least a portion of each stack includes one or more previously allocated labels. The communication system can further be configured to determine a synonymous label that triggers an action and to replace a label from the one of the one or more previously allocated labels in a specific stack of a specific packet with the synonymous label. In an example, the synonymous label can be used to identify a subset of packets in the network traffic or a source of the specific packet.

Abstract: In an embodiment, an apparatus for forwarding data in a data communications network having as components nodes and links therebetween comprises a network interface configured to couple to a data communications network having as components nodes and links therebetween; first logic which when executed is operable to receive a repair address; second logic which when executed is operable to compute a repair path from a repairing node to the repair address around a failure component on a primary forwarding path between the apparatus and a repairing node; and third logic which when executed is operable to propagate the repair address along a label switched path (LSP), comprising the repair path, to the repairing node. The apparatus offers improved efficiency in computing a repair path in a network around a failed component because unnecessary computations are not performed with the disclosed apparatus and approach.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes identifying a change in network topology at a network device, transmitting a test packet from the network device to determine if an adjacent network device located in a backup path has converged following the network topology change, and updating a forwarding information base at the network device in response to the network topology change if a response to the test packet indicates that the adjacent network device has converged. An apparatus and logic are also disclosed herein.