Service tunnel over a connectionless network

• US 20020116501A1
• Filed: 02/21/2001
• Published: 08/22/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/21/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Ho, Chi Fai, Bachmutsky, Alexander, Koscinski, Andrzej, Bhat, Ravi Bail, Tzeng, Henry, Sahu, Himansu
• Granted Patent: US 7,225,259 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/227
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4633 Interconnection of networks using encapsulation techniques, e.g. tunneling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5054 Automatic deployment of services triggered by the service manager, e.g. service implementation by automatic configuration of network components
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5077 wherein the managed service relates to simple transport services, i.e. providing only network infrastructure
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5087 wherein the managed service relates to voice services management of VoIP services H04M7/0081
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/509 wherein the managed service relates to media content delivery, e.g. audio, video or TV
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/55 Testing of service level quality, e.g. simulating service usage
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/50 using label swapping, e.g. multi-protocol label switch [MPLS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/00 Network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/35 involving non-standard use of addresses for implementing network functionalities, e.g. coding subscription information within the address or functional addressing, i.e. assigning an address to a function

Abstract

A method for establishing a service tunnel for private internet protocol services over a connectionless network. The private internet protocol services are transported over the service tunnel in accordance with selected respective private internet protocol services.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

establishing a service tunnel for private internet protocol (IP) services over a connectionless network;

transporting private IP packets over the service tunnel in accordance with selected respective private IP services.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the connectionless network is an internet protocol (IP) network.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the connectionless network is a multiprotocol label switching (MPLS) network.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the service tunnel is a modified layer two tunneling protocol (L2TP) tunnel.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the modified L2TP tunnel supports multiple L2TP tunneling sessions within the modified L2TP tunnel.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the private IP services comprise connectivity and addressing services.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the private IP services further comprise reachability and forwarding services.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the private IP services further comprise premium services.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the premium services comprise priority and quality of service.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the private IP services further comprise peering services.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the private IP packets contain data, voice, or video information.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the private IP packets are each encapsulated in an encapsulation services packet and a service tunnel packet.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein establishing a service tunnel for private IP services over a connectionless network comprises:

(1) establishing a control connection between at least two network devices to form a tunnel; and

(2) establishing a session between the at least two network devices.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein establishing a control connection further comprises setting a service type for the service tunnel.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein establishing a session further comprises setting a service profile for the service tunnel.

16. The method of claim 13, further comprising changing the session without tearing down the service tunnel.

17. The method of claim 1, further comprising tearing down the service tunnel after the private IP packets are transported over the service tunnel.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the private IP packet is transported between virtual routers over an IP network.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the private IP packet is transported between virtual routers over a multiprotocol label switching (MPLS) network.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein the selected service tunnel is a modified layer two tunneling protocol (L2TP) tunnel.

22. The method of claim 18, wherein the private IP packet can contain data, voice, or video information.

18. A method for transporting packets, comprising:

having virtual private routers advertise to each other which virtual private networks they handle and which inner internet protocol (IP) addresses on those virtual private networks they handle;

having a first customer premises router send a private IP packet to a first virtual private router of the virtual private routers;

having the first virtual router use an inner IP destination address in the private IP packet received from the first customer premises router to select from stored information which virtual private router, service tunnel, and service tunnel session to use to have the private IP packet reach the inner IP destination address;

having the first virtual router encapsulate the private IP packet in an encapsulation services packet;

having the first virtual router encapsulate the encapsulation services packet in a service tunnel packet;

having the first virtual router encapsulate the service tunnel packet in a data message;

transporting the data message over the selected service tunnel session within the selected service tunnel to a selected virtual router of the virtual routers;

having the selected virtual router use information within a payload of the data message to select from stored information which customer premises router to use to have the private IP packet reach the inner IP destination address;

extracting the private IP packet from the payload and transporting the private IP packet to the selected customer premises router;

having the selected customer premises router use the inner IP destination address of the private IP packet to select from stored information a destination of the private IP packet;

transporting the private IP packet from the selected customer premises router to the destination.