Routing methods, systems, and computer program products

• US 10,652,150 B1
• Filed: 11/19/2018
• Issued: 05/12/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: MORRIS ROUTING TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
• Original Assignee: Sitting Man LLC
• Inventors: Morris, Robert Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Haile, Awet
• Application Number:
  US16/195,823
• Time in Patent Office: 540 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/02 Topology update or discovery
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/04 Interdomain routing, e.g. hierarchical routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/126 minimising geographical or physical path length
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/16 Multipoint routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/22 Alternate routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/50 using label swapping, e.g. multi-protocol label switch [MPLS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/745 Address table lookup; Address filtering
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/901 using storage descriptor, e.g. read or write pointers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4511 using domain name system [DNS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5007 Internet protocol [IP] addresses

Abstract

In various embodiments, an apparatus, a non-transitory computer-readable media, and a method are provided, involving a technique to: determine one or more operations each associated with a respective outside scope identifier that identifies at least one region of a network and that is includable in path information for routing data along a network path that includes a border node of each region of the network, wherein, for each region, the one or more operations associated with the respective outside scope identifier is for processing by the border node of each region as a result of routing the data along the network path; generate a packet including the path information, and one or more headers that include: one or more pointer portions and one or more operation portions; and transmit the packet along the network path from the network device, wherein the generation of the packet comprises: writing, to the one or more headers, one or more pointers to the one or more pointer portions, and one or more operation identifiers to the one or more operation portions.

Claims

1. A non-transitory computer-readable media storing computer instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a network device, cause the network device to:

determine a command identifier that identifies an operation to be performed as a result of routing data from the network device toward a receiving node;

locate a path node that;

is capable of performing the operation identified by the command identifier, is included in a network path communicatively coupling the network device and the receiving node, and is a border node, the border node being at least partially in a network region identified by an outside scope identifier that is includable in path information configured for use in routing the data along the network path, the outside scope identifier configured to cause the path node to perform the operation identified by the command identifier as a result of routing the data along the network path, the network region being separate from another network region in which the receiving node at least partially resides, the path information further including at least one segment identifier that identifies at least one of;

a network interface of the receiving node or the another network region in which the receiving node at least partially resides;

select a path segment of the network path, utilizing the outside scope identifier;

write, to a header of a packet, the command identifier in a location associated with the outside scope identifier, so as to be configured to cause the path node to perform the operation identified by the command identifier after the path node receives the data via the path segment selected utilizing the outside scope identifier; and

transmit, via the path segment selected utilizing the outside scope identifier, the packet along the network path from the network device to the path node, thereby causing the path node to perform the operation identified by the command identifier.

2. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 1, further including instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the network device to operate such that:

the writing the command identifier in the location associated with the outside scope identifier comprises writing a particular command identifier identifying a particular operation to send the packet to a particular network node.

3. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 2, further including instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the network device to:

write a parameter to the header for use by the particular operation to send the packet to the particular network node.

4. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 1, further including instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the network device to operate such that:

the determining the command identifier comprises defining the network path, where the operation controls at least a portion of the network path.

5. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 1, further including instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the network device to operate such that:

the operation is executable on a general-purpose computing machine.

6. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 1, further including instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the network device to operate such that:

the path information is predetermined by multiple topology nodes.

7. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 1, further including instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the network device to operate such that:

the path information is predetermined by another node other than the network device.

8. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 1, further including instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the network device to operate such that:

the network path is specified using a first number of identifiers that is fewer than a second number of identifiers required to specify the network path deterministically such that every hop in the network path is predetermined.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 1, further including instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the network device to operate such that:

the path segment is selected for transmitting the packet along the network path, without control signaling after a receipt of a preceding packet.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 1, further including instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the network device to operate such that:

the packet is capable of being transmitted by the network device along different ones of a plurality of path segments.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 1, further including instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the network device to operate such that:

the packet is capable of being forwarded by the network device along different ones of a plurality of path segments based on;

a policy, and a state of a network at a time when an incoming data packet is received.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 1, further including instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the network device to operate such that:

a current state of a network is not maintained by the network device.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 1, wherein the outside scope identifier does not include an interface portion specified for identifying any network interface.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 1, further including instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the network device to operate such that:

