Abstract: A transmission apparatus operation method for optimizing a virtual private network operates by defragmenting and de-duplicating transfer of variable sized blocks. A large data object is converted to a plurality of data paragraphs by a fingerprinting method. Each data paragraph is cached and hashed. The hashes are transmitted to at least one satellite apparatus. Only data paragraphs which were not previously cached at each satellite are transferred.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method for IP-based call answering point selection and routing. When an IP-based call is placed to an answering point such as, for example, a Public Safety Answering Point a location for the caller can not be determined using traditional DNIS and ANI based techniques. In the present invention, a geographic location (geolocation) for the caller is determined, from as IP address associated with the caller, using a database. The database comprises information obtained from a plurality of IP location sources (e.g. Skyhook Wireless Inc.'s Loki™, Federal Communications Commission (FCC) mandated WiFi™ hotspot registration data). An answering point is selected from a plurality of answering points as a function of the caller's location. The call is routed to the selected answering point and the caller's location information is provided to that answering point.

Abstract: A network element coupled to a communication network is described. The network element includes multiple switching units. The switching units may be configured to independently implement a Spanning Tree Protocol (xSTP) processing in a completely distributed manner including each of the switching units independently calculating an external spanning tree for the network element in the communication network. The network element may act as a single bridge to other network elements in a bridging domain of the communication network.

Abstract: A distributed switch may include a plurality of sub-switches. These sub-switches may be arranged in a hierarchy that increases the available bandwidth for transmitting multicast data frames across the switch fabric. Moreover, the distributed switch may be compatible with link aggregation where multiple physical connections are grouped together to create an aggregated (logical) link. Link aggregation requires similar data frames to use the same data path when traversing the distributed switch. With a unicast data frame, the sub-switch in the distributed switch that receives the data frame typically identifies the destination port (during a process called link selection) and forwards the data frame to the sub-switch containing that port. However, with multicast data frames, instead of the receiving sub-switch performing link selection to determine the destination port, link selection may be done by a different sub-switch or not done at all.

Abstract: An access gateway containing IP telephone service functions for subscribers under an integrated access device (IAD), forming a PSTN network side speech path or IP network side speech path selectively for each subscriber, and, further automatically switching, when trouble occurs at the IP network side, the IP network side speech path to the PSTN network side speech path.

Abstract: Techniques are provided for cached routing table management in a distributed network switch. A frame having a source address and a destination address is received. If no routing entry for the source address is found in a routing table of a switch module in the distributed network switch, then routing information is determined for the source address and a routing entry is generated. The routing table is modified to include the routing entry, based on a set of hash functions. Upon accessing the generated routing entry in the modified routing table responsive to a subsequent lookup request for the source address, the set of caches is modified to include the generated routing entry.

Abstract: In a system for providing an IPTV service, if a multicast address of an IPTV channel received from a head-end is a multicast address requested by a mobile node through a tunnel, an end router confirms a care of address (CoA) of the mobile node corresponding to the multicast address of the IPTV channel, sets the multicast address in the first header of broadcasting traffic, sets the CoA of the mobile node in the second header of the broadcasting traffic, and then sends the broadcasting traffic.

Abstract: A distributed switch may include a plurality of sub-switches. These sub-switches may be arranged in a hierarchy that increases the available bandwidth for transmitting multicast data frames across the switch fabric. Moreover, the distributed switch may be compatible with link aggregation where multiple physical connections are grouped together to create an aggregated (logical) link. Link aggregation requires similar data frames to use the same data path when traversing the distributed switch. With a unicast data frame, the sub-switch in the distributed switch that receives the data frame typically identifies the destination port (during a process called link selection) and forwards the data frame to the sub-switch containing that port. However, with multicast data frames, instead of the receiving sub-switch performing link selection to determine the destination port, link selection may be done by a different sub-switch or not done at all.

