Michael L Fine

US Patent:

6643260, Nov 4, 2003

Filed:

Dec 18, 1998

Appl. No.:

09/213105

Inventors:

Raymond J. Kloth - Mountain View CA
Thomas J. Edsall - Cupertino CA
Michael Fine - San Francisco CA
Dinesh G. Dutt - Santa Clara CA

Assignee:

Cisco Technology, Inc. - San Jose CA

International Classification:

G01R 3108

US Classification:

370235, 370412

Abstract:

A content addressable memory (CAM or L3 Table) contains flow information for each active flow of packets passing through a given node of a data communications network. The CAM has associated with each entry (corresponding to each active flow) a packet counter, a byte counter, a token bucket and a contract value. Each flow is assigned one of a plurality of output queues and optionally at least one output threshold value. A token bucket algorithm is employed on each flow to determine whether packets from that flow exceed the contract value. Such packets may be dropped or optimally modified to reflect an alternate output queue and/or alternate threshold before being sent to the selected output queue for transmission from the node. In another aspect an access control list CAM (ACLCAM) contains masked flow information. The ACLCAM provides an index to internal token bucket counters and preconfigured contract values of an aggregate flow table which becomes affected by the packet statistics.

US Patent:

6741592, May 25, 2004

Filed:

May 22, 2000

Appl. No.:

09/575774

Inventors:

Thomas J. Edsall - Cupertino CA
Michael Fine - San Francisco CA
Thomas Nosella - Sunnyvale CA

Assignee:

Cisco Technology, Inc. - San Jose CA

International Classification:

G06F 15173

US Classification:

370389, 370401, 709225

Abstract:

The invention uses a layer switch (L switch), or bridge, to separate users message traffic by use of Virtual Local Area Networks (VLANs) defined within the switch. Three new types of ports are defined, âpromiscuousâ ports âisolatedâ ports, and âcommunityâ ports. Three types of VLANs internal to the switch are defined, âprimaryâ VLANs, âisolatedâ VLANs and âcommunityâ VLANs. The promiscuous ports are connected to layer or layer devices. Isolated ports and community ports are connected to individual users servers, etc. , and maintain traffic for each user separate from other users. The primary VLAN connects to all promiscuous ports, to all isolated ports, and to all community ports. The primary VLAN is a one way connection from promiscuous ports to isolated or community ports. An isolated VLAN connects to all promiscuous ports and to all isolated ports.

US Patent:

6798746, Sep 28, 2004

Filed:

May 28, 2002

Appl. No.:

10/156971

Inventors:

Raymond J. Kloth - Mountain View CA
Thomas J. Edsall - Cupertino CA
Michael Fine - San Francisco CA
Dinesh G. Dutt - Santa Clara CA

Assignee:

Cisco Technology, Inc. - San Jose CA

International Classification:

G01R 3108

US Classification:

370235, 370412

Abstract:

A content addressable memory (CAM or L3 Table) contains flow information for each active flow of packets passing through a given node of a data communications network. The CAM has associated with each entry (corresponding to each active flow) a packet counter, a byte counter, a token bucket and a contract value. Each flow is assigned one of a plurality of output queues and optionally at least one output threshold value. A token bucket algorithm is employed on each flow to determine whether packets from that flow exceed the contract value. Such packets may be dropped or optimally modified to reflect an alternate output queue and/or alternate threshold before being sent to the selected output queue for transmission from the node. In another aspect an access control list CAM (ACLCAM) contains masked flow information. The ACLCAM provides an index to internal token bucket counters and preconfigured contract values of an aggregate flow table which becomes affected by the packet statistics.

US Patent:

6813250, Nov 2, 2004

Filed:

Dec 22, 2000

Appl. No.:

09/748534

Inventors:

Michael Fine - San Francisco CA
Silvano Gai - Vigliano dAsti, IT
Keith McCloghrie - San Jose CA

Assignee:

Cisco Technology, Inc. - San Jose CA

International Classification:

H04L 1228

US Classification:

370256, 370402, 370397

Abstract:

A shared spanning tree protocol (SSTP) creates a plurality of spanning trees (i. e. , loop-free paths) which are shared among one or more virtual local area network (VLAN) designations for data transmission within a computer network. Each shared spanning tree includes and is defined by a primary VLAN and may be associated with one or more secondary VLANs. In order to associate VLAN designation(s) with a single shared spanning tree, network devices exchange novel shared spanning tree protocol data units (SST-PDUs). Each SST-PDU corresponds to a given primary VLAN and preferably includes one or more fields which list the secondary VLAN designations associated with the given primary VLAN. The association of VLAN designations to shared spanning trees, moreover, preferably depends on which path traffic is to follow as well as the anticipated load characteristics of the various VLANs. The association of VLAN designations to shared spanning trees thus provides a degree of load balancing within the network. Data messages tagged with a particular VLAN designation are then distributed by the devices only along the shared spanning tree to which that VLAN has been associated by SSTP.