processing of the packet is based on a first policy, and processing of another packet is based on a second policy.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 1, further including instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the network device to operate such that:

the path segment is selected for the packet based on a first policy, and another path segment is selected for another packet based on a second policy.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 1, further including instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the network device to operate such that:

the path segment is selected for the packet based on a first policy, and another path segment is selected, based on a second policy, for another packet that includes the command identifier and the outside scope identifier.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 1, further including instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the network device to operate such that:

the path segment is selected for the packet based on a first policy, and another path segment is selected, based on a second policy, for another packet that includes at least one of;

another command identifier or another outside scope identifier.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 1, further including instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the network device to operate such that:

the path segment is selected for the packet based on a first policy, and another path segment is selected for another packet to be sent to the path node, based on a second policy.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 1, further including instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the network device to operate such that:

the path segment is selected for the packet based on a first policy, and another path segment is selected for another packet to be sent to another path node, based on a second policy.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 1, further including instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the network device to operate such that the outside scope identifier includes a node scoped identifier.

21. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 1, further including instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the network device to operate such that the outside scope identifier includes a region scoped identifier.

22. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 1, further including instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the network device to operate such that the network region is separate from the another network region in which the receiving node at least partially resides, by only partially overlapping the another network region.

23. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 1, further including instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the network device to operate such that the network region is separate from the another network region in which the receiving node at least partially resides, by not overlapping the another network region.

24. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 1, further including instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the network device to operate such that the at least one segment identifier identifies the network interface of the receiving node.

25. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 1, further including instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the network device to operate such that the at least one segment identifier identifies the another network region in which the receiving node at least partially resides.

26. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 1, further including instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the network device to operate such that the outside scope identifier is based on a node scope-specific identifier that is in an identifier space for a region that spans within the network device.

27. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 1, further including instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the network device to operate such that the outside scope identifier includes a region scope-specific identifier.

28. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 1, further including instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the network device to operate such that at least one of:

the packet is transmitted along the network path by being transmitted along a portion of the network path;

the packet is transmitted along the network path by being transmitted along only a portion of the network path;

the operation is part of a service;

the command identifier is written in the location associated with the outside scope identifier, by being written adjacent to the outside scope identifier;

the command identifier is written in the location associated with the outside scope identifier, by being written contiguous the outside scope identifier;

the command identifier is written in the location associated with the outside scope identifier, such that the command identifier is in a predetermined position in the header relative to the outside scope identifier;

the command identifier is written in the location associated with the outside scope identifier, by writing the command identifier to an extension of the header;

the command identifier is written in the location associated with the outside scope identifier, by writing the command identifier to an extension of the header that is positioned relative to the outside scope identifier;

the command identifier is the only command identifier in the header;

the command identifier is one of a plurality of command identifiers in the header;

the border node is only partially in the network region;

the border node is completely in the network region;

the network region is an area in a network;

the network region is a virtual area in a network;

the network region is a physical area in a network;

the command identifier is determined after the path node is located;

the command identifier is determined before the path node is located;

the path segment is selected after the command identifier is written;

the path segment is selected before the command identifier is written;

the outside scope identifier is actually included in the path information;

the outside scope identifier is not included in the path information even though it is includable therein;

the outside scope identifier is written to the header of the packet;

the outside scope identifier is not written to the header of the packet;

the outside scope identifier is written to a header of another packet;

the network region is separate from the another network region in which the receiving node at least partially resides, by being mutually exclusive with respect to the another network region;

the network region is separate from the another network region in which the receiving node at least partially resides, by only partially overlapping the another network region;

the network region is separate from the another network region in which the receiving node at least partially resides, by not overlapping the another network region;

the at least one segment identifier identifies only one of the network interface of the receiving node or the another network region in which the receiving node at least partially resides;

the at least one segment identifier identifies the network interface of the receiving node;

the at least one segment identifier identifies the another network region in which the receiving node at least partially resides;

the at least one segment identifier identifies only the network interface of the receiving node;

the at least one segment identifier identifies only the another network region in which the receiving node at least partially resides;

the receiving node only partially resides in the another network region;

the receiving node completely resides in the another network region;

only a portion of the receiving node resides in the another network region;

an entirety of the receiving node resides in the another network region;

the non-transitory computer-readable media is included as part of a system that further comprises the network device;

or

the non-transitory computer-readable media is included as part of the network device.

