METHODS AND APPARATUS RELATED TO VIRTUALIZATION OF DATA CENTER RESOURCES
Granted: March 29, 2018
Application Number:
20180091444
In one embodiment, an apparatus includes a switch core that has a multi-stage switch fabric. A first set of peripheral processing devices coupled to the multi-stage switch fabric by a set of connections that have a protocol. Each peripheral processing device from the first set of peripheral processing devices is a storage node that has virtualized resources. The virtualized resources of the first set of peripheral processing devices collectively define a virtual storage resource…
MULTICASTING WITHIN DISTRIBUTED CONTROL PLANE OF A SWITCH
Granted: March 8, 2018
Application Number:
20180069715
In some embodiments, a non-transitory processor-readable medium stores code representing instructions configured to cause a processor to receive, from an access switch, a first signal including forwarding state information associated with a first peripheral processing device from a set of peripheral processing devices. The code can further represent instructions configured to cause the processor to receive, from the first peripheral processing device, a second signal including a data…
METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR LOW-LOSS RECONFIGURABLE OPTICAL QUADRATURE AMPLITUDE MODULATION (QAM) SIGNAL GENERATION
Granted: March 1, 2018
Application Number:
20180062753
In some embodiments, an apparatus includes a quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM) optical modulator which includes a first phase modulator (PM), a second PM, a tunable optical coupler (TOC), and an optical combiner (OC). The TOC is configured to split a light wave at an adjustable power splitting ratio to produce a first split light wave and a second split light wave. The first PM is configured to modulate the first split light wave in response to a first multi-level electrical signal…
REMOTELY UPDATING ROUTING TABLES
Granted: January 4, 2018
Application Number:
20180006942
A network device may receive an instruction to update a data structure implemented by the network device and update the data structure based on receiving the instruction. The data structure may include a routing instruction to direct the network device to provide a data flow to a server device for processing. The network device may receive the data flow destined for a destination device; determine the routing instruction based on at least a portion of an internet protocol (IP) address…
METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR LOGICAL ASSOCIATIONS BETWEEN ROUTERS AND OPTICAL NODES WITHIN A WAVELENGTH DIVISION MULTIPLEXING (WDM) SYSTEM
Granted: November 2, 2017
Application Number:
20170317777
An apparatus includes a memory and a processor operatively coupled to the memory. The processor is configured to partition a set of ports of an optical multiplexer into a set of port groups including a first port group having a first set of ports and a second port group having a second set of ports mutually exclusive from the first set of ports. The processor is configured to associate the first port group with a first router and associate the second port group with a second router. When…
HOT ROOT STANDBY SUPPORT FOR MULTICAST
Granted: October 5, 2017
Application Number:
20170289216
In general, techniques are described for providing Hot-Root Standby in Global Table Multicast (GTM) environments. For example, in such GTM environments, normally a single unicast route to the customer multicast source (“C-Source”) will be available to egress provider edge (PE) routers. As described herein, ingress PE routers may advertise multiple routes to a C-Source, including unicast routes that include Route Import Extended Communities, which are imported by egress PE routers.…
METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR A SELF-ORGANIZED LAYER-2 ENTERPRISE NETWORK ARCHITECTURE
Granted: September 28, 2017
Application Number:
20170279675
In some embodiments, an apparatus includes a network node operatively coupled within a network. The network node is configured to send a first authentication message upon boot up, and receive, in response to the first authentication message, a second authentication message configured to be used to authenticate the network node. The network node is configured to send a first discovery message, and receive, based on the first discovery message, a second discovery message configured to be…
METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR CENTRALIZED VIRTUAL SWITCH FABRIC CONTROL
Granted: September 21, 2017
Application Number:
20170272312
In some embodiments, an apparatus comprises a processing module, disposed within a first switch fabric element, configured to detect a second switch fabric element having a routing module when the second switch fabric element is operatively coupled to the first switch fabric element. The processing module is configured to define a virtual processing module configured to be operatively coupled to the second switch fabric element. The virtual processing module is configured to receive a…
METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR A COMMON CONTROL PROTOCOL FOR WIRED AND WIRELESS NODES
Granted: September 21, 2017
Application Number:
20170272307
In some embodiments, an apparatus comprises of a control module implemented in at least one of a memory or a processing device that is configured to receive, via a network and from a wireless access point or an access network node, a control packet defined based on a control protocol. The control packet is associated with at least one control function of the wireless access point or access network node. The control module is configured to determine a status of an access network node…
METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR FLOW CONTROL ASSOCIATED WITH A SWITCH FABRIC
Granted: September 7, 2017
Application Number:
20170257328
In some embodiments, an apparatus includes a flow control module configured to receive a first data packet from an output queue of a stage of a multi-stage switch at a first rate when an available capacity of the output queue crosses a first threshold. The flow control module is configured to receive a second data packet from the output queue of the stage of the multi-stage switch at a second rate when the available capacity of the output queue crosses a second threshold. The flow…
METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING WIRELESS ACCESS POINTS
Granted: July 13, 2017
