Virtual machine environments are provided in the switches that form a network, with the virtual machines executing network services previously performed by dedicated appliances. The virtual machines can be executed on a single multi-core processor in combination with normal switch functions or on dedicated services processor boards. Packet processors analyze incoming packets and add a services tag containing services entries to any packets. Each switch reviews the services tag and performs any network services resident on that switch. This allows services to be deployed at the optimal locations in the network. The network services may be deployed by use of drag and drop operations. A topology view is presented, along with network services that may be deployed. Services may be selected and dragged to a single switch or multiple switches. The management tool deploys the network services software, with virtual machines being instantiated on the switches as needed.

A network device receives a data packet including a source address and a destination address. The network device drops the data packet before it reaches the destination address and generates an error message indicating that the data packet has been dropped. The network device encapsulates the error message with a segment routing header comprising a list of segments. The first segment of the list of segments in the segment routing header identifies a remote server, and at least one additional segment is an instruction for handling the error message. The network device sends the encapsulated error message to the remote server based on the first segment of the segment routing header.

A network device receives a data packet including a source address and a destination address. The network device drops the data packet before it reaches the destination address and generates an error message indicating that the data packet has been dropped. The network device encapsulates the error message with a segment routing header comprising a list of segments. The first segment of the list of segments in the segment routing header identifies a remote server, and at least one additional segment is an instruction for handling the error message. The network device sends the encapsulated error message to the remote server based on the first segment of the segment routing header.

Techniques for improving convergence of Protocol Independent Multicast assert state information in multicast groups include forwarding, by a router, a PIM join message originating from a destination host and stores distribution tree information based on the join message. The method further includes participating, by the router, in a Protocol Independent Multicast (“PIM”) assert election among a plurality of routers and storing, by the router, PIM assert state information based on an outcome of the PIM assert election. The method further includes acquiring, by the router, routing information base (“RIB”) convergence. The method further includes triggering by the router, or causing, by the router, another router to trigger, a PIM assert among the plurality of routers. The method further includes re-converging, by the router, with PIM assert states among the plurality of routers and storing, by the router, converged PIM assert state information.

A system is provided for optimized selection of a plurality of processing units for resource intensive processing operations. The system includes a processor and a computer readable medium operably coupled thereto, to perform the scheduling operations which include receiving a processing operation for a data input that requires processing in a computing environment, determining at least one constraint requirement imposed on performing the processing operation that are all required to be fulfilled for successful completion of the processing operation, accessing a routing table associated with the computing environment, determining one of the plurality of processing units from the routing table based on fulfilling all of the at least one constraint requirement, and assigning the processing operation to the one of the plurality of processing units on the least costly basis or other optimization consideration. The processing units are serverless in a preferred embodiment.

A system is provided for optimized selection of a plurality of processing units for resource intensive processing operations. The system includes a processor and a computer readable medium operably coupled thereto, to perform the scheduling operations which include receiving a processing operation for a data input that requires processing in a computing environment, determining at least one constraint requirement imposed on performing the processing operation that are all required to be fulfilled for successful completion of the processing operation, accessing a routing table associated with the computing environment, determining one of the plurality of processing units from the routing table based on fulfilling all of the at least one constraint requirement, and assigning the processing operation to the one of the plurality of processing units on the least costly basis or other optimization consideration. The processing units are serverless in a preferred embodiment.

Systems and methods provide congruent bidirectional Segment Routing (SR) tunnels, namely congruent and fate-shared traffic forwarding for bidirectional SR tunnels. A bidirectional SR tunnel, as described herein, includes two unidirectional SR tunnels where the forward and reverse traffic directions follow the same path through the network when forwarded based on prefix and adjacency Segment Identifiers (SIDs). The term “congruent” is used herein to refer to the fact that the two unidirectional SR tunnels, i.e., the forward and reverse traffic directions, follow the same path through the network but in opposite directions. The guarantee of congruency is based on modification of the Segment Identifier (SID) configuration at the source nodes of each tunnel. Accordingly, the present disclosure maintains compatibility with existing Segment Routing configurations with the modifications solely at the source nodes.

Systems and methods provide congruent bidirectional Segment Routing (SR) tunnels, namely congruent and fate-shared traffic forwarding for bidirectional SR tunnels. A bidirectional SR tunnel, as described herein, includes two unidirectional SR tunnels where the forward and reverse traffic directions follow the same path through the network when forwarded based on prefix and adjacency Segment Identifiers (SIDs). The term “congruent” is used herein to refer to the fact that the two unidirectional SR tunnels, i.e., the forward and reverse traffic directions, follow the same path through the network but in opposite directions. The guarantee of congruency is based on modification of the Segment Identifier (SID) configuration at the source nodes of each tunnel. Accordingly, the present disclosure maintains compatibility with existing Segment Routing configurations with the modifications solely at the source nodes.

A method includes receiving a message at a network bridge from a computer system where the network bridge stores a forwarding table. The method also includes determining a type of the message. The method also includes upon a determination that the type of message is a network notification message, determining whether data within the message corresponds to an entry within the forwarding table. The method also includes upon determining that the data within the message corresponds to the entry within the forwarding table, halting a transmission of the message. The method also includes upon determining that the data within the message does not correspond to the entry in the forwarding table, transmitting the message to a device in communication with the network bridge.

A method includes receiving a message at a network bridge from a computer system where the network bridge stores a forwarding table. The method also includes determining a type of the message. The method also includes upon a determination that the type of message is a network notification message, determining whether data within the message corresponds to an entry within the forwarding table. The method also includes upon determining that the data within the message corresponds to the entry within the forwarding table, halting a transmission of the message. The method also includes upon determining that the data within the message does not correspond to the entry in the forwarding table, transmitting the message to a device in communication with the network bridge.