29. A non-transitory computer-readable media storing computer instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a network device, cause the network device to:

receive, via a path segment selected by a previous node utilizing an outside scope identifier that identifies a network region in which the network device is a border node that is at least partially included the network region, a packet comprising a header including an operation portion and a parameter portion, wherein the operation portion and the parameter portion are included in the header at a location associated with the outside scope identifier to cause the network device, which is capable of performing a first operation identified by a first operation identifier in the operation portion, to perform the first operation utilizing data in the parameter portion;

determine the first operation identifier in the operation portion;

perform the first operation identified by the first operation identifier, wherein the performing the first operation comprises reading the data in the parameter portion and setting an indicator associated with network path information that identifies the outside scope identifier to identify a next outside scope identifier in the network path information, where the next outside scope identifier is associated with a next operation portion; and

forward the packet to a subsequent network node indicated by a value in the data in the parameter portion, the value associated with the outside scope identifier in the network path information previously identified by the indicator.

30. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 29, further including instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the network device to operate such that the next outside scope identifier is further associated with a next parameter portion.

31. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 29, further including instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the network device to operate such that:

the network path information is predetermined by multiple topology nodes.

32. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 29, further including instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the network device to operate such that:

the network path information is predetermined by another node other than the network device.

33. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 29, further including instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the network device to operate such that:

a network path is specified using a first number of identifiers that is fewer than a second number of identifiers required to specify the network path deterministically such that every hop in the network path is predetermined.

34. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 29, further including instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the network device to operate such that:

a path segment is selected for forwarding the packet, without control signaling after a receipt of a preceding packet.

35. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 29, further including instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the network device to operate such that:

the packet is capable of being forwarded by the network device along different ones of a plurality of path segments.

36. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 29, further including instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the network device to operate such that:

the packet is capable of being forwarded by the network device along different ones of a plurality of path segments based on;

a policy, and a state of a network at a time when an incoming data packet is received.

37. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 29, further including instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the network device to operate such that:

a current state of a network is not maintained by the network device.

38. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 29, further including instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the network device to operate such that:

processing of the packet is based on a first policy, and processing of another packet is based on a second policy.

39. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 29, further including instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the network device to operate such that:

the path segment is selected for the packet based on a first policy, and another path segment is selected for another packet based on a second policy.

40. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 29, further including instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the network device to operate such that:

the path segment is selected for the packet based on a first policy, and another path segment is selected, based on a second policy, for another packet that includes the outside scope identifier.

41. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 29, further including instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the network device to operate such that:

the path segment is selected for the packet based on a first policy, and another path segment is selected, based on a second policy, for another packet that includes another outside scope identifier.

42. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 29, further including instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the network device to operate such that:

the path segment is selected for the packet based on a first policy, and another path segment is selected for another packet to be received by the network device, based on a second policy.

43. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 29, further including instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the network device to operate such that:

the path segment is selected for the packet based on a first policy, such that another path segment is selected for another packet to be received by another network device, based on a second policy.

44. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 29, further including instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the network device to operate such that the outside scope identifier includes a node scoped identifier.

45. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 29, further including instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the network device to operate such that the outside scope identifier includes a region scoped identifier.

46. An apparatus, comprising:

a network device including at least one non-transitory memory configured to store instructions, and one or more processors in communication with the at least one non-transitory memory, wherein the one or more processors is configured to execute the instructions to cause the network device to;

determine a command identifier that identifies an operation to be performed as a result of routing data from the network device toward a receiving node;

locate a path node that;

is capable of performing the operation, is included in a network path communicatively coupling the network device and the receiving node, and is a border node, the border node being at least partially in a network region identified by an outside scope identifier that is includable in path information configured for use in routing the data along the network path, the outside scope identifier configured to cause the path node to perform the operation as a result of routing the data along the network path, the network region being separate from another network region in which the receiving node at least partially resides, the path information further including at least one segment identifier that identifies at least one of;

a network interface of the receiving node or the another network region in which the receiving node at least partially resides;

select a path segment of the network path, utilizing the outside scope identifier;

write, to a header of a packet, the command identifier in a location associated with the outside scope identifier, so as to be configured to cause the path node to perform the operation identified by the command identifier after the path node receives the data via the path segment selected utilizing the outside scope identifier; and

transmit, via the path segment selected utilizing the outside scope identifier, the packet along the network path from the network device to the path node, thereby causing the path node to perform the operation identified by the command identifier.

