Abstract: A method for selecting routes for items being sent from a given beginning node to a given destination node within a network. Each segment of a trip is evaluated and assigned a negative reward based on the deviation from the ideal length of time to complete that segment. Upon arrival of the item at the destination node, the route is assigned a large positive reward. The system is configured to attempt to maximize rewards at all times by selecting the routes with the lowest likelihood of delay. As more and more trips are completed, the control system may define a policy that selects routes based on their probability of yielding the highest reward.

Abstract: The present disclosure discloses a path request method. The method includes: receiving, by a stateful path computation element Stateful PCE, a path computation request message sent by a path computation client PCC, where the path computation request message includes first attribute information, and the first attribute information is used to designate an acquisition manner of a path requested by the PCC; acquiring, by the Stateful PCE, information of a path that conforms to a request of the PCC according to the first attribute information; and sending a path computation reply message to the PCC, where the path computation reply message includes the information of the path that conforms to the request of the PCC. Embodiments of the present disclosure also provide a stateful path computation element and a path computation client.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus and articles of manufacture (e.g., physical storage media) to perform service specific route selection in communication networks are disclosed. Example route selection methods disclosed herein include determining respective component performance parameters for network components of a communication network based on a weighting profile associated with a first service from a plurality of different services for which traffic is to be routed in the communication network. Disclosed example route selection methods also include determining, based on the component performance parameters, respective path performance parameters for a plurality of candidate paths between two endpoints in the communication network. Disclosed example route selection methods further include selecting, based on the path performance parameters, a first one of the candidate paths to route traffic for the first service between the two endpoints.

Abstract: A radio station communicates control information for multipoint cooperating communication, in which a plurality of radio stations takes part in data transmission/reception of a terminal, with another radio station taking part in the multipoint cooperating communication and/or a control station that manages the radio station.

Abstract: An embodiment method for managing connections on a communications network having an optical network portion includes receiving a request for a first connection at a controller in signal communication with one or more reconfigurable optical add-drop multiplexers (ROADMs) controlling an optical network portion of a communications network, wherein the controller is connected to the communications network. The controller determines a route on the communications network for the first connection according to conditions of the communications network, with the route comprising one or more first links of the optical network. The controller determines one or more first ROADMs controlling the one or more first links and sends commands from the controller to the one or more first ROADMs to allocate bandwidth on the one or more first links.

Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure involve systems, methods, computer program products, and the like, for managing the distribution of content from a content distribution network (CDN). In general, the system receives a request for content from the CDN from a user of the network and determines a server within the CDN to provide the content to the user. In addition, the system of the present disclosure may determine a preferred server or group of servers from which the content is provided to the user. This preference may be based on information received from a Border Gateway Protocol feed or Interior Gateway Protocol feed and one or more business determinations, such as the cost of providing the content through the CDN and particular egress port associated with the CDN.

Abstract: A distributed system may implement logical control groups for distributed system resources. A request for a particular system resource may be received at a request routing tier for a distributed system that is implemented by multiple computing systems in different respective availability zones. One or more resource control nodes of a resource control tier for the distributed system that are members of a logical control group for the particular system resource may be discovered. A logical control group for the particular system resource may include at least one resource control node in a different availability zone than the availability zone that includes the particular system resource. The request may then be sent to one of the discovered resource control nodes in the logical control group in order to service the request for the particular system resource.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for discovering a service dependency chain. Service dependencies are discovered. A potential service dependency chain is identified based on at least a portion of the service dependencies. A number of data paths are built for the potential service dependency chain. A chain transfer entropy is computed for the potential service dependency chain based on the number of data paths. A determination is made as to whether the potential service dependency chain is the service dependency chain based on the chain transfer entropy.

Abstract: Embodiments generally relate to enabling configuration in networks. In one embodiment, a method includes receiving a message from an edge configuration device, wherein the message contains shortest path bridging (SPB) configuration information. The method also includes performing an intermediate system-to-intermediate system (IS-IS) configuration in response to receiving the message.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method for setting up active networking of smart devices for providing a converged service. In the method of setting up active networking of smart devices for providing a converged service, each of a plurality of smart objects broadcasts location information thereof. A smart object neighboring a largest number of smart objects is selected as a smart zone manager from among the plurality of smart objects. The selected smart zone manager broadcasts smart zone information to neighbor smart objects, and then forms a smart zone.