US Patent:

6868065, Mar 15, 2005

Filed:

Mar 18, 2003

Appl. No.:

10/391683

Inventors:

Raymond J. Kloth - Mountain View CA, US
Thomas J. Edsall - Cupertino CA, US
Michael Fine - San Francisco CA, US
Dinesh G. Dutt - Santa Clara CA, US

Assignee:

Cisco Technology, Inc. - San Jose CA

International Classification:

H04J001/16
H04J003/14
H04L001/00
H04L012/26
H04L012/28

US Classification:

370236, 37039541, 370412

Abstract:

A method and apparatus for implementing Quality of Service (QoS) policy in a data communications network. An active flow content addressable memory (CAM) contains entries of flow information for each active flow of packets passing through a given node of the data communications network. The CAM has associated with each entry a packet counter, a byte counter, a token bucket, and a contract value. Each flow is assigned one of a plurality of output queues and optionally at least one output threshold value. A token bucket algorithm is employed on each flow to determine whether packets from that flow exceed the contract value. Such packets may be dropped or optimally modified to reflect an alternate output queue and/or alternate threshold before being sent to the selected output queue for transmission from the node.

US Patent:

6870812, Mar 22, 2005

Filed:

Mar 18, 2003

Appl. No.:

10/392157

Inventors:

Raymond J. Kloth - Mountain View CA, US
Thomas J. Edsall - Cupertino CA, US
Michael Fine - San Francisco CA, US
Dinesh G. Dutt - Santa Clara CA, US

Assignee:

Cisco Technology, Inc. - San Jose CA

International Classification:

H04L012/26
H04L012/28
H04L012/56
H04J001/16
H04J003/14

US Classification:

370235, 37039542, 370412

Abstract:

A method and apparatus for implementing Quality of Service (QoS) policy in a data communications network. A content addressable memory (CAM) contains flow information for each active flow of packets passing through a given node of a data communications network. The CAM has associated with each entry a packet counter, a byte counter, a token bucket, and a contract value. Each flow is assigned one of a plurality of output queues and optionally at least one output threshold value. An access control list CAM (ACLCAM) contains masked flow information. The ACLCAM provides an index to internal token bucket counters and preconfigured contract values of an aggregate flow table which becomes affected by the packet statistics. In this way, flows are aggregated for assignment of output queues and thresholds, possible dropping, and possible modification of packets.

US Patent:

7200145, Apr 3, 2007

Filed:

May 5, 2004

Appl. No.:

10/840212

Inventors:

Thomas J. Edsall - Cupertino CA, US
Michael Fine - San Francisco CA, US
Thomas Nosella - Sunnyvale CA, US

Assignee:

Cisco Technology, Inc. - San Jose CA

International Classification:

H04L 12/56

US Classification:

370389, 370401, 709225

Abstract:

The invention uses a layer 2 switch (L2 switch), or bridge, to separate user's message traffic by use of Virtual Local Area Networks (VLANs) defined within the switch. Three new types of ports are defined, “promiscuous” ports “isolated” ports, and “community” ports. Three types of VLANs internal to the switch are defined, “primary” VLANs, “isolated” VLANs and “community” VLANs. The promiscuous ports are connected to layer 3 or layer 4 devices. Isolated ports and community ports are connected to individual user's servers, etc. , and maintain traffic for each user separate from other users. The primary VLAN connects to all promiscuous ports, to all isolated ports, and to all community ports. The primary VLAN is a one way connection from promiscuous ports to isolated or community ports. An isolated VLAN connects to all promiscuous ports and to all isolated ports.

US Patent:

7546458, Jun 9, 2009

Filed:

Oct 18, 2002

Appl. No.:

10/273497

Inventors:

Aman Singla - Fremont CA, US
Andrew M. Davidson - San Jose CA, US
Michael Fine - San Francisco CA, US
Kevin Hayes - Mountain View CA, US

Assignee:

Atheros Communications, Inc. - Santa Clara CA

International Classification:

H04L 9/00
H04K 1/00
G06F 15/173

US Classification:

713166, 380255, 709223

Abstract:

An access point in a wireless communication system can be configured to include multiple virtual LANS (VLANs) based on security levels, thereby allowing secure traffic to be isolated from insecure traffic. Configuring the access point can include assigning a security level to each VLAN and setting a security association for each station associated with the access point. Based on this security association, each station can be assigned to an appropriate VLAN.