A fabric manager includes: a processing unit having a service chain creation module configured to create a service chain by connecting some of a plurality of nodes via virtual links; wherein the some of the plurality of nodes represent respective network components of an auxiliary network configured to obtain packets from a traffic production network; and wherein the service chain is configured to control an order of the network components represented by the some of the plurality of nodes packets are to traverse.

Examples include techniques for virtual Ethernet switching of a multi-node fabric. In some examples, first Ethernet links coupled with a group of Ethernet gateways are link aggregated. The group of Ethernet gateways couple with respective individual physical switch ports of a fabric switch of a multi-node fabric to form a default logical gateway to provide an uplink between a virtual Ethernet switch and an Ethernet network external to the multi-node fabric. Also, one or more individual Ethernet gateways coupled with respective individual physical switch ports of the fabric switch may be arranged to provide one or more respective downlinks between the virtual Ethernet switch and one or more Ethernet nodes external to the multi-node fabric via respective second Ethernet links coupled with the one or more individual Ethernet gateways.

In one embodiment, a device in a network receives a notification from a neighbor of the device indicative of a child node of the device requesting a parent change from the device to the neighbor. The device updates an existing routing path from the device to the child node to be routed through the neighbor, in response to receiving the notification from the neighbor. The device receives an instruction to remove the updated routing path from the device to the child node through the neighbor. The device removes the updated routing path from the device to the child node, in response to receiving the instruction to remove the updated routing path.

In general, techniques are described for steering data traffic for a subscriber session from a network interface of a wireless access gateway to an anchoring one of a plurality of forwarding units of the wireless access gateway using a layer 2 (L2) address of the data traffic. For example, a wireless access gateway for a wireless local area network (WLAN) access network is described as having a decentralized data plane that includes multiple forwarding units for implementing subscriber sessions. Each forwarding unit may present a network interface for sending and receiving network packets and includes packet processing capabilities to enable subscriber data packet processing to perform the functionality of the wireless access gateway. The techniques enable steering data traffic for a given subscriber session to a particular one of the forwarding units of the wireless access gateway using an L2 address of the data traffic.

Technologies for coordinating access to packets include a network device. The network device is to establish a ring in a memory of the network device. The ring includes a plurality of slots. The network device is also to allocate cores to each of an input stage, an output stage, and a worker stage. The worker stage is to process data in a data packet with an associated worker function. The network device is also to add, with the input stage, an entry to a slot in the ring representative of a data packet received with a network interface controller of the network device, access, with the worker stage, the entry in the ring to process at least a portion of the data packet, and provide, with the output stage, the processed data packet to the network interface controller for transmission.

In one embodiment, an apparatus includes a switch core that has a multi-stage switch fabric. A first set of peripheral processing devices coupled to the multi-stage switch fabric by a set of connections that have a protocol. Each peripheral processing device from the first set of peripheral processing devices is a storage node that has virtualized resources. The virtualized resources of the first set of peripheral processing devices collectively define a virtual storage resource interconnected by the switch core. A second set of peripheral processing devices coupled to the multi-stage switch fabric by a set of connections that have the protocol. Each peripheral processing device from the first set of peripheral processing devices is a compute node that has virtualized resources. The virtualized resources of the second set of peripheral processing devices collectively define a virtual compute resource interconnected by the switch core.

Examples disclosed herein relate to receiving, by a scheduler, a request for a window during which to send a data packet through a crossbar. Transmission of the data packet is dependent upon a pool of transmission credits. The scheduler determines whether the pool of transmission credits is sufficient for transmitting the data packet, and when it is determined that the pool of transmission credits is insufficient, the scheduler determines whether to block the request or to speculatively arbitrate the window based on a value of a speculative request counter.

A method begins by a first computing device determining a routing plan to route a set of encoded data slices from the first computing device to a second computing device via a plurality of network paths of a communications network. The method continues with the second computing device receiving encoded data slices via one or more network paths. When the second computing device receives a decode threshold number of encoded data slices, the method continues with the second computing device sending a message to the communications network indicating receipt of the decode threshold number of encoded data slices. The method continues with a relay unit determining whether the relay unit is in possession of a not-yet delivered encoded data slice. When the relay unit is in possession of the not-yet delivered encoded data slice, the method continues with the relay unit ceasing forwarding of the not-yet delivered encoded data slice.

A wireless packet switch and methods for controlling the same include a multiple port controllers, each in communication with a respective wireless transceiver, configured to analyze data streams to and from the respective wireless transceiver; a cross-connect switch in communication with all of the port controllers, configured to provide connections between respective port controllers; an arbiter, in communication with all of the port controllers and with the cross-connect switch, configured to control the cross-connect switch, such that the cross-connect switch connects data streams of the port controllers in accordance with packet destination information and scheduling information from the port controllers.

An intelligent network patch field management system is provided that includes active electronic hardware, firmware, mechanical assemblies, cables, and software that guide, monitor, and report on the process of connecting and disconnecting patch cords plugs in an interconnect or cross-connect patching environment. The system is also capable of monitoring patch cord connections to detect insertions or removals of patch cords or plugs. In addition, the system can map embodiments of patch fields.