A method identifies an incorrect time stamp of an Ethernet message. Initially, an Ethernet message is received which contains a time stamp from a control unit of a motor vehicle. A time difference is determined between a global time of the time stamp and a local time of a clock of the control unit. The time stamp of the Ethernet message is identified as incorrect. The global time of the time stamp is replaced by the local time of the clock of the control unit if the time stamp is identified as incorrect.

An apparatus comprises: a first clock; a receiver configured to: receive a first packet via a first channel corresponding to a first wavelength, and receive a third packet via a third channel corresponding to a third wavelength; and a processor coupled to the receiver and configured to: implement channel bonding using the first channel and the third channel, synchronize the first clock based on the first packet, and calculate a channel skew between the first channel and the third channel based on the first clock.

A method of generating timestamp information irrespective of a packet format include generating an egress timestamp corresponding to a time at which a first egress packet associated with a synchronization event is transmitted to a network medium; storing the egress timestamp in a memory based on an egress identifier; and transmitting a second egress packet associated with the synchronization event with the stored egress timestamp being included in the transmitted second egress packet for timing synchronization in the network medium. The method also includes receiving an incoming packet from the network medium; generating an ingress timestamp corresponding to a time at which the incoming packet is received; replacing an error detection field included in the incoming packet with an error detection tag; inserting the ingress timestamp into the error detection tag; and providing the incoming packet with the ingress timestamp to a processor for synchronization of a local clock.

Multiple network controllers are interconnected in a full mesh structure, e.g., through a cyclical cross connector, to form a distributed control system for a network of a large number of nodes. A network controller acquires characterizing information of links emanating from a respective set of nodes, communicates the information to each other network controller, and determines a route set from each node of the respective set of nodes to each other node of the network. The network controller may determine, for each link included in the route set, identifiers of specific route sets which traverse the link. Accordingly, a state-change of any link in the network can be expeditiously communicated to network controllers to take corrective actions where necessary. A network controller may rank routes of a route set according to some criterion to facilitate selection of a favourable available route for a connection.

A transmitting method of storing data configuring an application into a predetermined data unit and transmitting the stored data in the predetermined data unit, which includes: generating time specification information indicating an operation time of the application, based on reference time information received from an external source; and transmitting (i) the predetermined data unit and (ii) control information indicating the generated time specification information, wherein the control information includes the generated time specification information and identification information indicating whether or not the time specification information is time information indicating a time that is before a leap second adjustment.

The method includes transmitting request messages to at least one first network node, the request messages each including at least a sampling time-window and a network slice identifier, the sampling time-window defining a duration of time, the network slice identifier identifying a designated network slice within the communication network, receiving packet reports from the at least one first network node, the packet reports including latency information for packets that are processed by the at least one first network node during the sampling time-window for the designated network slice, and controlling the operation of the communication network based on the latency information.

A system for providing networked access to media signals, the system comprising at least one virtual media card configured to interface with at least one application that produces and/or consumes media signals, and/or at least one media interface configured to interface with at least one physical media card that produces and/or consumes media signals. The system may also comprise a network interface configured to enable the system to exchange media signals with other devices on a common network, and a reference clock configured to provide a common clock signal to the at least one virtual media card, the at least one media interface, and the common network. An advertisement and discovery module configured to identify when the at least one application is started and/or stopped and when the at least one media card is attached and/or detached from the system may also be provided. The advertisement and discovery module is configured to: (i) make I/O channels of the at least one media card available to the system and the common network, and (ii) make I/O channels of the at least one application available to the system and the common network.

A network element (36) includes circuitry and at least one port (72). The at least one port is coupled to an optical fabric (32) including one or more optical switches (40) that provide optical paths between the at least one port and multiple destination nodes, at predefined time slots. The circuitry is configured to hold a schedule plan (84) that specifies which of the destination nodes are accessible via the optical fabric at which of the time slots, to queue packets that are destined to the destination nodes, and to transmit the queued packets via the at least one port in accordance with the schedule plan.

A network-synchronization device may include a match filter. The match filter may be configured to generate events for synchronizing operation of elements of a network at least partially responsive to timing frames generated at a network switch. The events for synchronizing operation of the elements may include a first event generated at least partially responsive to first information associated with a first element and a second event generated at least partially responsive to second information associated with a second element. Related systems and methods are also disclosed.

A method provides for receiving network traffic from a host having a host IP address and operating in a data center, and analyzing a malware tracker for IP addresses of hosts having been infected by a malware to yield an analysis. When the analysis indicates that the host IP address has been used to communicate with an external host infected by the malware to yield an indication, the method includes assigning a reputation score, based on the indication, to the host. The method can further include applying a conditional policy associated with using the host based on the reputation score. The reputation score can include a reduced reputation score from a previous reputation score for the host.