47. The apparatus of claim 46, wherein the apparatus is configured such that the writing the command identifier in the location associated with the outside scope identifier results in a first identifier-command pair being located in the header, the first identifier-command pair is one of a plurality of identifier-command pairs located in the header, and each of the plurality of identifier-command pairs includes a particular command identifier stored in a location associated with a corresponding outside scope identifier, where the particular command identifier identifies a particular operation to send at least a portion of a content of the packet to a particular network node.

48. The apparatus of claim 47, wherein the apparatus is configured to:

write a parameter to the header for use by the particular operation to send the packet to the particular network node.

49. The apparatus of claim 46, wherein the apparatus is configured such that the determining the command identifier includes defining the network path where the operation, when performed, controls at least a portion of the network path.

50. The apparatus of claim 46, wherein the operation identified by the command identifier is a particular operation executable on a general-purpose computing machine.

51. An apparatus, comprising:

a network device including at least one non-transitory memory configured to store instructions, and one or more processors in communication with the at least one non-transitory memory, wherein the one or more processors is configured to execute the instructions to cause the network device to;

receive, via a path segment selected by a previous node utilizing an outside scope identifier that identifies a network region in which the network device is a border node that is at least partially included the network region, a packet comprising a header including an operation portion and a parameter portion, wherein the operation portion and the parameter portion are included in the header at a location associated with the outside scope identifier to cause the network device, which is capable of performing a first operation identified by a first operation identifier in the operation portion, to perform the first operation utilizing data in the parameter portion;

determine the first operation identifier in the operation portion;

perform the first operation identified by the first operation identifier, wherein the performing the first operation comprises reading the data in the parameter portion and setting an indicator associated with network path information that identifies the outside scope identifier to identify a next outside scope identifier in the network path information, where the next outside scope identifier is associated with a next operation portion; and

forward the packet to a subsequent network node indicated by a value in the data in the parameter portion, the value associated with the outside scope identifier in the network path information previously identified by the indicator.

52. The apparatus of claim 51, wherein the apparatus is configured such that the next outside scope identifier is further associated with a next parameter portion.

53. A method, comprising:

performing at least one act to cause a network device to;

determine a command identifier that identifies an operation to be performed as a result of routing data from the network device toward a receiving node,

locate a path node that;

performs the operation identified by the command identifier, is included in a network path communicatively coupling the network device and the receiving node, and is a border node, the border node being at least partially in a network region identified by an outside scope identifier that is includable in path information configured for use in routing the data along the network path, the outside scope identifier causing the path node to perform the operation identified by the command identifier as a result of routing the data along the network path, the network region being separate from another network region in which the receiving node at least partially resides, the path information further including at least one segment identifier that identifies at least one of;

a network interface of the receiving node or the another network region in which the receiving node at least partially resides,

select a path segment of the network path, utilizing the outside scope identifier,

write, to a header of a packet, the command identifier in a location associated with the outside scope identifier, so as to cause the path node to perform the operation identified by the command identifier after the path node receives the data via the path segment selected utilizing the outside scope identifier, and

transmit, via the path segment selected utilizing the outside scope identifier, the packet along the network path from the network device to the path node, thereby causing the path node to perform the operation identified by the command identifier; and

causing storage of a result of the at least one act on a non-transitory computer-readable media.

54. The method of claim 53, and comprising:

performing at least one additional act to cause the network device to operate such that;

the writing the command identifier in the location associated with the outside scope identifier comprises writing a particular command identifier identifying a particular operation to send the packet to a particular network node.

55. The method of claim 54, and comprising:

performing at least one additional act to cause the network device to;

write a parameter to the header for use by the particular operation to send the packet to the particular network node.