Abstract: High-level network policies that represent a virtual private network (VPN) as a high-level policy model are received. The VPN is to provide secure connectivity between connection sites of the VPN based on the high-level network policies. The high-level network policies are translated into low-level device configuration information represented in a network overlay and used for configuring a network underlay that provides the connections sites to the VPN. The network underlay is configured with the device configuration information so that the network underlay implements the VPN in accordance with the high-level policies. It is determined whether the network underlay is operating to direct traffic flows between the connection sites in compliance with the high-level network policies. If it is determined that the network underlay is not operating in compliance, the network underlay is reconfigured with new low-level device configuration information so that the network underlay operates in compliance.

Abstract: A method is described and in one embodiment includes receiving a packet of a traffic flow at an ingress node of a communications network; routing the packet to an egress node of the communications network via a first path comprising a tunnel if the packet was received from a node external to the communications network; and routing the packet to the egress node of the communications network via a second path that does not traverse the tunnel if the packet was received from a node internal to the communications network. The first path is identified by a first Forwarding Information Base (“FIB”) entry corresponding to the flow and the second path is identified by a second FIB entry corresponding to the flow.

Abstract: System and method embodiments are provided for configuring a network to forward traffic from a first network zone to a second network zone. In an embodiment, a first zone controller of the first zone receives information indicating network capability. The information includes a plurality of parameters of a constraint function. The first network controller provisions a network node, e.g., at the second zone, to forward traffic from the first zone to the second zone in accordance with the received information. The information indicating network capability includes one or more variables relating to the constraint. The constraint relates to at least one current traffic level or at least one wireless link in the second zone.

Abstract: Network links are exercised by transmitting network frames across the links at a threshold level of network traffic by filling unutilized bandwidth with test frames. By increasing network traffic across the links, errors are increased and easier to detect. The test frames can be given lower priority than customer traffic so as not to impact the test traffic. The test frames can be designed such that they are dropped upon receipt by another network switch.

Abstract: A method performed by a network device may include assembling a multiprotocol label switching (MPLS) echo request, the echo request including an instruction for a transit node to forward the echo request via a bypass path associated with the transit node, and an instruction for an egress node to send an echo reply indicating that the echo request was received on the bypass path. The method may also include sending the MPLS echo request over a functioning label switched path (LSP).

Abstract: A gateway is configured to perform a method that includes receiving data from a first device using a first protocol. The first protocol is a cloud based protocol. The method also includes determining that the received data is intended for a second device that uses a second protocol. The method further includes converting the received data from the first protocol to the second protocol. In addition, the method includes transmitting the received data to the second device via the second protocol.

Abstract: Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, identifying an overload event according to monitoring signals received from a group of source devices over a network. Other aspects can include receiving load information from each of a plurality of waveguides resulting in a plurality of load information. Further aspects can include analyzing the plurality of load information resulting in a load analysis of the plurality of waveguides. Additional aspect can include identifying a recipient waveguide from the plurality of waveguides based on the load analysis. Also, aspects can include identifying a first source device, and notifying the first source device to provide communications to the recipient waveguide and not to the waveguide device to mitigate the overload event. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: A framework of a common mobility management protocol for Q.5/16 includes a high level protocol for performing the functions of address resolution, routing, location update and authentication. The common mobility management protocol can be used by existing and future multimedia applications (MA's) to support mobility management for messaging among mobility management authentication function (AuF), home location function (HLF) and visitor location function (VLF) databases/servers, and the corresponding multimedia application functional entities (MAFEs) of the multimedia applications (MA's). The common mobility management protocol may replace, act in concert with or in sequence with existent interworking protocols for the various multimedia applications. Reference point architectures, functional characteristics, features, and capabilities of the protocol are described including call flows and message syntax. The disclosure presents the scope of Q.5/16 and how H.MMS.1 (H.323 Mobility), H.MMS.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for updating a flow table for a switch in software defined networking (SDN). The method for updating a flow table of at least one network device by a controller in a software defined network comprises the steps of: transmitting, to at least one network device, a flow table modification message including information on a scheduled time specifying a time at which updating of the flow table is performed; and receiving, from at least one network device, a result message showing an update result on the flow table performed by at least one network device according to the flow table modification message. Accordingly, it is possible to effectively control a load generated on the controller by controlling intervals of updating times between network devices, which is generated during transmission of the flow table modification message to multiple network devices.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for routing multiple data streams simultaneously through independent routes between multiple-input-multiple-output (MIMO) stations in a mesh network. The disclosed feature allows transmission of multiple data streams via multiple routes from a source station (STA) to a destination station (STA), which are both MIMO capable, even though the relay STAs in between can be a single-input-single-output (SISO) STA. An extended routing request (RREQ) and routing reply (RREP) frames are utilized which provide a primary and secondary flag indication, which is utilized in combination with advanced programming for setting path cost metrics to assure independence of primary and secondary routes.

