Abstract: An example method is provided and may include multicasting a discovery packet in an overlay network, which includes a Layer 2 scheme over a Layer 3 network; and identifying endpoints based on their respective responses to the discovery packet, where the endpoints are coupled across a multicast backbone. In more specific embodiments, the method may include identifying disconnected endpoints in the overlay network based on a lack of responses from the disconnected endpoints.

Abstract: In one embodiment, ports of a network device are assigned to virtual service domains (VSDs). The ports are coupled to a virtual Ethernet module (VEM) of the network device. Each VSD is associated with one or more virtual service engines (VSEs) in a particular order. Each VSE is configured to apply a particular service to traffic traversing the VSE. Traffic received at a virtual Ethernet module (VEM) of the network device that is destined for a particular VSD, and is received on a port that has not been assigned to the particular VSD, is forwarded to the particular VSD via the one or more VSEs associated with the particular VSD such that the traffic traverses the one or more VSEs in the particular order.

Abstract: In one embodiment, ports of a network device are assigned to virtual service domains (VSDs). The ports are coupled to a virtual Ethernet module (VEM) of the network device. Each VSD is associated with one or more virtual service engines (VSEs) in a particular order. Each VSE is configured to apply a particular service to traffic traversing the VSE. Traffic received at a virtual Ethernet module (VEM) of the network device that is destined for a particular VSD, and is received on a port that has not been assigned to the particular VSD, is forwarded to the particular VSD via the one or more VSEs associated with the particular VSD such that the traffic traverses the one or more VSEs in the particular order.

Abstract: In one embodiment, layer-2 (L2) ports of a network device may each be assigned to a particular virtual service domain (VSD). One or more virtual service engines (VSEs) may also be assigned in a particular order to each VSD, where each VSE is configured to apply a particular service to traffic traversing the VSE between ingress and egress service ports. Interconnecting the L2 ports and the ingress and egress service ports is an illustrative virtual Ethernet module (VEM), which directs traffic it receives according to rules as follows: a) into a destination VSD via the one or more correspondingly assigned VSEs in the particular order; b) out of a current VSD via the one or more correspondingly assigned VSEs in a reverse order from the particular order; or c) within a current VSD without redirection through a VSE.

Abstract: Techniques are provided for improve quality of service on uplinks in a virtualized environment. At a server apparatus having a plurality of physical links configured to communicate traffic over a network to or from the server apparatus, forming an uplink group comprising a plurality of physical links. A first class of service is defined that allocates a first share of available bandwidth on the uplink group, and a second class of service is defined that allocates a second share of available bandwidth on the uplink group. The bandwidth for the first class of service is allocated across the plurality of physical links of the uplink group, and the bandwidth for the second class of service is allocated across the plurality of physical links of the uplink group. Traffic rates are monitored on each of the plurality of physical links to determine if a physical link is congested indicating that a bandwidth deficit exists for a class of service.

Abstract: Techniques are described for identifying destinations in a virtual network by defining virtual entities such as a port profile as the destination for network policies, such as redirect or span to be a logical set of ports (i.e., ports belonging to a port-profile or a port group) where the members of the set of ports may be added/removed dynamically without requiring any changes to the network policy. Further, a network administrator (or other user) may predefine the destinations for a network policy even before some or all of the destinations are active on a given virtualized system. In such cases, the network policies may go into effect when the required entities become available.

Abstract: In one embodiment, layer-2 (L2) ports of a network device may each be assigned to a particular virtual service domain (VSD). One or more virtual service engines (VSEs) may also be assigned in a particular order to each VSD, where each VSE is configured to apply a particular service to traffic traversing the VSE between ingress and egress service ports. Interconnecting the L2 ports and the ingress and egress service ports is an illustrative virtual Ethernet module (VEM), which directs traffic it receives according to rules as follows: a) into a destination VSD via the one or more correspondingly assigned VSEs in the particular order; b) out of a current VSD via the one or more correspondingly assigned VSEs in a reverse order from the particular order; or c) within a current VSD without redirection through a VSE.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for providing availability information of a virtual machine to a load balancer are disclosed. The availability information of the virtual machine may be normalized information from performance metrics of the virtual machine and performance metrics of the physical machine on which the virtual machine operates. The normalized availability of a virtual machine is provided by a feedback agent executing on the virtual machine. Alternatively, the normalized availability of a virtual machine is provided by a feedback agent executing on a hypervisor executing multiple virtual machines on a common set of physical computing hardware.