Abstract: A method may include receiving a packet; identifying the packet as a multicast packet for sending to a plurality of destination nodes; selecting a first forwarding table or a second forwarding table for sending the packet to each of the plurality of destination nodes, wherein the first forwarding table includes first port information associated with a first destination and second port information associated with a second destination, and wherein the second forwarding table includes third port information associated with the second destination; sending the packet to the first destination using the first port; and sending the packet to the second destination using the second port when the first forwarding table is selected and sending the packet to the second destination using the third port when the second forwarding table is selected.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for hash-based routing table management in a distributed network switch having multiple switch modules. Upon determining that an attempt to insert a first routing entry into a first hash table of the routing table has failed, a second routing entry, which exists in the first hash table, is attempted to be moved to a second hash table of the routing table. If the move attempt is successful, then the first routing entry is added to the location previously occupied by the second routing entry. If the move attempt is unsuccessful, then a third routing entry, which exists in the first hash table, is attempted to be moved.

Abstract: A switch comprises a switching module coupled to a plurality of ports. The switching module receives and forwards a plurality of packets through the ports. The switch also comprises a management unit comprising a processor and an agent executable by the processor. The agent causes the processor to monitor each packet received by the switching module and determine whether each such packet contains a predetermined fingerprint. Upon determining that a packet contains the predetermined fingerprint, the processor causes additional information to be included in a copy of the fingerprinted packet and forwarded to a predetermined address. The switching module also forwards the packet containing the predetermined fingerprint, but without the additional information, to an address corresponding to a destination address contained in the packet. A method of programming the switches is also described as well as a management workstation used to program the switches and analyze the fingerprinted packets.

Abstract: Aspect of the present disclosure include A Mobile Ad Hoc Network (MANET) in which an intermediate relay node may engage in discreet packet-dropping practices for selfish (e.g., to conserve power) or other reasons. Each node in such a MANET has a dynamic reputation level known to all other nodes. Embodiments include improving the overall performance or robustness of such a MANET by adopting a routing strategy (e.g. routing protocol) which considers the reputation levels of intermediate relaying nodes in determining the best route from a source to a destination. Embodiments of the present disclosure also include a system for discovering a route between two nodes in a communication network. One or more nodes: (i) determine a reputation level of each neighboring node; (ii) sending a route discovery message that is addressed to the destination node to one neighboring node having a highest reputation level.

Abstract: Aspects of a method and system for best-M CQI feedback together with PMI feedback may include generating a plurality of feedback messages, which may be communicated from a mobile station to a base station, wherein at least one of the generated plurality of feedback messages may be associated with each corresponding selected one of a plurality of Channel Quality Indicator (CQI) reporting units. The at least one of the generated feedback messages may comprise CQI information and Pre-coding Matrix Index (PMI) information, which may both be associated with the selected one of the plurality of CQI reporting units. At least one other of the generated plurality of feedback messages may comprise an aggregate CQI information, which is based on one or more of the plurality of CQI reporting units.

Abstract: A device may include two or more line interfaces. One of the line interfaces may include a component to buffer a packet that is received at the line interface, perform a lookup of information related to selecting a flow based on a header of the packet, apply a symmetric hash function to addresses in the header to obtain a hash when the information related to selecting the flow indicates the flow is to be selected based on a random method, compare the hash to a particular number using the information related to selecting the flow, the particular number being same for the line interfaces, sample a flow when the hash matches the particular number, create a flow record for the flow, and sample packets based on the flow record.

Abstract: A system for processing packets includes a communications interface and a processor. A communications interface receives a packet between a source and a destination. The processor identifies a flow between the source and the destination based on the packet. The processor determines whether some of packet data of the packet matches to storage data in storage using hashes. The processor then stores the packet data in a block of memory in the storage based on the flow and if the packet data does not match the storage data.

Abstract: Aspects of the invention provide for updating TCAMs while minimizing TCAM entry updates to add/delete ACL rules. For example, one aspect provides a method for minimizing updates in a router forwarding table, such as a TCAM, including a plurality of rules indexed by priority. This method comprises providing a proposed rule to be added to the router forwarding table, identifying a range of candidate entries in the router forwarding table for the proposed rule, determining a minimum set of rules to relocate, and creating an empty entry in the range of candidate entries based upon the minimum set of rules to relocate. The method may further comprise reallocating the minimum set of rules by, for example, shifting the minimum set of rules in sequence based on priority, and adding the proposed rule to the empty entry in the range of candidate entries.