Application Number:
20170201979
In some embodiments, an apparatus comprises of a first Control And Provisioning of Wireless Access Points (CAPWAP) module implemented in at least one of a memory or a processing device that is configured to be designated as a backup control module for a wireless access point during a first time period. The first CAPWAP control module is configured to receive state information associated with the wireless access point during the first time period from a second CAPWAP control module. The…
APPARATUS AND METHODS TO AGGREGATE FCOE (FIBRE CHANNEL OVER ETHERNET) FILTER RULES OF A SINGLE INTERFACE IN A SINGLE OR FEW RULES ON A FIRST-HOP FCOE NETWORKING ELEMENT
Granted: June 29, 2017
Application Number:
20170187619
In one embodiment, an apparatus can include a filter module configured to receive multiple Media Access Control (MAC) addresses associated with multiple virtual ports instantiated at a first network device. Each virtual port from the multiple virtual ports can be associated with a MAC address from the multiple MAC addresses. The filter module can be configured to define a filter to be applied to a data frame sent between the first network device and a network switch, the filter being…
METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR A DISTRIBUTED FIBRE CHANNEL CONTROL PLANE
Granted: May 25, 2017
Application Number:
20170149695
In some embodiments, an apparatus includes a management module configured to assign a unique set of identifiers to each network control entity from a set of network control entities. As a result, a network control entity from the set of network control entities can assign an identifier from its unique set of identifiers to a port in response to that network control entity receiving a login request from the port. The set of network control entities is associated with a distributed…
METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR REMOTE MANAGEMENT OF AN OPTICAL TRANSCEIVER SYSTEM
Granted: March 30, 2017
Application Number:
20170093516
In some embodiments, an apparatus includes a first optical transceiver. The first optical transceiver includes a set of optical transmitters, an optical multiplexer operatively coupled to the set of optical transmitters, and a variable optical attenuator operatively coupled to the optical multiplexer. The variable optical attenuator is configured to receive a control signal from a controller of the first optical transceiver and modulate a signal representing control information with an…
METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR SELF HEALING OF AN OPTICAL TRANSCEIVER IN A WAVELENGTH DIVISION MULTIPLEXING (WDM) SYSTEM
Granted: March 30, 2017
Application Number:
20170093484
In some embodiments, an apparatus includes an optical transceiver that includes a first set of electrical transmitters operatively coupled to a switch. Each electrical transmitter from the first set of electrical transmitters is configured to transmit an electrical signal from a set of electrical signals. In such embodiments, the switch is configured to switch an electrical signal from the set of electrical signals such that the set of electrical signals are transmitted via a second set…
METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR A DISTRIBUTED FIBRE CHANNEL CONTROL PLANE
Granted: March 2, 2017
Application Number:
20170063729
In some embodiments, a system includes a set of network control entities associated with a distributed multi-stage switch. Each network control entity from the set of network control entities is configured to manage at least one edge device having a set of ports and coupled to the distributed multi-stage switch. Each network control entity from the set of network control entities is associated with a unique set of identifiers. A network control entity from the set of network control…
METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR OPTICAL TRANSCEIVER CALIBRATION AND TEST
Granted: February 23, 2017
Application Number:
20170052224
In some embodiments, an apparatus includes an automatic integrated circuit (IC) handler having a change kit. The change kit has a plunger moveably disposable onto an automatic test equipment (ATE). In such embodiments, the ATE is configured to receive an integrated circuit having an optical interface. The plunger has a first position and a second position. In such embodiments, the plunger is out of contact with the integrated circuit when the plunger is in the first position. The plunger…
METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR REDUCING ENERGY CONSUMPTION OF NETWORK EQUIPMENT
Granted: January 26, 2017
Application Number:
20170023999
In some embodiments, an equipment unit has a set of visual indicators, a power switch, and a set of compute components. The power switch receives a signal representing a status such that when the status is in a first mode, the power switch provides power to the set of visual indicators and when the status is in a second mode the power switch does not provide power to the set of visual indicators. The compute components are configured to receive power when the power switch does not…
METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR STANDARD PROTOCOL VALIDATION MECHANISMS DEPLOYED OVER A SWITCH FABRIC SYSTEM
Granted: December 22, 2016
Application Number:
20160373307
An apparatus includes a destination edge device configured to receive a first validation packet according to a switch fabric validation protocol. The destination edge device is configured to validate multiple data paths through a distributed switch fabric from a source edge device to the destination edge device based on the first validation packet. The destination edge device is configured to send, in response to receiving the first validation packet, a second validation packet to a…
METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR IMPLEMENTING CONNECTIVITY BETWEEN EDGE DEVICES VIA A SWITCH FABRIC
Granted: December 22, 2016
Application Number:
20160373347
In some embodiments, an apparatus includes a first edge device that is operatively coupled to a second edge device via a switch fabric. The first edge device and the second edge device collectively define an edge device network operating with a network-address-based protocol. The first edge device communicates with the second edge device via a multiprotocol label switching (MPLS) tunnel through the switch fabric. Furthermore, the first edge device is operatively coupled to the switch…
