Point-to-multipoint virtual circuits for metropolitan area networks
First Claim
1. A method of providing a point to multipoint communication channel in a metropolitan area network among a plurality of demarcation points having unique addresses, comprising:
- identifying a particular demarcation point in the network as a root of the channel, and a plurality of client demarcation points in the network as leaves of the channel; and
configuring switches in the network so that client demarcation points can only exchange packets on the network with the particular demarcation point, and not with other client demarcation points; and
so that the particular demarcation point can exchange packets on the network with the plurality of client demarcation points.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A point to multipoint communication channel in a metropolitan area network among a plurality of demarcation points having unique addresses is provided, which includes identifying a particular demarcation point as a root of the channel, and a plurality of client demarcation points as leaves of the channel; and configuring so that client demarcation points can only exchange packets with the root demarcation point, and not with other client demarcation points; and so that the root demarcation point can exchange packets with the plurality of client demarcation points. The channel is managed using source address filtering at switches on the leaves of the channel and a switch at the root of the channel.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. A method of providing a point to multipoint communication channel in a metropolitan area network among a plurality of demarcation points having unique addresses, comprising:
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identifying a particular demarcation point in the network as a root of the channel, and a plurality of client demarcation points in the network as leaves of the channel; and
configuring switches in the network so that client demarcation points can only exchange packets on the network with the particular demarcation point, and not with other client demarcation points; and
so thatthe particular demarcation point can exchange packets on the network with the plurality of client demarcation points. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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12. A metropolitan area network including a point-to-multipoint channel, comprising:
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a plurality of communication links which traverse a metropolitan area;
a plurality of switches coupled to the communication links, the switches including access switches and interior switches; and
a plurality of demarcation points coupled to access switches in the plurality of switches, the demarcation points comprising service interfaces to the network having unique addresses;
wherein the plurality of access switches are configured to identify a particular demarcation point in the plurality of demarcation points as a root of the channel, and a plurality of client demarcation points in the plurality of demarcation points as leaves of the channel, and so that client demarcation points can only exchange packets on the network with the particular demarcation point, and not with other client demarcation points; and
so thatthe particular demarcation point can exchange packets on the network with the plurality of client demarcation points.
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Specification