Abstract: One embodiment provides a mobile ad-hoc network (MANET). The MANET includes a plurality of mobile nodes and a centralized controller node. The controller node includes a receiving mechanism configured to receive, from a source mobile node, a request for a service, with the request including an identifier associated with the requested service; an identification mechanism configured to identify a destination mobile node that provides the service associated with the identifier; a path-computation mechanism configured to compute a path between the source mobile node and the destination mobile node using a network graph for the mobile nodes; and a path-sending mechanism configured to send the computed path to at least the destination mobile node, which facilitates establishing a route between the source mobile node and the destination mobile node.

Abstract: A flow based routing method and apparatus selects a path from a plurality of different paths for assignment to a flow. The path is selected based on traffic performance measurements which identify relative congestion and performance of the different paths, so that traffic flows can be diverted away from network congestion points, thereby allowing network resources to be load balanced at a flow granularity. The present invention may be configured on physical or virtual links on an NE to enhance the forwarding of packets using the primary link and one or more alternate links to any given destination.

Abstract: A traffic shifting system is described to shift traffic away from one or more network devices or interfaces. The system ensures that traffic can be safely shifted off of a network device before the shifting occurs. The method is described as broken into several phases, such as a discovery phase, a pre-check phase, a shifting phase, and a post-shift phase. Before shifting occurs, the discovery phase is used to obtain network topology and configuration information. In the pre-check phase, that information is interrogated so that a shifting can be performed without negatively impacting the network. If the pre-check phase is passed, then the network shifting can occur through adjustment of configuration parameters, such as a cost parameter associated with an interface on any devices for which traffic is being shifted. Finally, in the post-shift phase, checks are performed to ensure traffic is shifting away from the network device.

Abstract: A method (50) of selecting a set of probing paths in a network for network tomography. The method comprises generating (52) possible probing paths (P1). The method further comprises determining (53) if the possible probing paths are linearly independent from probing paths already selected for the set of probing paths, in an order of an increasing cost or distance of the possible probing paths. The method further comprises selecting (55) a said possible probing path for the set of probing paths only if the possible probing path is linearly independent from probing paths already selected.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to a method of LSP number planning in an inter-chassis device comprising a plurality of peers. In one embodiment, the method comprises steps of generating an LSP and transmitting the generated LSP outside at a peer. The LSP number in the generated LSP is a number in a number range assigned to that peer. The number ranges assigned to different peers of the inter-chassis device do not overlap with each other. By the LSP number planning method, the peer may discover automatically other peers in the same inter-chassis, and announce itself independently.

Abstract: One embodiment is a method including creating at an ingress node of a communications network a request message including an Application Specific Mapping (“ASM”) TLV identifying a hashing parameter for a network application, wherein the ASM TLV includes range of values for the identified hashing parameter to enable load balancing for packets associated with the network application; forwarding the created request message to a node associated with a next hop along a first path through the network between the ingress node and an egress node; and receiving a response message from the node associated with the next hop, wherein the response message includes load balancing information for the node associated with the next hop corresponding to the range of values for the identified hashing parameter.

