Cisco Technology, Inc.

Juniper Networks, Inc.

Avago Technologies International Sales Pte. Limited

Thomas David Nadeau

George Swallow

Jean-Philippe Vasseur

James Neil Guichard

Luca Martini

Danny Prairie

Keyur Patel

W Mark Townsley

Sam K Aldrin

Vanson Lim

Kenneth E Gray

David Delano Ward

William Mark Townsley

Jim Guichard

Nitin Bahadur

Yufei Shi

Michael T Piecuch

Ali Sajassi

Stefano Benedetto Previdi

Samer Salam

Reshad Rahman

Monique Jeanne Morrow

Alia Karin Atlas

Earl Hardin Booth, Iii

John Monaghan

Robert Hanzl

Mohammed Azhar Sayeed

Vishwanath Jayaraman

James Gregory Hall

Azhar Mohammed Sayeed

Sumit Mukhopadhyay

Clarence A M Filsfils

A S Kiran Koushik

Dale Francisco

Jean-Phillipe Vasseur

David Richard Melton

Stephen Paul Elias

Adrien Michael Grise

George L Swallow

Jean Philippe Vasseur

Clarence AM Filsfils

A communication framework is provided that can be configured to control or limit a network controller's ability to communicate, export, or share the network controller's data with others, such as with other network controllers in the network environment. As part of this framework, techniques are provided that enable constraints to be specified for a particular network controller, where the constraints control and limit the data that is permitted to be communicated from the particular network controller to other network controllers or intended data recipients in the network environment.

Communication framework for a federation of network controllers

A network function virtualization (NFV) orchestration manager utilizes characteristics of the particular host, such as the platform itself, the hypervisor and the network interface to determine virtual network function (VNF) deployment. Exemplary platform characteristics are latency, throughput, scalability and migration. Factors are developed for each characteristic to provide positive or negative values used in the determination so that each host receives values for each characteristic. Each VNF is associated with desirable characteristics. When a VNF is to be deployed, the NVF orchestration manager determines the host factors relevant to the VNF. After analyzing the hosts and comparing them to the VNF requirements, a host choice is determined and the VNF is deployed to that host, with a virtual machine (VM) being created if needed. In a similar manner, VNFs can be chosen for inclusion in a service function chain (SFC).

Constraint-based virtual network function placement

A network device is described that receives information from separate database systems including a physical network inventory system that stores first topology data specifying resources and links within a network and a traffic engineering system that stores second topology data specifying the resources and links that are deployed within the network and data specifying traffic engineered paths configured to forward network traffic through the network. The network device aggregates the received information into a topology resource management system that stores third topology data specifying at least a current role of each of the resources and links. The network device determines a modification to at least one of the traffic engineered paths based on the third topology data, including an adjustment to the current role of at least one of the resources to change the forwarding of the network traffic. The network device outputs provisioning information based on the modification.

Aggregating network resource allocation information and network resource configuration information

In general, techniques are described for improving network path computation for requested paths that include a chain of service points that provide network services to traffic flows traversing the requested path through a network along the service chain. In some examples, a controller network device receives a request for network connectivity between a service entry point and a service exit point for a service chain for application to packet flows associated to the service chain. The device, for each pair of the service points in the particular order and using the active topology information, computes at least one end-to-end sub-path through the sub-network connecting the pair of the service points according to a constraint and computes, using the at least one end-to-end sub-path for each pair of the service points, a service path between the service entry point and the service exit point for the service chain.

Dynamic end-to-end network path setup across multiple network layers with network service chaining

A centralized controller provides dynamic end-to-end network path setup across multiple network layers. In particular, the centralized controller manages end-to-end network path setup that provisions a path at both the transport network layer (e.g., optical) and the service network layer (e.g., IP/MPLS). The centralized controller performs path computation for an optical path at the transport network layer and for a path at the service network layer that transports network traffic on the underlying optical transport path, based on information obtained by the centralized controller from the underlying network components at both layers.

Dynamic end-to-end network path setup across multiple network layers

Techniques for distributing digital content include receiving provider content over a network connection at a customer premises node located on premises of a first customer. The provider content is offered by a network service provider different from the first customer. Provider data based on the provider content is stored in non-volatile storage on the customer premises node of the first customer. It is determined whether conditions are satisfied for sending the provider content to a second customer different from the first customer. If it is determined that such conditions are satisfied, then the provider data is retrieved from the non-volatile storage, and data based on the provider data is sent over the network connection for receipt by the second customer. Thereby a customer premises node serves as a cache of provider content for other customer premises nodes on the same last mile segment or access network.

Techniques for distributing network provider digital content to customer premises nodes

In one embodiment, a method includes receiving, by a provider edge (PE) device, a transport layer status message indicative of a defect on a pseudowire (PW) running across a core of a service provider (SP) network. The status message is translated to a service layer message indicative of the defect. The service layer message is then transmitted across an access domain of the SP network.

