Auto-discovery and provisioning of IP fabric underlay networks for data centers
Granted: March 9, 2021
Patent Number:
10944665
Techniques are described for automatic discovery and provisioning of an IP fabric underlay network for use by an overlay network of a data center. The techniques provide mechanisms for management of the IP fabric underlay network, particularly as network devices are added to the underlay network topology for use by the overlay network. The techniques enable a control plane of a network device in the IP fabric underlay network to monitor discovery of neighbor network devices and link…
Apparatus, system, and method for mitigating warpage of integrated circuits during reflow processes
Granted: March 9, 2021
Patent Number:
10943874
The stiffening brace may include a set of borders dimensioned to substantially surround an integrated circuit, wherein each border includes (1) a portion of material that is positioned atop a perimeter of the integrated circuit and (2) an additional portion of material that extends beyond the perimeter of the integrated circuit such that the additional portion of material overhangs a circuit board to which the integrated circuit is soldered. Various other apparatuses, systems, and…
Apparatus, system, and method for dynamic compensation of heatsink-clamping mechanisms
Granted: March 9, 2021
Patent Number:
10943848
The disclosed apparatus may include (1) a shoulder bolt that includes (A) a head and (B) a shank, (2) a retention barrel that envelops at least a portion of the shank of the shoulder bolt, (3) a coil spring that envelops at least a portion of the shank of the shoulder bolt and resides between the head of the shoulder bolt and a heatsink, and (4) a travel-limiting component (such as a set screw or a sleeve) that (A) is coupled to the retention barrel and (B) limits the heatsink from…
Automation of maintenance mode operations for network devices
Granted: March 2, 2021
Patent Number:
10938660
An example method includes identifying, based on a received indication, at least a first network device that is to be placed in the maintenance mode, determining device information for the first network device, sending, to the first network device, first configuration information included in the device information to cause the first network device to switch into a maintenance mode and enable diversion of network traffic from the first network device to a second network device, responsive…
Methods and apparatus for generating,transmitting and/or using beacons
Granted: February 23, 2021
Patent Number:
10932141
Methods and apparatus for using beacon signals are described. One or more sectorized base stations are used in some embodiments to transmit beacon signals into zones, e.g., each zone being at least partially covered by one or more beacon signals. Use of sectorized base stations allows a single base station, e.g., a Bluetooth or other base station capable of transmitting beacon signals, to cover a number of different zones avoiding the need for multiple different beacon transmitters at…
Duplicate address detection for global IP address or range of link local IP addresses
Granted: February 23, 2021
Patent Number:
10931628
Techniques are described for detecting conflicts between IP addresses for assignment to virtual machines (VMs). An example network device executes a plurality of VMs) and is configured to determine at least one IP address for assignment to at least one of the VMs, determine an IP address to request for the at least one VM, generate a message according to Duplicate Media Access Control Address (DMAD) Protocol including data indicating that the message includes an IP address, the data…
Methods and apparatus for flow-controllable multi-staged queues
Granted: February 23, 2021
Patent Number:
10931589
In one embodiment, a method includes sending a first flow control signal to a first stage of transmit queues when a receive queue is in a congestion state. The method also includes sending a second flow control signal to a second stage of transmit queues different from the first stage of transmit queues when the receive queue is in the congestion state.