Abstract: A hash table controller may include a hash calculator configured to receive a key and to determine, based thereon, a first entry in a first bank of a hash table for a value associated with the key and determine a second entry in a second bank of the hash table for the value. The hash table controller also may include a table operations manager configured to determine that the first entry and the second entry are empty, and to store the value and a duplicate of the value at both the first entry and the second entry, respectively.

Abstract: An example method involves generating a table to store current reroute statistics based on rerouting of data from one or more logical circuits, when they have failed, to one or more logical failover circuits. The current reroute statistics include trap data received for the one or more logical circuits. The trap data includes a committed information rate. Each of the logical circuits and logical failover circuits is identified by a logical circuit identifier that is renamed until the one or more logical circuits have been restored. The table is updated to store updated reroute statistics that include updated trap data received for the one or more logical circuits. Generating the updated reroute statistics comprises detecting a change in a status of the one or more logical circuits by determining if a frame has been dropped. The frame is dropped when the committed information rate has been exceeded.

Abstract: The present invention is directed towards systems and methods for using a distributed hash table to maintain the same configuration and resource persistency across a plurality of cores in a multi-core system. The distributed hash table includes a plurality of partitions, each partition being owned by a respective core of the multi-core system. A core may establish resources in the partition it owns. A core may request other cores to establish resources in the partitions they own and send resource information to the core. The core may locally cache the resource information.

Abstract: A programmable packet switching controller has a packet buffer, a pattern match module, a programmable packet classification engine and an application engine. The packet classification engine has a decision tree-based classification logic for classifying a packet. The application engine has a number of programmable sub-engines arrayed in a pipelined architecture. The sub-engines include a source lookup engine, a destination lookup engine and a disposition engine, which are used to make a disposition decision for the inbound packets in a processing pipeline.

Abstract: A network device acting as a forwarding element within a software-defined network receives a representation of configurable flow table definitions and configurable logic for selecting between flow tables. The network device creates a flow table based on each of the configurable flow table definitions and installs the configurable logic for selecting between flow tables. The network device receives data to populate configurable key columns and action columns of the flow tables and populates the flow tables using that data. The network device then selects from forwarding decisions for packets according to the configurable logic for selecting between flow tables, the flow tables, and each packet's values in relevant header fields required by the configurable logic.

Abstract: A packet processor provides for rule matching of packets in a network architecture. The packet processor includes a lookup cluster complex having a number of lookup engines and respective on-chip memory units. The on-chip memory stores rules for matching against packet data. A lookup front-end receives lookup requests from a host, and processes these lookup requests to generate key requests for forwarding to the lookup engines. As a result of the rule matching, the lookup engine returns a response message indicating whether a match is found. The lookup front-end further processes the response message and provides a corresponding response to the host.

Abstract: A network device acts as a controller within a software-defined network. The network device receives a processing definition, which includes a representation of configurable definitions of protocols, configurable flow table definitions, and configurable logic for selecting between flow tables defined by the configurable flow table definitions. The network device translates the processing definition to create a parser configuration package, which is distributed to a plurality of forwarding elements. This distribution causes each forwarding element to create a flow table based on each of the configurable flow table definitions. The flow tables include one or more configurable key columns and a set of one or more action columns to store forwarding decisions. The network device transmits data to populate the configurable key columns and action columns of the flow tables created within each of the plurality of forwarding elements.

Abstract: A broadband gateway, which enables communication with a plurality of devices, handles at least one physical layer connection to at least one corresponding network access service provider. The broadband gateway may receive a packet from a network access service provider over a physical layer connection. The broadband gateway may determine which one of a set of possible transport protocols is utilized for the received packet. The determined transport protocol is utilized to identify or search for content of the received packet. The set of possible transport protocols are selected based on, for example, a channel type identified for the physical layer connection. The selected set of possible transport protocols may be utilized, sequentially or concurrently, to determine the transport protocol for the received packet. The identified content is marked utilizing the determined transport protocol for content distribution to devices for content consumption.

