The disclosure provides for a system that includes a network controller. The network controller is configured to receive information from nodes of a network, where nodes include one node that is in motion relative to another node. The network controller is also configured to generate a table representing nodes, available storage at each node, and possible links in the network over a period of time based on the information, and determine a series of topologies of the network based on the table. Based on received client data including a data amount, the network controller is configured to determine flows for the topology. The network controller then is configured to generate a schedule of network configurations based on the flows, and send instructions to the nodes of the network for implementing the network configurations and transmitting client data.

For measuring an area of interest based on a sensor task and/or routing sensor data, a method discovers a network topology for a network comprising a plurality of network nodes connected by links. The method dynamically generates a minimum spanning tree from the network topology. Given sensor data traverses one link of the minimum spanning tree only once. The method routes a sensor task to a sensor with a sensor motion track that includes an area of interest. The method measures the area of interest with the sensor based on the sensor task. The method routes sensor data from the measurement of the area of interest via links of the minimum spanning tree.

A method that is implemented by a network device for enabling provisioning of explicit paths in a network across a link aggregation group (LAG) by reporting LAG configuration information for a plurality of links between the network device and at least one neighbor device, the LAG configuration information sent to a path computation element (PCE). The method reports the LAG configuration information for a LAG by a LAG module to an intermediate system to intermediate system (IS-IS) module within the network device, sends the LAG configuration information in a sub type length value (TLV) within an intermediate system to intermediate system (IS-IS) message to the PCE, and receives from the PCE an explicit path that selects a link in the LAG.

Power management of a routing table, which comprises a plurality of hash tables, is provided by supporting various power domain configurations. Each power domain configuration can be associated with a different number of power domains than other power domain configurations. Each power domain can add vertical capacity to the entire routing table by adding a fixed number of buckets to each of the hash tables. Efficient power management can be achieved by switching between a lower power domain configuration and a higher power domain configuration during runtime based on the dynamic load conditions.

A method for anticipatory bidirectional packet steering involves receiving, by a first packet steering module of a network, a first encapsulated packet traveling in a forward traffic direction. The first encapsulated packet includes a first encapsulating data structure. The network includes two or more packet steering modules and two or more network nodes. Each of the packet steering modules includes a packet classifier module, a return path learning module, a flow policy table, and a replicated data structure (RDS). The return path learning module of the first packet steering module generates return traffic path information associated with the first encapsulated packet and based on the first encapsulating data structure. The first packet steering module updates the RDS using the return traffic path information and transmits the return traffic path information to one or more other packet steering modules.

In one embodiment, a method includes detecting a request to route traffic to a service associated with an application. The method also includes identifying an application identifier associated with the application and selecting, using the application identifier, a label from a plurality of labels included in a routing table. The label includes one or more routes. The method further includes routing the traffic to the service associated with the application using the label.

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 system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example avoiding data copy and task switching by processing protocol headers of network PDUs as a serial tape to be processed in order such as by a single method. Other processing includes reducing stages and simplifying protocol processing and multiplexing during network communications. Address changing in an active network can be implemented by assigning multiple addresses to an entity so that a new address can replace the old address. Peer-to-peer application searching can be performed among networks that can be accessible or non-accessible networks. Utilizing anycast sets that include selected and alternative addresses to enable immediate or near immediate alternative route selection on failure or congestion. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Method for operating a communication network that includes a communication devices and form part of an industrial automation system, wherein control units control functions of associated communication devices, where a prescribable proportion of system resources of an associated communication device is provide for a prescribable resource use duration for each control unit, when prescribable synchronization events occur, the control units synchronously detect state variables of the communication devices and adjust them to one another, the control units additionally determine, for at least one past resource use duration, how a determination time available for a path determination influences quality criterion changes for communication network paths to be determined, and determine a first correction value synchronization events based on the quality criterion changes, and the control units determine a second correction value for the synchronization events if inconsistent state variables are determined when the state variables are adjusted to one another.

Methods for performing neighbor state management between peers of a Multi-Chassis Link Aggregation Group (MCLAG) are provided. In one method, a first peer of a Multi-Chassis Link Aggregation Group (MCLAG) performs state management for each neighbor entry in a first set of neighbor entries. Similarly, a second peer of the MCLAG connected in parallel with the first peer performs state management for each neighbor entry in a second set of neighbor entries, the second set of neighbor entries containing contain at least one neighbor entry absent from the first set of neighbor entries.