56. The method of claim 53, and comprising:

performing at least one additional act to cause the network device to operate such that;

the determining the command identifier comprises defining the network path, where the operation controls at least a portion of the network path.

57. The method of claim 53, and comprising:

performing at least one additional act to cause the network device to operate such that;

the operation is executable on a general-purpose computing machine.

58. The method of claim 53, and comprising:

performing at least one additional act to cause the network device to operate such that;

the path information is predetermined by multiple topology nodes.

59. The method of claim 53, and comprising:

performing at least one additional act to cause the network device to operate such that;

the path information is predetermined by another node other than the network device.

60. The method of claim 53, and comprising:

performing at least one additional act to cause the network device to operate such that;

the network path is specified using a first number of identifiers that is fewer than a second number of identifiers required to specify the network path deterministically such that every hop in the network path is predetermined.

61. The method of claim 53, and comprising:

performing at least one additional act to cause the network device to operate such that;

the path segment is selected for transmitting the packet along the network path, without control signaling after a receipt of a preceding packet.

62. The method of claim 53, and comprising:

performing at least one additional act to cause the network device to operate such that;

the packet is transmitted by the network device along different ones of a plurality of path segments.

63. The method of claim 53, and comprising:

performing at least one additional act to cause the network device to operate such that;

the packet is forwarded by the network device along different ones of a plurality of path segments based on;

a policy, and a state of a network at a time when an incoming data packet is received.

64. The method of claim 53, and comprising:

performing at least one additional act to cause the network device to operate such that;

a current state of a network is not maintained by the network device.

65. The method of claim 53, wherein the outside scope identifier does not include an interface portion specified for identifying any network interface.

66. The method of claim 53, and comprising:

performing at least one additional act to cause the network device to operate such that;

processing of the packet is based on a first policy, and processing of another packet is based on a second policy.

67. The method of claim 53, and comprising:

performing at least one additional act to cause the network device to operate such that;

the path segment is selected for the packet based on a first policy, and another path segment is selected for another packet based on a second policy.

68. The method of claim 53, and comprising:

performing at least one additional act to cause the network device to operate such that;

the path segment is selected for the packet based on a first policy, and another path segment is selected, based on a second policy, for another packet that includes the command identifier and the outside scope identifier.

69. The method of claim 53, and comprising:

performing at least one additional act to cause the network device to operate such that;

the path segment is selected for the packet based on a first policy, and another path segment is selected, based on a second policy, for another packet that includes at least one of;

another command identifier or another outside scope identifier.

70. The method of claim 53, and comprising:

performing at least one additional act to cause the network device to operate such that;

the path segment is selected for the packet based on a first policy, and another path segment is selected for another packet to be sent to the path node, based on a second policy.

71. The method of claim 53, and comprising:

performing at least one additional act to cause the network device to operate such that;

the path segment is selected for the packet based on a first policy, and another path segment is selected for another packet to be sent to another path node, based on a second policy.

72. The method of claim 53, and comprising:

performing at least one additional act to cause the network device to operate such that the outside scope identifier includes a node scoped identifier.

73. The method of claim 53, and comprising:

performing at least one additional act to cause the network device to operate such that the outside scope identifier includes a region scoped identifier.

74. The method of claim 53, and comprising:

performing at least one additional act to cause the network device to operate such that the network region is separate from the another network region in which the receiving node at least partially resides, by only partially overlapping the another network region.

75. The method of claim 53, and comprising:

performing at least one additional act to cause the network device to operate such that the network region is separate from the another network region in which the receiving node at least partially resides, by not overlapping the another network region.

76. The method of claim 53, and comprising:

performing at least one additional act to cause the network device to operate such that the at least one segment identifier identifies the network interface of the receiving node.

77. The method of claim 53, and comprising:

performing at least one additional act to cause the network device to operate such that the at least one segment identifier identifies the another network region in which the receiving node at least partially resides.

78. The method of claim 53, and comprising:

performing at least one additional act to cause the network device to operate such that the outside scope identifier is based on a node scope-specific identifier that is in an identifier space for a region that spans within the network device.

79. The method of claim 53, and comprising:

performing at least one additional act to cause the network device to operate such that the outside scope identifier includes a region scope-specific identifier.