Abstract: Extending wired networks by aggregating multiple wireless links. Multiple wireless links are used to bridge wired networks, such as wired Ethernet networks. Each wireless link applies a hash function to the destination MAC address of presented traffic and uses the result of the hash function to determine if the traffic is passed by that wireless link or is dropped. For broadcast and multicast frames, the hash function is calculated on the source MAC address. Dynamic source MAC rewriting may be performed to prevent port flapping or out-of-order arrival of frames. Establishing one link as a master and communicating among links allows for load balancing and link failure detection.

Abstract: A network switch handles a data packet by determining a plurality of address items. An identifier is determined that is singularly associated with each address item in the set, the identifier having fewer bits than the associated address item. A flow key for the packet using (i) at least some of the plurality of fields, and (ii) the identifier associated with each address item in the set, and not the associated address item.

Abstract: A system and method for load balancing session initiation protocol (SIP) traffic based on bridging and tracking transactions and connections between frontend and backend devices. The method includes receiving a SIP message and parsing a header of the SIP message. The parsing may include selecting a transaction identifier. The method further includes accessing a transaction table based on the transaction identifier and selecting a connection for forwarding the SIP message. The SIP message is then forwarded by the selected connection.

Abstract: A method for operating a wireless mesh data network with multiple nodes, wherein data frames are transmitted from a source node via one or more intermediate nodes to a destination node, wherein the source node, the one or more intermediate nodes, and the destination node constitute network nodes of the data network, wherein during transmission of a data frame, at least some of the network nodes which receive the data frame, using a precursor list for the destination nodes which is assigned to the destination nodes of the data frame, check whether the network node sending the data frame is in the precursor list, and wherein in the case of a positive result, the data frame is transmitted to a further network node, and in the case of a negative result, the data frame is thrown out or processed by an error recovery routine.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a data storage system in a communication network, which enables distributed storage of data. The system includes front end nodes, storage nodes, super nodes and management nodes. The operation units are located in the front end nodes, the super nodes or the storage nodes and each adapted to operate a first data GUID by a preset fixed offset to derive a second data GUID, to determine, from loop link information obtained from the management node and the second data GUID, a super node with a node identifier closest to the second data GUID, and to forward a service request carrying the second data GUID and a backup flag to the determined super node. The invention further discloses a data information processing method using the system.

Abstract: An example method is provided and can include initiating a probe session at a source network element; identifying multiple paths from the source network element to a destination network element in a network; transmitting packets from the source network element along the multiple paths; compiling a list of network characteristics associated with the multiple paths; and selecting a particular one of the multiple paths for packet routing based on the network characteristics.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for randomizing selection of a next-hop path/link in a network are disclosed. An example method includes receiving, at the network device, a data packet. The example method further includes generating a first hash key based on the data packet and generating a first hash value from the first hash key using a first hash function. The example method also includes generating a second hash key based on the data packet and generating a second hash value from the second hash key using a second hash function. The method still further includes combining the first hash value and the second hash value to produce a combined hash value and selecting a next-hop path based on the combined hash value.

Abstract: An example method of rerouting data involves rerouting a logical circuit from a first set of switches to a second set of switches to communicate data between network devices without breaking the logical circuit. The logical circuit comprises variable communication paths. The second set of switches is to form a route associated with the variable communication paths that is not predefined and that is dynamically defined at a time of automatic rerouting. The example method also involves rerouting the data from the logical circuit to a logical failover circuit in the data network when the logical circuit fails based on a committed information rate having been exceeded. The logical failover circuit comprises an alternative communication path to communicate the data.

Abstract: Techniques to load balance traffic in a network device or switch include a network device or switch having a first interface to receive a data unit or packet, a second interface to transmit the packet, and a mapper to map between virtual ports and physical ports. The network device includes hash value generator configured to generate a hash value based on information included in the packet and based on at least one virtual port. The hash value may be optionally modified to load balance egress traffic of the network device. The network device selects a particular virtual port for egress of the packet, such as by determining an index into an egress table based on the (modified) hash value. The packet is transmitted from the network device using a physical port mapped to the particular virtual port.