Abstract: For a task that has been partially executed, a residual complexity index is computed, the task being of a complexity that cannot be ascertained prior to executing the task. An evaluation is made whether the residual complexity index exceeds a cost of a resource that should be considered for allocation to the task. When the evaluation is affirmative, a priority of the task is established relative to a second task. The resource is scheduled to perform the task according to a timing, the timing being determined using the cost of the resource. The resource is allocated to the task according to the timing.

Abstract: A computer networking appliance includes a networking device to route data through an overlay network. The networking device is connected to a first computer network and receives a data packet to be communicated to a destination computing device. The networking device analyzes the packet to determine a minimum bandwidth requirement corresponding to the data packet, and the destination computing device connected to a second computer network. The networking device then dynamically identifies a plurality of paths to the destination computing device, uses the minimum bandwidth requirement to obtain path information for each of the plurality of paths, and chooses an optimal path to the destination computing device from among the plurality of paths based on a plurality of path metrics associated with each of the plurality of paths.

Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure provide a wireless node in a wireless network with a grid topology for routing a message. The wireless node includes circuitry configured to receive a message including a destination node identification number, calculate a destination column and a destination row based on the destination node identification number, determine a next hop address based on the destination column and the destination row, and transmit the message including the next hop address to a next hop node.

Abstract: A method for joining one of a plurality of NAN clusters by a NAN terminal when the NAN terminal discovers the plurality of the NAN clusters and a NAN terminal therefor are provided.

Abstract: A LAG access node determination system includes directly-linked networking node devices are each directly linked to a networking switch device by respective links that are aggregated in a multi-chassis LAG provided by the networking switch device. An indirectly-linked networking node device is coupled between the directly-linked networking node devices and is not directly linked to the networking switch device. The indirectly-linked networking node device receives a first packet that includes a destination that is reachable through the multi-chassis LAG provided by the networking switch device, determines a first directly-linked networking node device of the plurality of directly-linked networking node devices that is coupled to the indirectly-linked networking node device by a first shortest path, and provides the first packet along the first shortest path to the first directly-linked networking node device in order to forward the first packet through the multi-chassis LAG.

Abstract: In some examples, a path computation device is configured to compute, for a network of routers interconnected by a plurality of links in a network topology and based on a network topology model for the network topology, a first path that is a shortest path of the network topology model between a pair of nodes of the network topology model that represent a pair of the routers; increase, based on the first path, respective metrics for one or more links in the network topology model by respective finite values to obtain a modified network topology model; compute a second path that is a shortest path of the modified network topology model between the pair of nodes; and output data for at least one path of the first path and the second path to the network for programming a label switched path in the network on the at least one path.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for determining a shortest path with a constraint in an optical network. The method includes identifying a permitted number of events defined by the constraint. The method further includes creating virtual nodes for each node in the optical network, the virtual nodes corresponding with the permitted number of events. The method also includes traversing the virtual nodes from a source node to a destination node with a shortest path algorithm, wherein traversing the virtual nodes comprises creating virtual links between the virtual nodes when the constraint is not violated, the virtual link corresponding with a physical link; and identifying a shortest path between the source node and the destination node from the virtual links, the shortest path not violating the constraint.

Abstract: A system and method for fault-tolerant and long-term network capacity planning is disclosed. The system receives projected data, such as available network supply and network demand, characterizing a backbone network for a set of time periods. The system also receives failure data describing different failure scenarios that may occur. Based on the received network characterization data the system generates a capacity provisioning plan, describing how capacity is added to the backbone network over time, that satisfies the network demand of each time period while providing fault-tolerance under any of the failure scenarios described in the failure data. The capacity provisioning plan is also optimized, based on cost data associated with the backbone network, to minimize total costs.

Abstract: In an OPENFLOW communication method an action that needs to be transferred and sent by the service gateway is received, one appropriate virtual switch is selected according to the action and a network topology, a flow table is delivered to the service gateway and the virtual switch, and a first data channel is established between the service gateway and the virtual switch to forward a packet, a flow table including an extended action is delivered to the virtual switch so as to execute a related extended action on the packet, the packet is obtained after the virtual switch executes the related extended action is sent to a destination server. Accordingly, some data processing services are transferred to a virtual server when a processing capability of a service gateway is insufficient such that the virtual service implements load balance among network elements in a system.

