Abstract: A network includes a first switching domain having a distributed fabric comprised of interconnected standalone switches. The standalone switches communicate with each other in accordance with a packet-based distributed fabric protocol. A second switching domain has a plurality of cell-based switches in communication with a cell-based switch fabric. The cell-based switches communicate with each other through the cell-based switch fabric in accordance with a cell-based distributed fabric protocol. One of the cell-based switches is coupled by a communication link to one of the standalone switches of the first switching domain. The second switching domain includes a server device coupled to one of the cell-based switches.

Abstract: A distributed fabric system has distributed line card (DLC) chassis and scaled-out fabric coupler (SFC) chassis. Each DLC includes a network processor and fabric ports. Each network processor includes a fabric interface in communication with the fabric ports of that DLC. Each SFC includes at least one fabric element and SFC fabric ports. A fabric communication link connects each SFC fabric port to one DLC fabric port. Each fabric communication link includes cell-carrying lanes. Each fabric element detects connectivity between each SFC fabric port of that SFC and one DLC fabric port over a fabric communication link. Each SFC reads a connectivity matrix from fabric element chips and sends connection information corresponding to the detected connectivity from that SFC to a central agent. A network element includes the central agent, which, when executed, constructs a topology of the distributed fabric system from the connection information sent from each SFC.

Abstract: A distributed fabric system includes multiple switches coupled to a cell-based switching fabric. A logical system port that is globally unique within the distributed fabric system is mapped to each physical network port in the distributed fabric system. To partition the system into multiple non-overlapping switching domains, each system port is associated with a look-up table having at least one table entry for each other system port to be allocated to the same switching domain as that system port. Each switch that receives a packet over a given system port is limited to switching the packet to only those other system ports for which the look-up table associated with the given system port has a table entry.

Abstract: In a method for providing communication integrity within a distributed database computer system, a first node of a plurality of nodes transmits a change notification to a second node of the plurality of nodes. The second node is a neighbor of the first node. The first node receives at least one change confirmation from the second node. The change confirmation confirms acknowledgment of the change notification by the second node and by a third node of the plurality of nodes. The third node is not a neighbor of the first node. Responsive to receiving the at least one change confirmation, the first node determines that all the plurality of nodes have acknowledged the change notification.

Abstract: In a distributed network environment, a first virtual machine sends a first virtual machine control information to a first network system. The first network system sends a first control information to a first network control system in response to receiving the first virtual machine control information. The first network control system sends a portion of the first control information to a number of network systems. The first network control system sends a second control information to the first network system. The first virtual machine sends a first packet to the first network system which generates a unicast packet using a portion of the first packet and a portion of the second control information. A second network system receives and processes the unicast packet. The second network system sends a copy of the processed unicast packet to a second virtual machine associated with a second tenant.

Abstract: A communication protocol in a layer two (L2) network switch comprises, in response to a service request by a source node, registering the source node for packet communication service. The protocol further comprises forwarding one or more packets from the registered source node to one or more destination nodes. The protocol further comprises receiving packets from one or more destination nodes and forwarding each received packet to a corresponding registered node.

Abstract: In the context of a client sub-system that requires the use of directory services on behalf of a tenant (such as an overlay tenant), learning an identity of a server node, that can provide such directory services by: (i) sending, by the client sub-system to a first server node, a first directory service request for directory service for a first tenant; (ii) receiving, by the client sub-system, a first acknowledgement from a second server node; and (iii) learning, by the client sub-system, that the second server node can provide directory service for the first tenant based upon the first acknowledgement.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a system includes at least one processor and logic integrated with and/or executable by the at least one processor, the logic being configured to receive, by the at least one processor, a request to assign a media access control (MAC) address to a device on a port, determine, by the at least one processor, the MAC address to assign to the device based at least partially on the port, and send, by the at least one processor, a response to the request with the MAC address. According to a further embodiment, the logic may be configured to create a MAC address allocation table that includes a plurality of hash values, each hash value being associated with one port and a plurality of MAC addresses, wherein the assigned MAC address is one of the MAC addresses associated with the port in the MAC address allocation table.

