Redback Networks Inc.

Paul Terry

Ronald Leonard Westfall

Renwei Li

Thomas Ng

Henry Lee

Aaron S Mar

Peter Wai-Tong Kwong

John M Siu

Amaranath Sanmugasunderam

Adam Lorant

Network elements at endpoints of a data connection are identified. A network path is generated between the network elements at the endpoints. The network path is validated by determining whether the network path provides at least one service requirement. The service requirement may be a minimum bandwidth requirement, a maximum bandwidth requirement, a maximum delay requirement, a maximum jitter requirement, a reliability requirement, a requirement that the network path includes network elements capable of acting as security gateways that bracket untrusted sections of the network path, a reachability requirement, or a data collection capability requirement. Network elements along a validated network path are configured to implement the service requirement. In one embodiment, the configuration performed on the network elements is recorded.

Service provisioning methods and apparatus

Providing different levels of quality of service for different data flows being transported over a data link requires a very fast way to classify individual packets. Providing meaningful classification generally requires classifying data packets in several dimensions. A classification method represents a rule base as a hierarchy of linked tables and sequentially matches each parameter value in a packet signature against tables in the hierarchy. The method supports longest prefix matching and avoids time consuming backtracking by adding rules to the rule base.

Methods and apparatus for packet classification with multi-level data structure

Providing different levels of quality of service for different data flows being transported over a data link requires a very fast way to schedule individual packets for forwarding on the data link. The invention provides scheduling methods which give preference to higher priority packets while treating lower priority packets fairly. The methods can provide shorter latencies for higher priority packets than can many prior scheduling methods. The methods and apparatus of the invention are readily adaptable for use with scheduling rules provided in the form of hierarchical policy trees.

Packet scheduling methods and apparatus

Providing different levels of quality of service for different data flows being transported over a data link requires a very fast way to classify individual packets. Providing meaningful classification generally requires classifying data packets in several dimensions. A classification method processes multiple parameter values for a packet in parallel to obtain answer sets indicating which rules are matched by each parameter value. Answer indexes identify logical blocks in each answer set which contain TRUE values. The method performs an AND operation on the answer indexes to identify those blocks in the answer sets which could contain bits corresponding to matched rules. An AND operation is performed on the identified blocks to identify the particular rule matched by the packet. The classification method allows extremely fast wire speed packet classification.

Methods and apparatus for packet classification with multiple answer sets

A network policy management system and methods define service templates. The service templates contain information on the topologies of services such as video calls, web services, order processing applications, or the like. The service templates also contain information about the quality of service required by each of the data flows which will be generated when an instance of the service is used. The policy management system allows users to add new services by selecting a service template and specifying endpoints for the service on a map of the network. The system automatically generates updated packet forwarding rules for use at a plurality of packet processing devices in the network.

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Coquitlam, Canada

Paul Terry