Abstract: A packet processing apparatus comprises a programmable hardware discriminator for receiving incoming packets, and selecting bits from any part of the incoming packets, a decision table for storing information relating to how the packets are to be processed, programmable hardware searching logic for accessing the information in the table according to the selected bits, and a packet handler for processing the packets according to the result of the access. Since many networking processing tasks can be broken down into bit selection and table searching, this generic type of arrangement will suit a wide variety of applications. It facilitates developing logic directly in hardware which can reduce the effort needed to convert a working prototype into a product ready for use in the field, e.g. for handling new protocol components.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus, and computer readable storage media for accumulating traffic statistics. A traffic receiver may receive a packet and determine a flow identifier associated with the received packet. A hash function may be applied to the flow identifier to generate a memory pointer. One or more records may be retrieved from a statistics memory based on the memory pointer. A determination may be made if the flow identifier associated with the received packet matches a flow identifier value contained in one of the one or more retrieved records. When a match occurs, the retrieved record containing the matching flow identifier value may be updated and the updated record may be stored in the statistics memory.

Abstract: Distribution of content between publishers and consumers is accomplished using an overlay network that may make use of XML language to facilitate content identification. The overlay network includes a plurality of routers that may be in communication with each other and the publishers and consumers on the Internet. Content and queries are identified by content descriptors that are routed from the originator to a nearest router in the overlay network. The nearest router, for each unique content descriptor, generates a hash identification of the content descriptor which is used by remaining routers in the overlay network to provide the appropriate functions with respect to the content descriptor. In particular, this allows all routers in the overlay network except the nearest router to properly route content without processing every content descriptor.

Abstract: Techniques have been developed to facilitate evaluation of match and hash rule entries in ways that allow an implementation to decouple (i) the order in which match rules are applied to a first subset of packet header fields from (ii) the ordering of a second subset of packet header fields over which a non-commutative hash is computed. In short, the set and ordering of fields evaluated in accordance with a precedence order of rules need not correspond to the set or ordering of fields over which a hash is computed in a communications controller.

Abstract: An example computing device includes a prefix lookup module, and a Bloom filter that includes a set of queues. The prefix lookup module is configured to receive policy configuration information, examine a state of a queue of the set of queues, and determine whether to bypass the first Bloom filter based on the policy configuration information and the state of the queue. In one example, the prefix lookup module may be configured to, using the policy configuration information, determine to bypass the Bloom filter when the queue is full. In another example, the prefix lookup module may be configured to, using the policy configuration information, determine not to bypass the Bloom filter and send a lookup request to the Bloom filter upon determining that the queue is no longer full.

Abstract: A system having a plurality of network devices, each including: an interface module including a plurality of physical ports to transmit and receive packets; a computing module configured to execute a computing process with a computational expression using seed information, the seed information including at least one of destination information and source information associated with a received packet; a destination search module configured to, based on the result of the computation, select a physical port for transmission of the received packet from a plurality of candidate ports among the plurality of physical ports; and a modifying module configured to modify the computational expression, wherein the plurality of network devices include preceding-stage and subsequent-stage network devices, the subsequent-stage network device being directly coupled to the preceding-stage network device with physical wiring, and wherein the subsequent-stage and preceding-stage network devices are configured to use different exp

Abstract: A device, connected to a monitoring appliance, may include a traffic analyzer to receive a data unit and identify a traffic flow associated with the data unit. The device may also include a traffic processor to receive the data unit and information regarding the identified traffic flow from the traffic analyzer, determine that the identified traffic flow is to be monitored by the monitoring appliance, change a port number, associated with the data unit, to a particular port number to create a modified data unit when the identified traffic flow is to be monitored by the monitoring appliance, and send the modified data unit to the monitoring appliance.

Abstract: In one embodiment, packet flows are distributed among groups, such as, but not limited to, queues or links. For example in the context of a bundled interface in which multiple links appear as a single logical interface on each of the sender and receiver, packet flows are distributed among these multiple links by the sender. When one or more links become unavailable, packet flows of the affected links are reassigned to other active links, while packet flows assigned to the unaffected links remain associated with the same link in contrast to prior systems which do not attempt to preserve prior associations between packet flows and links. By maintaining these associations, the receiver of the packets does not need to adjust to the different arrival links of packet flows.

