Patent application number | Description | Published |
20120106347 | LOAD BALANCING IN SHORTEST-PATH-BRIDGING NETWORK - A flow classification process is used at the edge of the shortest path bridging network to determine a flow label for attachment to a client frame entering the network. Any of several flow labels can be assigned to a client frame traversing the network to a particular egress node, and the flow labels are used by forwarding nodes to select among multiple equal-cost paths. In several embodiments, the flow label is calculated as a function of the client frame contents, which provide an entropy source for randomizing the selection of the flow label. This entropy source comprises the Internet Protocol (IP) header in the client frame, in some embodiments, but may comprise other client frame content in other cases. | 05-03-2012 |
20120120803 | NODE AND METHOD FOR COMPUTING FORWARDING TREES TO DISTRIBUTE TRAFFIC IN A NETWORK - A node and a method are described herein for computing forwarding trees to distribute traffic in a network. In addition, a network is described herein that has a plurality of nodes interconnected to one another by a plurality of network links, and each node is configured to perform multiple rounds of forwarding tree computations to distribute traffic load on one or more of the network links to the other nodes. | 05-17-2012 |
20120163189 | Internetworking Framework for Multi-Protocol Label Switching-Transport Profile and Operation Administration and Maintenance Protocols - Systems, methods, and apparatuses for BFD to Y.1731 internetworking are described. In one embodiment, a method of processing defect conditions in a maintenance endpoint (MEP) of a first domain, the MEP a component of a bidirectional forwarding detection (BFD) to Y.1731 interworking interface (IWF) in a multi-protocol label switching (MPLS) network is described. | 06-28-2012 |
20120176904 | APPLYING A TABLE-LOOKUP APPROACH TO LOAD SPREADING IN FORWARDING DATA IN A NETWORK - A method to provide load distribution that selects one of a set equal cost paths for each flow that minimizes imbalance in the distribution of flows across the set of equal cost paths, the method including calculating the set of equal cost paths to each destination node, generating a set of next hop discriminators for the set of equal cost paths, each next hop discriminator in the set of next hop discriminators to uniquely identify one of the equal cost next hops, populating the load distribution table by storing, according to a distribution mechanism, in each load distribution table entry one of the next hop discriminators from the set of next hop discriminators, receiving a first PDU from a first flow and performing a lookup of one of the next hop discriminators in the load distribution table by using values at the bit locations of the first PDU directly as an index into a CAM. | 07-12-2012 |
20120179800 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR VARIABLE-SIZE TABLE CONSTRUCTION APPLIED TO A TABLE-LOOKUP APPROACH FOR LOAD-SPREADING IN FORWARDING DATA IN A NETWORK - A network element disposed in a network, where the network element implements a process to manage load distribution across a plurality of network interfaces of the network. The network element redirects traffic flow directed toward the plurality of network interfaces in response to changes in configuration of the plurality of network interfaces, where each traffic flow is a set of protocol data units (PDUs), having an ordered delivery requirement, and where the PDUs are transmitted across the network between a source node and a destination node. The redirection process minimizes data traffic flow disruption when the load distribution is determined using a set of load distribution tables instead of a hashing algorithm. | 07-12-2012 |
20120243406 | Use of Sub Path Maintenance Elements (SPMES) for Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) Shared Mesh Protection - Embodiments of the invention include a computer-implemented method of shared backup path computation in an multiprotocol label switching (MPLS) network, the shared backup path to be used upon a failure of at least one working path of the MPLS network. | 09-27-2012 |
20130107712 | ADDRESSING THE LARGE FLOW PROBLEM FOR EQUAL COST MULTI-PATH IN THE DATACENTER | 05-02-2013 |
20130195111 | Shortest Path Bridging in a Multi-Area Network - A method that improves multi-area routed Ethernet network design, in which multipath implementation in each of the areas is independent of each other area to allow optimal network design in each area. The network implements a shortest path bridging medium access control (SPBM) protocol. The areas include a Level 2 (L2) routing area coupled to a Level 1 (L1) routing area via multiple area border bridges (ABBs). The L1 routing area including a backbone edge bridge (BEB) coupled to the ABBs via multiple L1 multipath instances identified by respective backbone VLAN identifiers (B-VIDs). The ABBs receive an advertisement from the BEB that indicates a set of BEB identifiers, each of which identifies the BEB and is associated with a respective B-VID. Each of the BEB identifiers is unique. The ABBs also advertise into the L2 routing area, and translate the B-VIDs based on service identifiers for frames transiting the ABBs. | 08-01-2013 |
