A method of utilizing the same hardware network interface card (NIC) in a gateway of a datacenter to communicate datacenter tenant packet traffic and packet traffic for a set of applications that execute in the user space of the gateway and utilize a network stack in the kernel space of the gateway. The method sends and receives packets for the datacenter tenant packet traffic through a packet datapath in the user space. The method sends incoming packets from the NIC to the set of applications through the datapath in the user space, a user-kernel transport driver connecting the kernel network stack to the datapath in the user space, and the kernel network stack. The method receives outgoing packets at the NIC from the set of applications through the kernel network stack, the user-kernel transport driver, and the data path in the user space.

A method for enabling communication between a first network entity and a second network entity via at least two network flows includes: providing at least a first network flow and a second network flow of the first network entity; measuring, by a measuring unit associated with the first network entity, condition values of each of the at least two network flows; comparing the measured condition values of the at least two network flows to entries of a condition matrix; based on comparing the measured condition values to the entries of the condition matrix, selecting a mode for the first network entity out of an aggregation mode, a reliability mode, and a single-connectivity mode; and activating the selected mode.

An apparatus for communication between a sending application and a receiving application of a receiving apparatus includes a processor that is configured to establish a stream for transmitting data between the sending application and the receiving application; receive a first request from the sending application to transmit metadata to the receiving application; receive a second request from the sending application to transmit application data to the receiving application; responsive to a determination that a frame that includes the application data and the metadata has a size that is smaller than or equal to a maximum frame size, construct the frame to include the application data and the metadata; and transmit the frame in a packet to the receiving apparatus.

Device Assisted Services (DAS) for protecting network capacity is provided. In some embodiments, DAS for protecting network capacity includes monitoring a network service usage activity of the communications device in network communication; classifying the network service usage activity for differential network access control for protecting network capacity; and associating the network service usage activity with a network service usage control policy based on a classification of the network service usage activity to facilitate differential network access control for protecting network capacity.

Device Assisted Services (DAS) for protecting network capacity is provided. In some embodiments, DAS for protecting network capacity includes monitoring a network service usage activity of the communications device in network communication; classifying the network service usage activity for differential network access control for protecting network capacity; and associating the network service usage activity with a network service usage control policy based on a classification of the network service usage activity to facilitate differential network access control for protecting network capacity.

Device group partitions and a settlement platform are provided. In some embodiments, device group partitions (e.g., partitions of devices based on associated device groups) are provided. In some embodiments, a settlement platform service is provided. In some embodiments, a settlement platform service is provided for partitioned devices. In some embodiments, collecting device generated service usage information for one or more devices in wireless communication on a wireless network; and aggregating the device generated service usage information for a settlement platform for the one or more devices in wireless communication on the wireless network is provided. In some embodiments, a settlement platform implements a service billing allocation and/or a service/transactional revenue share among one or more partners. In some embodiments, service usage information includes micro-CDRs, which are used for CDR mediation or reconciliation that provides for service usage accounting on any device activity that is desired. In some embodiments, each device activity that is desired to be associated with a billing event is assigned a micro-CDR transaction code, and a service processor of the device is programmed to account for that activity associated with that transaction code. In some embodiments, a service processor executing on a wireless communications device periodically reports (e.g., during each heartbeat or based on any other periodic, push, and/or pull communication technique(s)) micro-CDR usage measures to, for example, a service controller or some other network element for CDR mediation or reconciliation.

The application disclose a packet processing method that includes: receiving, by a service distribution node, service routing information sent by a controller, where the service routing information includes a flow identifier, a service identifier, and a next-hop address, the flow identifier is used to identify a packet flow, the service identifier is used to identify a sequence of a service node instance that processes the packet flow, and the next-hop address is used to identify the service node instance that processes the packet flow; receiving a first packet; acquiring a first flow identifier according to the first packet, and searching the service routing information according to the first flow identifier to acquire a matched service identifier and a matched next-hop address; and sending a second packet to a first service node instance that has the matched next-hop address, which implements service processing on a packet flow.

The application disclose a packet processing method that includes: receiving, by a service distribution node, service routing information sent by a controller, where the service routing information includes a flow identifier, a service identifier, and a next-hop address, the flow identifier is used to identify a packet flow, the service identifier is used to identify a sequence of a service node instance that processes the packet flow, and the next-hop address is used to identify the service node instance that processes the packet flow; receiving a first packet; acquiring a first flow identifier according to the first packet, and searching the service routing information according to the first flow identifier to acquire a matched service identifier and a matched next-hop address; and sending a second packet to a first service node instance that has the matched next-hop address, which implements service processing on a packet flow.

A first node (110; 210; 212; 310; 1000) for determining an indication of a maximum datagram size supported without fragmentation in communication between the first node (110; 210; 212; 310; 1000) and a second node (111; 211; 210; 220) in an Internet Protocol, IP, network (100; 201; 201-202; 300). The first node (110; 210; 212; 310; 1000): sends (301; 901), to the second node (111; 211; 210; 220), request messages in varying sized IP packets using an application layer protocol over UDP and which datagrams are configured not to be fragmented; receives (302; 902) response messages from the second node, each indicating a received request message that the response message is in response to, was received by the second node (111; 211; 210; 220); identifies (303; 903) a request message for which there is a change in receipt of response message compared to another request message of said varying sized IP packets; determines (304; 904), based on said identification, an indication of the maximum datagram size supported without fragmentation.

A method includes determining a delivery performance of a data flow being transmitted from a first network equipment to a second network equipment over a network; determining whether the network is congested based on the determined delivery performance of the data flow being transmitted to the second network equipment; and pacing delivery of the data flow to the second network equipment by reducing a rate at which the data flow is delivered to the second network equipment when the network is determined to be congested.