Interworking between MPLS/IP and Ethernet OAM mechanisms

The protection of multi-segment pseudowires by utilizing backup paths is disclosed herein. Disclosed embodiments include methods that establish at least one backup path for multi-segment pseudowires, the establishing being performed prior to detection of failure in the primary path. Upon detecting a path failure, the detected failure is signaled to the head-end, a backup path is chosen, and reachability information associated with the chosen backup path is signaled across the backup path before reverse traffic is switched to the backup path. In other disclosed embodiments, apparatus are configured to establish, prior to detection of failure in the primary path, at least one backup path for the multi-segment pseudowire.

Protecting multi-segment pseudowires

Optimal automated exploration of hierarchical Multiprotocol Label Switching Label Switch Paths (MPLS LSPs) is disclosed. A path verification message (PVM) is transmitted from an initial router. Each label in the PVM's label stack corresponds to a hierarchy layer and is associated with a time-to-live (TTL) field. The TTL field for the label of a current layer is set so the PVM travels one hop from the initial router. In response, a reply message indicating that the PVM reached its destination is received.

Optimal automated exploration of hierarchical multiprotocol label switching label switch paths

Improved detection of specific BFD LSP path failures is herein disclosed. The improved detection described herein allow for faster fault isolation of a failure along a LSP path, which in turn may allow for faster repair of the failure. When opening a BFD session with a LSP egress node, the LSP ingress node provides the LSP egress node a path descriptor along with the BFD Discriminator. If a BFD failure is detected at the LSP egress node, the LSP egress node can signal an alarm that includes a full description of the path.

Detection of specific BFD path failures

Improved connectivity verification is disclosed. A root in a point-to-multipoint network can establish parameters for a connectivity-verification session with each endpoint in the network. The root then sends verification-request messages to each endpoint in accordance with the parameters. Each endpoint signals an alarm (e.g., sends a reply to the root) if the verification-request messages are not received at the endpoint in accordance with the established parameters. In this manner, endpoints send verification-reply messages to the root much less frequently, greatly reducing the congestion at the root and greatly reducing the chance that the root gets congested or even overwhelmed when the network includes large numbers of endpoints.

Point-to-multipoint connectivity verification

A pseudowire verification framework gathers and maintains status of individual pseudowires by aggregating the state of the individual node hops defining the pseudowire. The framework provides complete assessment of a network by gathering status feedback from network nodes (forwarding entities) that are inaccessible directly from a requesting node by employing an intermediate forwarding entity as a proxy for inquiring on behalf of the requesting node. Therefore, status regarding inaccessible pseudowires is obtainable indirectly from nodes able to 'see' the particular pseudowire. Configurations further assess multihop pseudowires including a plurality of network segments; in which each segment defines a pseudowire hop including forwarding entities along the pseudowire path. In this manner, pseudowire health and status is gathered and interrogated for nodes (forwarding) entities unable to directly query the subject pseudowire via intermediate forwarding entities.

System and methods for identifying network path performance

Optimal automated exploration of hierarchical MPLS LSPs is disclosed. A path verification message (PVM) is transmitted from an initial router. Each label in the PVM's label stack corresponds to a hierarchy layer and is associated with a time-to-live (TTL) field. The TTL field for the label of a current layer is set so the PVM travels one hop from the initial router. In response, a reply message indicating that the PVM reached its destination is received. These steps are then repeated. For each successive PVM transmitted, the TTL field associated with a label corresponding to the current hierarchy layer is incremented. For any reply message including information describing a non-current layer, modify the next PVM's label stack and increment the TTL field of the label for the described different layer; any other TTL fields are unchanged. If any received reply message indicates a destination router was reached, the process terminates.

The protection of multi-segment pseudowires by utilizing pre-computed backup paths is disclosed herein. Disclosed embodiments include methods that establish at least one backup path for multi-segment pseudowires, the establishing being performed prior to detection of failure in the primary path. Upon detecting a path failure, the detected failure is signaled to the head-end, a pre-computed backup path is chosen, and the chosen backup path is signaled to the tail-end. In other disclosed embodiments, apparatus are configured to establish, prior to detection of failure in the primary path, at least one backup path for the multi-segment pseudowire. Networks can be configured to signal a detected failure to the head-end; choose a pre-computed backup path; and signal the backup path to the tail-end.

A mechanism for ASBRs to identify the originating node, or router, in an LSP conversant autonomous system (AS), such as an MPLS VPN environment, maintains the identity of the originating node and successive nodes in subsequent autonomous systems along the path to the node to be pinged. The identity of the transporting nodes is stored in a stack or other object associated with the ping request (ping), such that the pinged node may employ the stored identity as a set of return path routing information. Successive ASBRs store their identity on the stack, in an ordered manner, along the path to the destination. Upon reaching the destination (ping) node, the destination node employs the identity of the first node on the stack to send the acknowledgment, or ping response. Each successive ASBR, therefore, pops (retrieves) the next node identity from the stack and redirects (sends) the ping response to the retrieved node.

Growing community of inventors

Hampton, NH, United States of America

Thomas David Nadeau