80. The method of claim 53, and comprising:

performing at least one additional act to cause the network device to operate such that at least one of;

the packet is transmitted along the network path by being transmitted along a portion of the network path;

the packet is transmitted along the network path by being transmitted along only a portion of the network path;

the operation is part of a service;

the command identifier is written in the location associated with the outside scope identifier, by being written adjacent to the outside scope identifier;

the command identifier is written in the location associated with the outside scope identifier, by being written contiguous the outside scope identifier;

the command identifier is written in the location associated with the outside scope identifier, such that the command identifier is in a predetermined position in the header relative to the outside scope identifier;

the command identifier is written in the location associated with the outside scope identifier, by writing the command identifier to an extension of the header;

the command identifier is written in the location associated with the outside scope identifier, by writing the command identifier to an extension of the header that is positioned relative to the outside scope identifier;

the command identifier is the only command identifier in the header;

the command identifier is one of a plurality of command identifiers in the header;

the border node is only partially in the network region;

the border node is completely in the network region;

the network region is an area in a network;

the network region is a virtual area in a network;

the network region is a physical area in a network;

the command identifier is determined after the path node is located;

the command identifier is determined before the path node is located;

the path segment is selected after the command identifier is written;

the path segment is selected before the command identifier is written;

the outside scope identifier is actually included in the path information;

the outside scope identifier is not included in the path information even though it is includable therein;

the outside scope identifier is written to the header of the packet;

the outside scope identifier is not written to the header of the packet;

the outside scope identifier is written to a header of another packet;

the network region is separate from the another network region in which the receiving node at least partially resides, by being mutually exclusive with respect to the another network region;

the network region is separate from the another network region in which the receiving node at least partially resides, by only partially overlapping the another network region;

the network region is separate from the another network region in which the receiving node at least partially resides, by not overlapping the another network region;

the at least one segment identifier identifies only one of the network interface of the receiving node or the another network region in which the receiving node at least partially resides;

the at least one segment identifier identifies the network interface of the receiving node;

the at least one segment identifier identifies the another network region in which the receiving node at least partially resides;

the at least one segment identifier identifies only the network interface of the receiving node;

the at least one segment identifier identifies only the another network region in which the receiving node at least partially resides;

the receiving node only partially resides in the another network region;

the receiving node completely resides in the another network region;

only a portion of the receiving node resides in the another network region;

an entirety of the receiving node resides in the another network region;

the non-transitory computer-readable media is included as part of a system that further comprises the network device;

the non-transitory computer-readable media is included as part of a node other than the network device;

the non-transitory computer-readable media is included as part of the network device;

the at least one act is performed at the network device;

the at least one act is performed at a certain node other than the network device;

the at least one act and the at least one additional act are performed at the network device;

the at least one act and the at least one additional act are performed at a certain node other than the network device;

the at least one act and the at least one additional act are performed at a certain node other than the network device;

the at least one act and the at least one additional act are performed at a certain node other than the network device;

at least one of the at least one act or the at least one additional act includes a configuration;

at least one of the at least one act or the at least one additional act includes a configuration of instructions;

the at least one act causes the network device to perform the determining, the locating, the selecting, the writing, and the causing;

the at least one act causes the network device to perform at least one of the determining, the locating, the selecting, the writing, or the causing;

the at least one act causes at least one operation to be performed other than the determining, the locating, the selecting, the writing, and the causing;

the causing storage includes causing storage of at least portion of instructions on the non-transitory computer-readable media for being accessible to a user so that the user is capable of installing the at least portion of the instructions on other media of the network device, for execution;

the causing storage includes causing storage of at least portion of instructions on the non-transitory computer-readable media, that is part of the network device;

the causing storage includes causing storage of at least portion of instructions on the non-transitory computer-readable media, that is part of the network device, so that the network device is provided to a user for use;

the causing storage includes installation;

the causing storage includes causing transfer of at least portion of instructions from persistent storage to volatile memory;

the non-transitory computer-readable media includes a register;

the non-transitory computer-readable media includes volatile memory;

the non-transitory computer-readable media includes persistent storage;

the method further comprises configuring the network device;

the method further comprises coupling the non-transitory computer-readable media to one or more processors;

the method further comprises providing the network device;

the method further comprises providing the non-transitory computer-readable media;

the method further comprises providing one or more processors;

the non-transitory computer-readable media is part of the network device;

or

the non-transitory computer-readable media is separate from network device memory of the network device.

