Abstract: In one embodiment, a system includes a network having one or more devices interconnected therebetween, the network including a first device having a first port and logic integrated with and/or executable by a first processor, the logic being adapted to exchange credit exchange (CE) capabilities between the first port and a second port of a second device in the network, receive a credit grant packet from the second port, the credit grant packet indicating credits granted to the first port, and send one or more packets of data from the first port to the second port, the one or more packets corresponding with the granted credits. Other systems and methods for providing credit-based flow control are described according to more embodiments.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a system includes a switching processor and logic integrated with the switching processor, the logic being configured to receive a packet, wherein the packet comprises a header and a payload, determine, without using a look-up table, a destination port based on a destination address stored in the header, and send the packet to the destination port. In another embodiment, a system includes logic integrated with and/or executable by a processor, the logic being configured to create an address allocation table comprising a plurality of values, each value being associated with a plurality of IP addresses which, when an algorithm is applied thereto, result in the associated value, receive a request for an IP address from a device electrically connected to a switch, and determine a port to which the device is electrically connected to the switch based on the port on which the request is received.

Abstract: High availability for a network may be achieved, for example, during a hitless upgrade by creating a replica controller virtual machine of an operating controller virtual machine (source controller). The replica controller virtual machine may be on a same or different server as the source controller virtual machine. The replica controller virtual machine may be copied with processes present in the source controller virtual machine and synchronized for runtime state. Upgrades or changes to software applications run in the source controller virtual machine may be provided to the replica controller virtual machine. Once enabled, the replica controller virtual machine may be operated without suspension of the source controller virtual machine.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a server includes a virtualization platform providing one or more virtual machines (VMs), the virtualization platform including: logic configured to provide support for the one or more VMs, and logic configured to provide a virtual switch, the virtual switch being configured to provide switching functionality across a network to network traffic received from and/or sent to the one or more VMs, a network interface card (NIC) including a plurality of network ports including multiple Peripheral Component Interconnect express (PCIe) ports, a multi-lane PCIe interface configured to communicate with the server, an Ethernet controller configured to communicate with the network, logic configured to provide overlay network gateway functionality to network traffic received from and/or sent to the network, and logic configured to provide overlay network functionality to network traffic received from and/or sent to the one or more VMs, and a NIC driver configured to interface/support the NIC.

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: Each of first and second bridges of a data network having respective links to an external node implement a network bridge component that forwards traffic inside the data network and a virtual bridge component that forwards traffic outside of the data network. A virtual bridge is formed including the virtual bridge components of the first and second bridges and an interswitch link (ISL) between the virtual bridge components of the first and second bridges. Data frames are communicated with each of multiple external network nodes outside the data network via a respective one of multiple link aggregation groups all commonly supported by the virtual bridge.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a computer program product includes a computer readable storage medium having computer readable program code embodied therewith, the computer readable program code including computer readable program code configured to initialize an internal look-up table cache provided internally to a switching processor, the internal look-up table cache being configured to store a plurality of look-up entries and being organized into at least three segments: a persistent flows entries segment, a non-persistent flows entries segment, and an access control list (ACL) segment. Each look-up entry relates to a traffic flow which has been or is anticipated to be received by a switching processor configured to access the internal look-up table cache. The computer readable program code is also configured to manage the internal look-up table cache to store entries relating to a particular segment type into a corresponding segment of the internal look-up table cache.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a system includes a processor and logic integrated with and/or executable by the processor. The logic is configured to cause the processor to receive an overlay-encapsulated packet comprising one or more underlay packets. The logic is also configured to cause the processor to decapsulate the one or more underlay packets from the overlay-encapsulated packet. Moreover, the logic is configured to cause the processor to derive a priority for each of the one or more underlay packets based on a priority of the overlay-encapsulated packet, a transport header of the overlay-encapsulated packet, or the priority and the transport header of the overlay-encapsulated packet. In addition, the logic is configured to cause the processor to set the priority of the one or more underlay packets.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method for assigning a media access control (MAC) address includes receiving a request from a device for a MAC address at a port of a switching device, determining a MAC address to assign to the device based at least partially on the port, and responding to the request with the MAC address. In another embodiment, a method for retrieving a media access control (MAC) address includes sending a request for a MAC address to a MAC allocation server (MAAS), waiting a predetermined amount of time to receive a response to the request, wherein the response comprises the MAC address, and using the MAC address when the response to the request is received within the predetermined amount of time. Other systems, methods, and computer program products are presented according to more embodiments.