Abstract: In one example embodiment, an apparatus may include a first virtual machine provided on a first local device of a plurality of local devices, wherein a portion of resources of the first local device are allocated to the first virtual machine. A virtualization software switch may be provided on the first local device, configured to forward or redirect at least some traffic from the first local device to a WAN (Wide Area Network) optimization virtual appliance, the WAN optimization virtual appliance including at least the first virtual machine, a second virtual machine on a second local device of the plurality of local devices, and a distributed WAN optimization application running at least on the first and second virtual machines.

Abstract: Methods, systems and apparatus for suppressing redundancy in data transmission over networks are provided. Data segments are transmitted from a transmitting DPU to a receiving DPU. Initially, only signatures of the transmitted data segments are stored in a cache at the transmitting DPU. A data segment is stored in the cache only if it satisfies a redundancy-suppressing admission policy. Such a data segment is referred to as a redundant data segment. The redundant data segment is also stored in a cache at the receiving DPU. The transmitting DPU transmits the signatures of the redundant data segments to the receiving DPU, which then extracts the redundant data segments from its cache. Therefore, transmission of the redundant data segments is suppressed.

Abstract: A data compression method and system is disclosed. In one embodiment, the data compression method includes receiving a data packet. Also, the method includes compressing the data packet using a confirmed compression history, wherein the confirmed compression history includes previously acknowledged data packets. Further, the method includes sending a compressed data packet to a downstream device. Moreover, the method includes detecting a delivery acknowledgement associated with the compressed data packet. Continuing, the method includes updating the confirmed compression history by incorporating the data packet information into the confirmed compression history based upon receipt of the delivery acknowledgement.

Abstract: A bridging device has at least two ports. The first port allows the device to communicate with devices on an expansion bus and at least one other port to allow the bridge to communicate with a system memory on a system bus or other devices on another expansion bus. The device is capable of identifying at least two regions in memory, a descriptor region and a data region. A descriptor provides information about segments of data in the data region. The bridge may detect descriptors read from the memory, extract information related to data associated with those descriptors and use this information to perform prefetching of data from the system memory.

Abstract: Methods, systems and apparatus for suppressing redundancy in data transmission over networks are provided. Data segments are transmitted from a transmitting DPU to a receiving DPU. Initially, only signatures of the transmitted data segments are stored in a cache at the transmitting DPU. A data segment is stored in the cache only if it satisfies a redundancy-suppressing admission policy. Such a data segment is referred to as a redundant data segment. The redundant data segment is also stored in a cache at the receiving DPU. The transmitting DPU transmits the signatures of the redundant data segments to the receiving DPU, which then extracts the redundant data segments from its cache. Therefore, transmission of the redundant data segments is suppressed.

Abstract: A data compression method and system is disclosed. In one embodiment, the data compression method includes receiving a data packet. Also, the method includes compressing the data packet using a confirmed compression history, wherein the confirmed compression history includes previously acknowledged data packets. Further, the method includes sending a compressed data packet to a downstream device. Moreover, the method includes detecting a delivery acknowledgement associated with the compressed data packet. Continuing, the method includes updating the confirmed compression history by incorporating the data packet information into the confirmed compression history based upon receipt of the delivery acknowledgement.

Abstract: A bridging device has a first port to allow the device to communicate with other devices on an expansion bus and a second port to allow the device to communicate with devices on a second bus. The device also includes a memory to store data and a processor or logic to prefetch data upon request from a device on the expansion bus, tag any remaining prefetched data with an identifier upon a disconnecting event, and retain the prefetched data until a discarding event occurs. A method of controlling prefetch transactions on an expansion bus involves prefetching data across a primary bus for a device on a secondary bus. An indication that a disconnecting event has occurred is detected and any remaining prefetched data remaining is tagged with an identifier and retained. The data may be prefetched from a controlled prefetch region in the memory.

Abstract: A bridging device has at least two ports. The first port allows the device to communicate with devices on an expansion bus and at least one other port to allow the bridge to communicate with a system memory on a system bus or other devices on another expansion bus. The device is capable of identifying at least two regions in memory, a descriptor region and a data region. A descriptor provides information about segments of data in the data region. The bridge may detect descriptors read from the memory, extract information related to data associated with those descriptors and use this information to perform prefetching of data from the system memory.