Abstract: A network analysis engine is configured to generate a network timeline that represents time-varying connectivity between nodes of the network over a time interval. The network timeline includes a sequence of network snapshots that illustrate links between nodes at specific, sequential sub-intervals of time. The network analysis engine is configured to organize the network timeline in order to reveal certain characteristics of the nodes in the network and the network as a whole. Based on these characteristics, the network can be optimized to improve overall network operation.

Abstract: Example embodiments relate to providing efficient routing in software defined networks. In example embodiments, an indirect group table includes a first group entry that is associated with a first route tree in a software defined network. A failure is detected in the first route tree during a data transmission, and a notification of the failure is sent to a remote controller device, where the remote controller device identifies a second route tree that does not include the failure. After the remote controller device updates the first group entry to be associated with the second route tree, the data transmission is performed using the second route tree.

Abstract: Methods include presenting one or more actions that correspond to each of one or more remote devices. In addition, the methods comprise receiving a selection. The selection comprises an action selected from the one or more actions, wherein the action corresponds to a particular remote device in the one or more remote devices. The methods further comprise retrieving identification data for the particular remote device. The methods also include generating a packet, wherein the packet comprises the identification data and a command corresponding to the action. The methods further comprise transmitting the packet to the particular remote device.

Abstract: A traffic shifting system is described to shift traffic away from one or more network devices or interfaces on those devices. The system ensures that traffic can be safely shifted off of a network device before the shifting occurs. The method is described as broken into several phases for simplicity, such as a discovery phase, a pre-check phase, a shifting phase, and a post-shift phase. Before shifting occurs, the discovery phase is used to obtain network topology and configuration information. In the pre-check phase, that information is interrogated so that a shifting can be performed without negatively impacting the network. If the pre-check phase is passed, then the network shifting can occur through adjustment of configuration parameters, such as a cost parameter. Finally, in the post-shift phase, checks are performed to ensure traffic is shifting away from the network device.

Abstract: A network system for increasing data throughput and decreasing transmission delay from a source node to a sink node via a relay node. The network system may comprise a source node configured to encode a plurality of data packets using rateless coding and transmit the plurality of data packets; at least one relay node configured to receive at least one of the plurality of data packets from the source node, and if the at least one relay node has received a sufficient quantity of the plurality of data packets, regenerate, re-encode, and relay the plurality of data packets; and a sink node configured to receive one or more of the plurality of data packets from the at least one relay node, and if the sink node has received the sufficient quantity of the plurality of data packets, regenerate and decode the plurality of data packets.

Abstract: A system and method for network virtualization and resource allocation, including storing one or more received network requests in a request table, and updating at least one of a flow table, a waiting list table, or a candidate group map based on the one or more received network requests. The updating includes monitoring a transmission progress of each of one or more flows in a network of interconnected computing devices and moving completed flows from the flow table to a success list, moving requests in the waiting list table which have reached an attempt threshold from the flow table to a fail list, and compiling any residual requests in the waiting list with new requests to generate a new request table. A deterministic request allocation and/or an optimizing request allocation is performed based on the new request table.

Abstract: A Network Function Virtualization (NFV) Management and Orchestration (MANO) data system supports an Application Layer Traffic Offload (ALTO) system for a Network Service (NS). An orchestrator exchanges network data with a Virtualized Infrastructure Manager (VIM) to support the NS. The orchestrator exchanges function data with a Virtual Network Function Manager (VNFM) to support the NS. The VIM exchanges the network data with NFV Infrastructures (NFVIs) to execute Virtual Machines (VMs) that instantiate Virtual Network Functions (VNFs) to support the NS. The VNFM exchanges the function data with the VNFs to support the NS. The NFV MANO orchestrator indexes some of the network data and the function data to generate NFV ALTO topology data that associates individual ALTO Provider Identifiers (PIDs) with individual ones of the NFVIs and with individual ones of the NFV VNFs.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present application provide a network topology discovery method and device, for performing a comprehensive analysis on results obtained after network topology discovery by using multiple types of network characteristic data, improve accuracy of network topology discovery. A specific solution comprises: collecting network characteristic data of a network element in a network; obtaining at least two corresponding link subsets respectively by using at least two types of topology discovery algorithms and according to the network characteristic data, gathering all links in the link subsets into one set to obtain a first link set, combining same links in the first link set, and for multiple links having only one same port, retaining only a link having a largest confidence value in the multiple links and deleting a remaining link, to obtain a second link set; obtaining a network topology of the network according to the second link set.