Abstract: Method and system for handling error events on a current path for processing an I/O request for reading information from and writing information to a storage space is provided. A system is able to communicate with the storage space via more than one path. If the current path reports an error event, then an alternate path quality is determined to ascertain whether the alternate path will generate an error similar to the current path. The alternate path quality is determined based on a plurality of factors which are assigned certain weights. The weights are determined based on a likely contribution of each factor to a repetition of the error reported by the current path. If the alternate path quality is equal to or exceeds a programmable threshold value, then the alternate path is selected.

Abstract: A set of critical nodes or links is identified on the network and alternate forwarding state is pre-computed and disseminated within a node such that, upon failure of one of the critical nodes/links, a minimal trigger will cause the alternate forwarding state to be used to forward traffic on the routed Ethernet mesh network. In one embodiment rather than storing full tables of alternate forwarding state, only the changes to the forwarding state required by an identified failure is stored by the network nodes. Upon occurrence of a failure on the network, the identified failure is used to select the alternate forwarding state.

Abstract: A method and system for finding an exact match for an N-bit wide address. A system for finding an exact match for an N-bit wide address in every clock cycle includes a label extraction module and one or more pipeline blocks. The label extraction module extracts K bits from the N-bit wide address. The extracted K bits are used by pipeline block 1 as a key to directly lookup a base node of multibit trie. The base node is included in first lookup table (LUT) and first LUT is configured to store pointers to leaf nodes of multibit trie. A pipeline block 2 searches a current LUT for match on next Q bits of remaining (N?K) bits to retrieve a current pointer. Then, pipeline block (N?K)/Q finds the exact match by retrieving a unique search index matching remaining (N?K) bits when the current pointer is not empty.

Abstract: An information packet preclassification system and method are provided. The method receives a packet of information and differentiates the packet into segments. Using a decision tree with multiple levels, segments in the packet are compared to a node at a tree level, where each node includes a plurality of node reference segments and corresponding node comparison operators. The reference segment may be a different segment from the packet, or a predetermined segment value stored in memory. One, or more classification attributes are accessed in response to comparing segments, and the classification attributes are assigned to the packet. Then, the packet is processed in response to the classification attributes.

Abstract: Some of the embodiments of the present disclosure provide a method comprising performing, by an iterative parser and classifier engine, a first parsing and classification cycle on a data packet, based at least in part on header information of the data packet; generating a first parsing and classification result based at least in part on performing the first parsing and classification cycle; and performing a second parsing and classification cycle on the data packet, based at least in part on header information of the data packet and the first parsing and classification result. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.

Abstract: A reception apparatus for optimizing a virtual private network operates by defragmenting and deduplicating transfer of variable sized blocks. A large data object is converted to a plurality of data paragraphs by a fingerprinting method. Each data paragraph is cached and hashed. The hashes are transmitted from a primary apparatus. Only data paragraphs which are not previously cached at satellite are received. The data object is integrated from stored and newly transmitted data paragraphs and transmitted to its destination IP address.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for randomizing selection of a next-hop path/link in a network are disclosed. An example method includes randomly selecting one or more path-selection randomization options to be applied to data packets processed in the network device. The example method further includes receiving a data packet and applying, by the network device, the one or more path-selection randomization operations to the data packet. The example method also includes determining a next-hop path for the data packet based on the one or more path-selection randomization operations and transmitting the data packet to a next-hop network device using the determined next-hop path.

Abstract: Various example embodiments are disclosed. According to an example embodiment, an apparatus may include a plurality of search engine pipeline stages, each of the plurality of search engine pipeline stages being configured to submit a particular search request to a plurality of search engines. The apparatus may also include the plurality of search engines, each of said plurality of search engines being configured to provide search results to one or more of the plurality of search engine pipeline stages.

Abstract: An example method involves rerouting data from a logical circuit to a logical failover circuit when the logical circuit fails based on an exceeded quality of service parameter. The logical failover circuit is selected based on a committed bit rate, a variable bit rate, or an unspecified bit rate. The example method also involves rerouting data from a first set of switches to a second set of switches in the absence of a failure associated with the logical circuit. The logical circuit comprises variable communication paths, and the second set of switches are to form a route associated with the variable communication paths that is not predefined and that is dynamically defined at a time of automatic rerouting while maintaining the logical circuit through the second set of switches.