Abstract: A distributed device architecture includes a master device and one or more member devices. A simple network management protocol (SNMP) agent of a master device receives an SNMP request from a managing device. Where the SNMP request pertains to a given member device, and where the SNMP request requires involvement of the given member device to fulfill the SNMP request, the master device generates a non-SNMP request corresponding to the SNMP request and transmits the non-SNMP request to the given member device. A non-SNMP agent of the given member device processes the non-SNMP request and transmits processing results back to the master device. The master device generates an SNMP response corresponding to the processing results, and the SNMP agent of the master device transmits the SNMP response back to the managing device.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a system includes at least one processor which includes logic configured for receiving a request to assign a media access control (MAC) address to a device on a port, logic configured for determining the MAC address to assign to the device based at least partially on the port, and logic configured for sending a response to the request with the MAC address. In another embodiment, a computer program product for assigning a MAC address includes a computer readable storage medium having computer readable program code embodied therewith, the computer readable program code including computer readable program code configured for determining, without using a look-up table, a MAC address to assign to a device and computer readable program code configured for sending the MAC address to the device. Other systems, methods, and computer program products are presented according to more embodiments.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide a method for load balancing a networking system comprising multiple computing nodes. The method comprises maintaining one or more data sets on at least one computing node. The method further comprises receiving, from each computing node, a load information unit for the computing node, wherein the load information unit relates to resource usage on the computing node. For each computing node, the method determines whether the load information for the computing node exceeds a corresponding load threshold for the computing node. A data set on at least one computing node is transferred to another computing node when the load information for the at least one computing node exceeds a corresponding load threshold for the at least one computing node.

Abstract: A network includes a first switching domain having a distributed fabric comprised of interconnected standalone switches. The standalone switches communicate with each other in accordance with a packet-based distributed fabric protocol. A second switching domain has a plurality of cell-based switches in communication with a cell-based switch fabric. The cell-based switches communicate with each other through the cell-based switch fabric in accordance with a cell-based distributed fabric protocol. One of the cell-based switches is coupled by a communication link to one of the standalone switches of the first switching domain. The second switching domain includes a server device coupled to one of the cell-based switches.

Abstract: A distributed device architecture includes a master device and one or more member devices. A simple network management protocol (SNMP) agent of a master device receives an SNMP request from a managing device. Where the SNMP request pertains to a given member device, and where the SNMP request requires involvement of the given member device to fulfill the SNMP request, the master device generates a non-SNMP request corresponding to the SNMP request and transmits the non-SNMP request to the given member device. A non-SNMP agent of the given member device processes the non-SNMP request and transmits processing results back to the master device. The master device generates an SNMP response corresponding to the processing results, and the SNMP agent of the master device transmits the SNMP response back to the managing device.

Abstract: A switch includes network ports and a network processor with a fabric interface that provides SerDes (Serializer/Deserializer) channels. The network processor divides each packet received over the network ports into cells and distributes the cells across the SerDes channels. Fabric ports of the switch communicate with the fabric interface to transmit cells to and receive cells from the fabric interface. The switch is selectively configurable as a standalone switch by connecting each fabric port of the switch to another of the fabric ports of the switch, as a member of a switch stack by connecting each fabric port of the switch to a different other switch through one fabric port of that other switch, or as a member of a distributed fabric system by connecting each fabric port of the switch to a different scaled-out fabric coupler (SFC) chassis by an SFC fabric port of that SFC chassis.

Abstract: A communication protocol in a layer two (L2) network switch comprises, in response to a service request by a source node, registering the source node for packet communication service. The protocol further comprises forwarding one or more packets from the registered source node to one or more destination nodes. The protocol further comprises receiving packets from one or more destination nodes and forwarding each received packet to a corresponding registered node.

Abstract: A network includes a first switching domain having a distributed fabric comprised of interconnected standalone switches. The standalone switches communicate with each other in accordance with a packet-based distributed fabric protocol. A second switching domain has a plurality of cell-based switches in communication with a cell-based switch fabric. The cell-based switches communicate with each other through the cell-based switch fabric in accordance with a cell-based distributed fabric protocol. One of the cell-based switches is coupled by a communication link to one of the standalone switches of the first switching domain. The second switching domain includes a server device coupled to one of the cell-based switches.

Abstract: Management and provisioning of networking traffic may be provided by bundling virtual channels into a group. A global policy may be applied to the bundle so that virtual ports providing services to a client may be managed by referring to the global policy of the bundle. The channels comprising the bundle may span multiple physical ports and in some cases, multiple physical switches. Thus, policy management may be avoided at the port level and instead, be handled as groups of channels implementing a client service.

Abstract: Implementation of a secure network may be provided by analyzing packet traffic for sensitive information. Network processing elements found to be processing sensitive information may be classified as needing higher security. The classified network processing elements may be moved into a group of secure network processing elements.

Abstract: Implementation of a secure network may be provided by analyzing packet traffic for sensitive information. Network processing elements found to be processing sensitive information may be classified as needing higher security. The classified network processing elements may be moved into a group of secure network processing elements.

Abstract: Management and provisioning of networking traffic may be provided by bundling virtual channels into a group. A global policy may be applied to the bundle so that virtual ports providing services to a client may be managed by referring to the global policy of the bundle. The channels comprising the bundle may span multiple physical ports and in some cases, multiple physical switches. Thus, policy management may be avoided at the port level and instead, be handled as groups of channels implementing a client service.