20130212578 | OPTIMIZING TRAFFIC LOAD IN A COMMUNICATIONS NETWORK - A system and method that facilitates the migration of one or more Virtual Machines (VMs) throughout a communications network, such as a cloud network, is disclosed. A management system monitors a current traffic matrix to determine if the network is congested. If the network is congested, the management system determines a minimum number of VMs that must be migrated to unused VM sites to ease the congestion and optimize the distribution of traffic in the network. Additionally, the management system also identifies which VMs should be migrated to which unused VM sites, and a sequence in which the migration should be performed to return the bandwidth distribution in the network to an acceptable level. In addition, the management system may determine which unused VM site or sites is best for the addition of one or more new VMs or groups of VMs. | 08-15-2013 |
20130279323 | SPLIT TIEBREAKERS FOR 802.1AQ - A node in a communication network selects between equal cost shortest paths (ECSPs) using split tiebreakers. The node advertises multiple system identifiers (IDs) for that node, and each system ID is associated with a different set of traffic IDs that distinguish different virtual networks in the network. The node receives sets of system IDs for each of the other nodes in the network. After constructing a plurality of different ECSPs between two nodes, the node selects one of the ECSPs for each traffic ID used between the two nodes. For a traffic ID, the node constructs path IDs for each of the ECSPs using one system ID of each node in the path that is associated with that traffic ID. Because of the configuration of the system IDs and the traffic IDs in the network, traffic affected by a failure will be distributed across a plurality of surviving ECSPs. | 10-24-2013 |
20130286817 | THREE STAGE FOLDED CLOS OPTIMIZATION FOR 802.1AQ - A three stage folded Clos network is used for Ethernet routing with improved efficiency for computational complexity, network administration, multicast addressing and load redistribution upon failure. The network includes an array of root nodes coupled to an array of edge nodes. Forwarding states are computed and installed for spanning trees rooted on the root nodes. When an edge node is identified as having a failed connection to a root node, a shortest path first (SPF) tree rooted on that edge node is constructed for each Backbone VLAN identifier (B-VID) for the spanning trees rooted on that root node and use the failed connection. A filtering database in each node is populated for edge node pairs having a common service identifier, and unicast and multicast data are forwarded between the edge node pairs according to the filtering database via the SPF trees using a hybrid multicast addressing. | 10-31-2013 |
20130301472 | 802.1AQ SUPPORT OVER IETF EVPN - A method is implemented in a multiprotocol label swapping (MPLS) edge switch (PE) for interworking the 802.1 | 11-14-2013 |
20130322453 | ROUTING VLAN TAGGED PACKETS TO FAR END ADDRESSES OF VIRTUAL FORWARDING INSTANCES USING SEPARATE ADMINISTRATIONS - A process is implemented in a network element of a packet data to route packets with embedded virtual local area network information and an IP header to far end addresses of virtual forwarding instances. The method receiving a frame including an embedded virtual network identifier (VNI). The VNI is looked up to identify a virtual forwarding instance (VFI), the VFI having a correlated an I-Component Service Identifier (I-SID) and an internet protocol (IP) to backbone media access control (B-MAC) table that is shared with a set of VFIs each having correlated I-SIDs. The VFI resolves an IP address of the frame to a B-MAC address using the shared IP to B-MAC resolution table and encapsulates the frame with the I-SID and B-MAC; and the frame is then sent to the remote B-MAC address. | 12-05-2013 |
20140098669 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR ACCELERATING FORWARDING IN SOFTWARE-DEFINED NETWORKS - A network element acting as a forwarding plane within a software-defined network to reduce negative effects of slow-path packet processing is described. The network element, upon receiving a first packet, determines whether it matches any flow entry within a set of flow tables. When the first packet does not match any flow entry of the set of flow tables, the network element performs a miss procedure including inserting at least a portion of the first packet into a packet miss table of the network element, which is accessed by a controller. The controller may access the packet miss table using a pull mechanism. The miss procedure may also include accessing a configurable default rule table of the network element, which includes rules enabling limited forwarding for those packets that do not match any entry of the set of flow tables. | 04-10-2014 |