81. A method, comprising:

performing at least one act to cause a network device to;

receive, via a path segment selected by a previous node utilizing an outside scope identifier that identifies a network region in which the network device is a border node that is at least partially included the network region, a packet comprising a header including an operation portion and a parameter portion, wherein the operation portion and the parameter portion are included in the header at a location associated with the outside scope identifier to cause the network device, which performs a first operation identified by a first operation identifier in the operation portion, to perform the first operation utilizing data in the parameter portion,

determine the first operation identifier in the operation portion,

perform the first operation identified by the first operation identifier, wherein the performing the first operation comprises reading the data in the parameter portion and setting an indicator associated with network path information that identifies the outside scope identifier to identify a next outside scope identifier in the network path information, where the next outside scope identifier is associated with a next operation portion, and

forward the packet to a subsequent network node indicated by a value in the data in the parameter portion, the value associated with the outside scope identifier in the network path information previously identified by the indicator; and

causing storage of a result of the at least one act on a non-transitory computer-readable media.

82. The method of claim 81, and comprising:

performing at least one additional act to cause the network device to operate such that the next outside scope identifier is further associated with a next parameter portion.

83. The method of claim 81, and comprising:

performing at least one additional act to cause the network device to operate such that;

the network path information is predetermined by multiple topology nodes.

84. The method of claim 81, and comprising:

performing at least one additional act to cause the network device to operate such that;

the network path information is predetermined by another node other than the network device.

85. The method of claim 81, and comprising:

performing at least one additional act to cause the network device to operate such that;

a network path is specified using a first number of identifiers that is fewer than a second number of identifiers required to specify the network path deterministically such that every hop in the network path is predetermined.

86. The method of claim 81, and comprising:

performing at least one additional act to cause the network device to operate such that;

a path segment is selected for forwarding the packet, without control signaling after a receipt of a preceding packet.

87. The method of claim 81, and comprising:

performing at least one additional act to cause the network device to operate such that;

the packet is forwarded by the network device along different ones of a plurality of path segments.

88. The method of claim 81, and comprising:

performing at least one additional act to cause the network device to operate such that;

the packet is forwarded by the network device along different ones of a plurality of path segments based on;

a policy, and a state of a network at a time when an incoming data packet is received.

89. The method of claim 81, and comprising:

performing at least one additional act to cause the network device to operate such that;

a current state of a network is not maintained by the network device.

90. The method of claim 81, and comprising:

performing at least one additional act to cause the network device to operate such that;

the path segment is selected for the packet based on a first policy, and another path segment is selected for another packet based on a second policy.

91. The method of claim 81, and comprising:

performing at least one additional act to cause the network device to operate such that;

the path segment is selected for the packet based on a first policy, and another path segment is selected, based on a second policy, for another packet that includes the outside scope identifier.

92. The method of claim 81, and comprising:

performing at least one additional act to cause the network device to operate such that;

the path segment is selected for the packet based on a first policy, and another path segment is selected, based on a second policy, for another packet that includes another outside scope identifier.

93. The method of claim 81, and comprising:

performing at least one additional act to cause the network device to operate such that;

the path segment is selected for the packet based on a first policy, and another path segment is selected for another packet to be received by the network device, based on a second policy.

94. The method of claim 81, and comprising:

performing at least one additional act to cause the network device to operate such that;

the path segment is selected for the packet based on a first policy, such that another path segment is selected for another packet to be received by another network device, based on a second policy.

95. The method of claim 81, and comprising:

performing at least one additional act to cause the network device to operate such that the outside scope identifier includes a node scoped identifier.

96. The method of claim 81, and comprising:

performing at least one additional act to cause the network device to operate such that the outside scope identifier includes a region scoped identifier.

97. The method of claim 81, and comprising:

performing at least one additional act to cause the network device to operate such that;

processing of the packet is based on a first policy, and processing of another packet is based on a second policy.