Abstract: Methods for directly mapping attributes from controllers connected to a switch are provided. Multicast protocols are combined with policy management and applied to systems with multiple host and source devices. Unnecessary data packets are dropped, while only necessary data packets are forwarded. These methods decrease the amount of resources needed to process requests received during multicasting, provide enhanced security options, and further integrate networking solutions.

Abstract: Some examples relate to auto-configuration of a parameter related to a multicast protocol on a network device. In an example, a network device in a multicast network may identify the network topology of the multicast network. Upon identification, the network device may enable a multicast protocol on the network device based on the network topology of the multicast network. The network device may determine a network parameter related to the multicast network. In response to the determination, a multicast parameter related to the multicast protocol may be auto-configured on the network device.

Abstract: Examples disclosed herein relate to monitoring flow activity on a network device. In an example, a neighbor table is maintained on a network device. The neighbor table may include a record of a neighbor network device and a hit bit corresponding to the neighbor network device. The hit bit may be used to represent a flow activity of the neighbor network device. A determination may be made whether a status of the hit bit corresponding to the neighbor network device is inactive. If the status of the hit bit is inactive, a flow entry corresponding to the neighbor network device may be deleted from an ASIC table on the network device.

Abstract: Some examples relate to managing multicast scaling. In an example, a determination may be made at a network device whether more than a pre-defined percentage of ports of a virtual LAN (VLAN) are associated with an IP multicast group. In response to the determination that more than a pre-defined percentage of ports on the VLAN are associated with the IP multicast group, a flood filter may be programmed on the network device for the VLAN. A hardware filter previously associated with the IP multicast group may be disassociated.

Abstract: Examples include receiving a recovery signal and access data stored in a centralized database of a networking device in response to the recovery signal. The data may include information associated to past multicast flow events. Additionally, examples include determining a rebuilt multicast flow event based on the data, generating a multicast protocol packet based on the multicast flow event, and sending the multicast protocol packet to a multicast protocol in the networking device.

Abstract: Examples disclosed herein relate to a method comprising receiving, at a server mechanism of a first network device, a request to perform an operation, determining, by the server mechanism, that the request is for a second network device belonging to a network, wherein the first and second network devices belong to the network. The method may also include determining, by the server mechanism, that the second network device cannot perform the requested operation, performing, by the server mechanism, the operation and responding, by the server mechanism, to the request.

Abstract: A centralized database network routing system for a network may include a data plane comprising a forwarding table and link failover logic to identify a downed link in a transmission path of the network and a control plane for the data plane. The control plane may include a centralized database routing table and updating logic to update the forwarding table based upon the identified downed link independent of updating of the centralized database routing table.

Abstract: In some examples, a method includes identifying, by a network switching device, a network packet received via a particular port as a Message Queuing Telemetry Transport (MQTT) packet, wherein the MQTT packet is transmitted between a broker device and a subscriber device; performing, by the network switching device, a deep packet inspection (DPI) to identify a network address corresponding to the broker device; applying, by the network switching device, a network policy defined in a policy engine that is specific to at least one of the broker device and the subscriber device, wherein the at least one of the broker device and the subscriber device is not statically configured in the policy engine; and performing, by the network switching device, a specific action based on the applied network policy.

Abstract: In some examples, a network device includes an interface, and a processor to apply a restriction on multicast communication associated with an entity on the interface. The restriction on multicast communication includes detecting, on the interface, a multicast communication pattern associated with the entity, indicating, based on the multicast communication pattern on the interface violating a threshold, that the entity is malicious, and blocking processing of the multicast communication associated with the entity in response to indicating that the entity is malicious.

Abstract: In example implementations, a method is provided. The method detects, by a processor, an assignment of a master router role for a virtual router redundancy protocol (VRRP), a protocol independent multicast (PIM) designated router (DR) role for a PIM protocol, and a querier router role for an internet group management protocol (IGMP) to different routers in a network. A communication procedure is initiated to identify which routers of the routers are assigned to the master router role, the DR role and the querier router role. The master router role, the DR role and the querier router role are then automatically aligned to a single router of the routers via an ordered communication exchange.

Abstract: According to examples, an apparatus for managing alerts pertaining to additions of users to a user group in a computer network may include a processor and a memory, which may have stored thereon machine readable instructions that are to cause the processor to, during a learning period, identify an entity that added a user to the user group during the learning period and enter an identification of the identified entity into an allowed entity list for the user group. Following the learning period, the instructions are to cause the processor to identify a user addition event that indicates that an adding entity added another user to the user group, determine whether the adding entity is in the allowed entity list, and manage issuance of an alert regarding the user addition event based upon whether the adding entity is in the allowed entity list to reduce a number of issued alerts.

Abstract: Examples herein are directed to centralized database based multicast converging. For instance, in various examples centralized database based multicast converging can include starting a restart timer having a value greater than a time to validate stored entries in a centralized database, sending data packets at least to hosts on the network corresponding to the stored entries in the centralized database to maintain service to the hosts while the restart timer is running, sending query packets to validate a host corresponding to an entry of the stored entries in the centralized database, and responsive to the restart timer expiring, sending data packets to a converged group of hosts including at least the validated host.

Abstract: Some examples relate to auto-configuration of a parameter related to a multicast protocol on a network device. In an example, a network device in a multicast network may identify the network topology of the multicast network. Upon identification, the network device may enable a multicast protocol on the network device based on the network topology of the multicast network. The network device may determine a network parameter related to the multicast network. In response to the determination, a multicast parameter related to the multicast protocol may be auto-configured on the network device.

Abstract: In some examples, a method includes identifying, by a network switching device, a network packet received via a particular port as a Message Queuing Telemetry Transport (MQTT) packet, wherein the MQTT packet is transmitted between a broker device and a subscriber device; performing, by the network switching device, a deep packet inspection (DPI) to identify a network address corresponding to the broker device; applying, by the network switching device, a network policy defined in a policy engine that is specific to at least one of the broker device and the subscriber device, wherein the at least one of the broker device and the subscriber device is not statically configured in the policy engine; and performing, by the network switching device, a specific action based on the applied network policy.

Abstract: Examples relate to selectively processing network packets. In one example, a computing device may receive, by the networking device, a network packet from a user device operating on the network; determine that the network packet is a search packet, the search packet specifying a particular service associated with a server device; provide a network controller with a query for the particular service; receive, from the network controller, an indication that the particular service is not provided by server devices operating on the network; and determine, based on the receipt of the indication, not to process the search packet.

Abstract: Some examples relate to managing multicast scaling. In an example, a network device may receive a message to join an IP multicast group. The network device may determine whether a hardware filter is available on the network device to process the received message. In response to the determination that the hardware filter is not available on the network device to process the received message, current state of an IP multicast protocol associated with the message may be changed to an error state on the network device, wherein in the error state further messages to join an IP multicast group that are received by the network device are discarded by the network device.