20140112139 | METHOD AND SYSTEM OF PACKET BASED IDENTIFIER LOCATOR NETWORK PROTOCOL (ILNP) LOAD BALANCING AND ROUTING - A method to provide load balancing and routing for a plurality of end systems in a network. The network contains a load balancer (LB) and the method comprises receiving a request packet with Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6) addresses specified. A destination address is associated with a set of target end systems and presence of a nonce information indicates the requesting correspondent node is Identifier Locator Network Protocol (ILNP) capable. The method further comprises directing the request packet to a specific end system from the set of target end systems that share a load balanced address, wherein each target end system has a unique direct path locator prefix. The method also comprises overwriting a common IPv6 locator prefix with the unique direct path locator prefix, forwarding the request packet to the specific end system, and notifying a requesting correspondent node the direct path locator prefix for the specific end system. | 04-24-2014 |
20140115135 | METHOD AND SYSTEM OF FRAME BASED IDENTIFIER LOCATOR NETWORK PROTOCOL (ILNP) LOAD BALANCING AND ROUTING - A method to provide load balancing and routing for a plurality of end systems in a network. The network contains a load balancer (LB) and the method comprises receiving a request frame with Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6) addresses specified. A destination address is associated with a set of target end systems and presence of a nonce option indicates the requesting correspondent node is Identifier Locator Network Protocol (ILNP) capable. The method further comprises directing the request frame to a specific end system from the set of target end systems that share a load balanced address, wherein each target end system has a unique Media Access Control (MAC) address, and wherein each end system of the set of target end systems is uniquely addressable using a unique direct path locator prefix and common identifier combination. The request frame is then forwarded to the specific end system. | 04-24-2014 |
20140153403 | LOAD BALANCING IN SHORTEST-PATH-BRIDGING NETWORKS - A flow classification process is used at the edge of the shortest path bridging network to determine a flow label for attachment to a client frame entering the network. Any of several flow labels can be assigned to a client frame traversing the network to a particular egress node, and the flow labels are used by forwarding nodes to select among multiple equal-cost paths. In several embodiments, the flow label is calculated as a function of the client frame contents, which provide an entropy source for randomizing the selection of the flow label. This entropy source comprises the Internet Protocol (IP) header in the client frame, in some embodiments, but may comprise other client frame content in other cases. | 06-05-2014 |
20140169183 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR AUGMENTING TWAMP - According to another embodiment of the invention, TWAMP path discovery is performed to determine a sequence of IP addresses of a forward direction TWAMP E2E path to be traversed by two different TWAMP test sessions between a Sender and a Reflector. Then, additional TWAMP test request packets are transmitted for the different TWAMP test sessions; and TWAMP test reply messages are received responsive to respective ones of the TWAMP test request packets. Responsive to the TWAMP test reply messages, a PM is determined that is specific to the different sequences of IP addresses of the forward direction TWAMP E2E paths traversed by the two different TWAMP test sessions. | 06-19-2014 |
20140204762 | METHODS AND DEVICES FOR IMPLEMENTING SHORTEST PATH BRIDGING MAC MODE SUPPORT OVER A VIRTUAL PRIVATE LAN SERVICE NETWORK - Methods and devices for implementing Shortest Path Bridging over a VPLS network. The method includes determining, from IS-IS PDU information received by a PE switch, whether a DF configuration for the PE switch needs to be changed and, if so, the method further includes determining whether the PE switch remains a DF for one or more B-VIDs. If the PE switch is no longer a DF for one or more B-VIDs, the method further includes removing local DF associated information for the PE switch from each PW adjacency's LDP database, and removing, from a local IS-IS database, DF associated remote LDP information. The method also includes, if the PE switch has become a DF for one or more of the B-VIDs, adding, from the IS-IS database, local DF information for the PE switch to the LDP databases, and adding, from the LDB databases, DF associated remote information for the PE switch to the IS-IS database. | 07-24-2014 |
20140219275 | METHOD AND SYSTEM OF SHORTEST PATH BRIDGING (SPB) ENHANCED RESILIENCE WITH LOOP MITIGATION - A method forward Ethernet frames at a node in a network supporting an implementation of shortest path bridging (SPB) protocol is disclosed. The method starts with a shortest path computation for the node (referred to as the computing node). The shortest path computation selects at least a shortest path to each destination node in the network, where a neighboring node on the shortest path to reach each node is recorded. Then it computes a downstream loop-free alternate (LFA) node for a destination node, where the LFA node is downstream of the computing node but not on the selected shortest path to the destination node from the computing node. Then when connectivity to the neighboring node on the computed shortest path is detected to be abnormal, the node forwards an Ethernet frame with a destination media access control (MAC) address corresponding to the destination node through the LFA node. | 08-07-2014 |