Abstract: Techniques for estimating expected performance of a task assignment strategy in a task assignment system are disclosed. In one particular embodiment, the techniques may be realized as a method comprising receiving, by at least one computer processor communicatively coupled to a task assignment system, a plurality of historical agent task assignments; determining, by the at least one computer processor, a sample of the plurality based on a strategy for pairing agents with tasks; determining, by the at least one computer processor, an expected performance of the strategy based on the sample; outputting, by the at least one computer processor, the expected performance; and optimizing, by the at least one computer processor, the performance of the task assignment system based on the expected performance.

Abstract: A source network node performs routing path selection in a communications network by steps that include acquiring a dynamically changing metric value of at least one of a plurality of data routing paths extending from the source network node to a destination network node to which data is to be routed. A determination is made as to which of the data routing paths the data is to be routed on the basis of the acquired dynamically changing metric value of the at least one data routing path in order to satisfy at least one predetermined routing criterion. Routing of the data from the source network node to the destination node is then controlled to be performed over the determined data routing paths.

Abstract: Data packets are received at a communication device that is coupled to a network node in a communication network, to a gateway router that is coupled to other network nodes in the communication network, and to a further communication network. For each received data packet, a determination is made as to whether the received data packet is to be routed toward a destination by the communication device instead of by the gateway router. The received data packet is routed toward the destination by the communication device based on determining that the received data packet is to be routed toward the destination by the communication device instead of by the gateway router. Otherwise, the received data packet is switched from the communication device to the gateway router to be routed by the gateway router toward the destination.

Abstract: The differentiated service-based graceful degradation layer (DSGDL) allows cloud-based architectures to operate through and recover from periods of limited capability. The DSGDL protects and continues serving higher priority requests with the best possible response even as the underlying cloud-based services deteriorate. The DSGDL offloads lower priority requests to lower-grade secondary capability that can be dynamically provisioned in order to reserve the best capability for maintaining high priority service (e.g., by re-directing lower priority requests to a slightly out-of-date cached dataset, and reserve the primary consistent database for higher priority requests). The DSGDL 1) implements an overlay network over existing cloud services to route and enforce priority requests, and 2) provisions on-demand computing nodes and sites to provide secondary capability for service requests as needed.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a method for determining a path computation element and a communications device, where location information and transmission capability information of a PCE are carried in a route advertisement message and are advertised to a PCC, so that the PCC can select, according to the transmission capability information of the PCE in the route advertisement message, a PCE that meets a transmission capability of the PCC, to perform path computation; therefore, a problem that a transmission capability mismatch between the PCC and the PCE causes a failure in establishing a PCEP session is avoided.

Abstract: A route search apparatus includes a storage configured to store information of a search tree associated with a topology of a network, and a processor configured to search for candidates of a route from a start point node to an end point node and exclude from search candidates a route from a first node to the end point when a total value of a hop length from the start point node to the first node and the shortest hop length from the first node to the end point node exceeds a predetermined hop length.

Abstract: Personalization of a mobile device, including receiving at the mobile device a unique code; selecting, from a plurality of personalization policies stored on the mobile device a personalization policy that corresponds to the unique code; and storing the selected personalization policy in a persistent protected storage element of the mobile device. Customizing a mobile device, including determining at the mobile device a unique code; selecting, from a plurality of customized data sets stored on the mobile device a data set that corresponds to the unique code; and activating the selected data set on the mobile device.