Virtualized network function descriptors for virtualized network function configuration
Granted: February 23, 2021
Patent Number:
10931526
Techniques are described for dynamically adapting virtualized network functions (VNFs) to different target environments. A controller stores device profiles that include configuration data and workflows for resolving configuration parameters for instantiating and deploying a VNF package to form a network service. To support the resolution of VNF configuration parameters, a VNF descriptor for the VNF is extended to include a device family parameter that indicates a shared architecture and…
Methods and apparatus for adaptively detecting signal degradation in an optical communication system using the pre-forward error correction bit error rate
Granted: February 23, 2021
Patent Number:
10931369
In some embodiments, an apparatus comprises a memory and a processor operatively coupled to the memory. The processor is configured to receive, from a forward error correction (FEC) decoder of an optical transponder, a first plurality of pre-FEC bit error rate (BER) values at a plurality of times to identify a degradation over a first transmission path. The processor is configured to determine, based on the first plurality of pre-FEC BER values, a signal pattern. The processor is…
Generating an application-based proxy auto configuration
Granted: February 16, 2021
Patent Number:
10924458
A network device may identify an application signature associated with a web application, and may determine, based on an application-based policy associated with the web application, an access method to be used to transmit traffic associated with the web application. The network device may generate a proxy auto configuration (PAC) file using the application signature associated with the web application, and the access method to be used to transmit the traffic associated with the web…
Underlay-overlay correlation
Granted: February 16, 2021
Patent Number:
10924419
This disclosure describes techniques that include collecting underlay flow data along with overlay flow data within a network and correlating the data to enable insights into network operation and performance. In one example, this disclosure describes a method that includes collecting flow data for a network having a plurality of network devices and a plurality of virtual networks established within the network; storing the flow data in a data store; receiving a request for information…
Planning and managing network probes using centralized controller
Granted: February 16, 2021
Patent Number:
10924392
In general, the disclosure describes techniques for measuring edge-based quality of experience (QoE) metrics. For instance, a network device may construct a topological representation of a network, including indications of nodes and links connecting the nodes within the network. For each of the links, the network device may select a node device of the two node devices connected by the respective link to measure one or more QoE metrics for the respective link, with the non-selected node…
Utilizing segment routing data and network data to determine optimized network plans and to implement an optimized network plan
Granted: February 16, 2021
Patent Number:
10924383
A device receives network data associated with a network that includes network devices interconnected by links, wherein the network devices utilize segment routing. The device receives segment routing data associated with the network, wherein the segment routing data at least includes a list of segments associated with paths provided through the network by two or more of the network devices and corresponding links. The device merges the network data and the segment routing data to…
Apparatus, system, and method for probing the status of unreachable virtual interfaces partitioned on remote physical interfaces
Granted: February 16, 2021
Patent Number:
10924375
A disclosed method may include (1) receiving, at a proxy node within a network, an echo request from a probing node within the network, (2) identifying, within the echo request, a type of probe to be performed in connection with the echo request, (3) determining, based at least in part on the type of probe identified within the echo request, that a proxy interface included on the proxy node is to probe a status of a virtual interface partitioned on a physical interface, (4) probing, via…
Reduced configuration for multi-stage network fabrics
Granted: February 16, 2021
Patent Number:
10924335
A method includes deploying a network device within a fabric having a management network by attaching the network device through the management network to a port of a role allocator, wherein the role allocator includes one or more ports designated as first level port connections and one or more other ports designated as second level port connections. If the deployed network device is attached to one of the ports designated as first level port connections, the deployed network device is…
Node protection for bum traffic for multi-homed node failure
Granted: February 16, 2021
Patent Number:
10924332
Techniques are described for facilitating node protection for Broadcast, unknown Unicast, and Multicast (BUM) traffic for a multi-homed node failure. For example, multi-homed provider edge (PE) devices each advertise egress node protection labels to an ingress PE device. In the event one of the multi-homed PE devices fails, the ingress PE device sends a BUM packet including the egress node protection labels for the failed node. When an egress PE device receives the BUM packet, the egress…
Apparatus, system, and method for enabling network management systems to query and obtain related objects stored on network devices
Granted: February 16, 2021
Patent Number:
10924323
The disclosed computer-implemented method may include (1) creating, at a network device, a relationship management information base that facilitates querying relationships of objects stored in at least one other management information base on the network device, (2) loading, into the relationship management information base, a partition that defines at least one relationship between a plurality of objects stored in the other management information base on the network device, (3)…
Apparatus, system, and method for seamless and reversible in-service software upgrades
Granted: February 16, 2021
Patent Number:
10922072
A disclosed method may include (1) detecting an in-service software upgrade that is to upgrade a first version of an operating system to a second version of the operating system and (2) performing the in-service software upgrade by (A) constructing a second software stack for the second version while a first software stack for the first version is active, wherein the first software stack and the second software stack (I) share one or more filesystem components in common and (II) differ…
Managing and troubleshooting changes in device configurations on a network node
Granted: February 9, 2021
Patent Number:
10917296
A system is configured to monitor traffic being transmitted among a group of nodes; detect a configuration statement being transported from a first node to a second node, where the configuration statement identifies a first configuration to be implemented on the second node; create a record, associated with the configuration statement, that identifies a manner in which a second configuration, that existed on the second node before receiving the configuration statement, is to be changed…
Minimizing or reducing traffic loss when an external border gateway protocol (eBGP) peer goes down
Granted: February 9, 2021
Patent Number:
10917330
A router configured as an autonomous system border router (ASBR) in a local autonomous system (AS), includes: (1) a control component for communicating and computing routing information, the control component running a Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) and peering with at least one BGP peer device in an outside autonomous system (AS) different from the local AS; and (2) a forwarding component for forwarding packets using forwarding information derived from the routing information computed by…