20140233429 | METHOD AND SYSTEM OF ENHANCING MULTIPLE MAC REGISTRATION PROTOCOL (MMRP) FOR PROTOCOL INTERNETWORKING - A method is disclosed to forward Ethernet frames associated with a service instance at a node (a “forwarding node”) in a network supporting an implementation of a protocol for creating logical loop-free topologies. The method starts with receiving a number of MMRPDUs at the forwarding node from links in the first network (receiving links), where each MMRPDU of the first plurality of MMRPDUs contains a first interested node list including one or more interested nodes identified by MAC addresses. Then a service instance identifier (SID) is identified for the service instance and a first set of MAC addresses interested in the service instance is formed. Then a number of MMRPDUs are sent to links associated with the service instance, where each MMRPDU contains a second set of MAC addresses interested in the service instance. The sending may be accompanied by the node installing filtering at the forwarding node accordingly. | 08-21-2014 |
20140341029 | ENCODING A PAYLOAD HASH IN THE DA-MAC TO FACILITATE ELASTIC CHAINING OF PACKET PROCESSING ELEMENTS - A method is implemented in a network element of a service network. The network element executes a packet processing element (PPE) of a plurality of PPEs, where each PPE in the plurality of PPEs executes a stage of packet processing for the service network and where the plurality of PPEs are connected to one another by a plurality of switch fabrics. The PPEs self-select a subset of a set of equivalent service chains to service with each service chain defining a subset and sequence of the plurality of PPEs. Each PPE self-selects the subset of equivalent service chains to process based upon knowledge of the plurality of PPEs servicing that stage of the full set of service chains such that there is spreading of load across all available PPEs in that stage. There is no single point of failure and minimal reassignment of PPEs for a set of equivalent data flows traversing the plurality of PPEs of the service network for changes in topography of the plurality of PPEs in the service network. | 11-20-2014 |
20150032871 | AUTOMATED TRAFFIC ENGINEERING BASED UPON THE USE OF BANDWIDTH AND UNEQUAL COST PATH UTILIZATION - A method in a network element improves load distribution in a network that includes the network element. The network element is one of a plurality of network elements in the network each of which implement a common algorithm tie-breaking process as part of a computation used to produce minimum cost shortest path trees. The network element includes a database to store the topology of the network. A set of service attachment points is mapped to network elements in the topology for services individually associated with an equal cost tree (ECT) set and associated with per service bandwidth requirements. The topology of the network includes a plurality of network elements and links between the network elements. The method generates multiple ECT tree sets for connectivity establishment and maintenance of the connectivity in the network. The method defines a bandwidth aware path selection. The method reduces the coefficient of variation of link load across the entire network. | 01-29-2015 |
20150043383 | AUTOMATIC ESTABLISHMENT OF REDUNDANT PATHS WITH CAUTIOUS RESTORATION IN A PACKET NETWORK - A method is implemented by a network device executing a local computation engine and a link state routing protocol. The local computation engine and the link state protocol support automatic establishment of redundant paths and cautious restoration in a packet network. The method includes receiving an explicit path (EP) type length value (TLV) via a link state routing protocol, executing a shortest path algorithm to obtain a shortest path for loose hops of a path identified by the EP TLV, the shortest path to be a primary path, updating a network graph to prune links of the primary path or bias links of the primary path, and calculating a backup path using the shortest path algorithm on the updated network graph. | 02-12-2015 |
20150071119 | Technique for Explicit Path Control - A technique for explicit path control for traffic forwarding in a network comprising multiple nodes is described. A device embodiment comprises a path computation element that is configured to receive, from an edge node, control protocol data units of a control protocol. The path computation element is further configured to determine an explicit path from information contained in the received control protocol data units and to instruct the edge nodes to perform an action to have the explicit path installed in the network. | 03-12-2015 |