Abstract: In one embodiment, an apparatus includes a buffer memory, ingress ports, egress ports, at least one processor, and logic integrated with and/or executable by the at least one processor. The logic is configured to communicate with a software-defined network (SDN) controller, store a look-up table in a first portion of the buffer memory, receive a packet using an ingress port of the apparatus, start an egress timer upon receipt of the packet, process the packet in order to finish processing prior to the egress timer expiring, determine an egress port for the packet, determine a packet size from information in a header of the packet when packet size information is available in the header, begin to route the packet via the egress port once the egress port is determined, and send the packet to the egress port upon expiration of the egress timer without further processing.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method for packet switching includes receiving a packet, wherein the packet comprises a header and a payload; determining, without using a look-up table, a destination port based on a destination address stored in the header; and sending the packet to the destination port.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a computer program product includes a computer readable storage medium having program instructions embodied therewith, the program instructions being executable by a processor to cause the processor to determine a lowest latency LAG port for each LAG in any path of a plurality of paths connecting a first device with a second device, and discover a configuration of a network fabric connecting the first device to the second device after determining the lowest latency LAG port for each LAG therein. The network fabric includes a plurality of devices interconnected with LAGs. Moreover, the embodied program instructions are executable by the processor to perform clock synchronization for each path of the plurality of paths and determine a latency for each path of the plurality of paths based on the clock synchronization and the lowest latency LAG port for each LAG included in the plurality of paths.

Abstract: A method and network switch for switching data units assigns a unique virtual port to each end-node operating on a physical machine connected to a physical port of network switch. A data unit, sent by a given end-node operating on the physical machine, is received at the physical port. The received data unit is switched to the virtual port assigned to the given end-node. Based on the virtual port assigned to the given end-node, the data unit is switched to a second physical port of the network switch for subsequent forwarding of the data unit towards its destination.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for overlaying a virtual network on a physical network in a data center environment. An overlay system is arranged in an overlay virtual network to include an overlay agent and an overlay helper. The overlay agent is implemented in an access switch. The overlay helper is implemented in an end station that is in communication with the access switch. Overlay parameters in compliance with an in-band protocol are transmitted between the overlay agent and the overlay helper.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a system includes a processor and logic integrated with and/or executable by the processor. The logic is configured to cause the processor to receive, at a first end point station, information exchange packets from all end point stations in a virtual network having a specified VNID, process each received information exchange packet to retrieve information about connections at each end point station in the virtual network having the specified VNID, and assemble a Tunnel Information Base (TIB) for a selected tunnel end point. Each of the information exchange packets include a MAC address for all member VMs in the virtual network having the specified VNID connected to each end point station in the virtual network having the specified VNID. In addition, the TIB includes a Tunnel ID, the specified VNID, and MAC addresses of the member VMs of the virtual network having the specified VNID.

Abstract: A tool for packet transmission and delivery in a distributed system. The tool determines a first level packet classification for one or more packets in the distributed system. The tool determines a second level packet classification for the one or more packets in the distributed system. The tool registers one or more applications included within one or more logical switch routers in the distributed system with a software module to filter the one or more packets in the distributed system.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a system includes non-volatile memory (NVM) configured to store data, a memory controller connected to the NVM via a NVM interface, a network interface card (NIC) connected to the memory controller, a processor, the logic being configured to: initiate cluster parameters that govern how a NVM cluster will function and operate, multicast cluster parameters of the NVM cluster at predetermined intervals to any other node in the NVM cluster, and map submission and completion queues of any shared NVM on other nodes in the NVM cluster to the memory controller based on details of the shared NVM on the other nodes in the NVM cluster, wherein the submission queue is configured to store commands to access the shared NVM and the completion queue is configured to store completed commands after being processed through the submission queue.

Abstract: Management of virtual resources may be provided by interconnecting a plurality of virtual appliances with common executable software services. A data packet may be sent through multiple virtual appliances invoking services within each if rules stored within respective virtual appliances correspond to a request for service in the data packet. The data packet may be passed through multiple virtual appliances prior to being returned to a hypervisor.

Abstract: In one embodiment, an apparatus includes a buffer memory, at least one ingress port, at least one egress port, at least one processor, and logic integrated with and/or executable by the at least one processor, the logic being configured to communicate with a software-defined network (SDN) controller, store one or more look-up tables in a first portion of the buffer memory, receive a packet using an ingress port, and determine an egress port for the packet. In another embodiment, a method for switching packets in a SDN includes storing one or more took-up tables in a first portion of a buffer memory of a SDN-capable switching device, receiving a packet using an ingress port of the switching device, and determining an egress port for the packet.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a system includes logic adapted for receiving an overlay-encapsulated packet including one or more underlay packets, logic adapted for decapsulating the one or more underlay packets from the overlay-encapsulated packet, logic adapted for deriving a priority for each of the one or more underlay packets based on at least one of: a priority of the overlay-encapsulated packet, a transport header of the overlay-encapsulated packet, and an application designation of the one or more underlay packets, and logic adapted for setting the priority of the one or more underlay packets. In another embodiment, a method includes receiving an overlay-encapsulated packet, decapsulating underlay packets therefrom, deriving a priority for the underlay packets, and setting the priority of the underlay packets, the priority being based on any of: a priority of the overlay-encapsulated packet, a transport header of the overlay-encapsulated packet, and/or an application designation of the underlay packets.