Method and apparatus for establishing a path identifier in a communication network
First Claim
1. A method for establishing a path identifier for a communication link in a communication network, the method comprises the steps of:
- establishing the communication link to include a plurality of network elements of the communication network, wherein each of the plurality of network elements is of a particular type of network element of a plurality of network element types, and wherein adjacent network elements of the plurality of networks elements of a like type are arranged into a grouping of network elements such that the communication link includes a plurality of groupings of network elements;
determining each grouping of network elements that include network elements of a first type of network element of the plurality of network elements to produce a set of groupings of network elements; and
assigning a path identifier to the set of groupings of network elements.
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Abstract
A network element, or network switch, includes a control layer implemented over a physical layer to support processing to automate the establishment, modification, and/or deletion of communication links within the communication network. In general, the network element may include firmware to support processing for establishing a path identifier that begins by establishing a communication link to include a plurality of network elements of the communication network. Each of the plurality of network elements is of a particular type of network element where like types of network elements are arranged into groups of network elements. The processing then continues by determining each grouping of network elements that are of the same type of network element that support the communication link to produce a set of groupings of network elements. The processing then continues by assigning a path identifier to the set of groupings of network elements.
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Citations
30 Claims
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1. A method for establishing a path identifier for a communication link in a communication network, the method comprises the steps of:
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establishing the communication link to include a plurality of network elements of the communication network, wherein each of the plurality of network elements is of a particular type of network element of a plurality of network element types, and wherein adjacent network elements of the plurality of networks elements of a like type are arranged into a grouping of network elements such that the communication link includes a plurality of groupings of network elements;
determining each grouping of network elements that include network elements of a first type of network element of the plurality of network elements to produce a set of groupings of network elements; and
assigning a path identifier to the set of groupings of network elements. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method for establishing a set of groupings of network elements of a communication link in a communication network, the method comprises the steps of:
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identifying each grouping of network elements of the communication link that include a first type of network element of a plurality of network element types to produce identified groupings of network elements; and
assigning the same path identifier to each grouping of network elements of the identified groupings of network elements to produce the set of groupings of network elements. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 24, 25, 26, 27, 29, 30)
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13. A method for altering a communication link in a communication network, the method comprises the steps of:
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processing a communication link alteration request for the communication link that includes a plurality of network elements to produce a link command;
identifying a path identifier that identifies a set of groupings of network elements of the plurality of network elements, wherein each grouping of network elements of the set of groupings of network elements includes network elements of a first type of network element of a plurality of network element types; and
issuing the link command to at least some of the network elements in at least some of the groupings of network elements in the set of groupings of network elements based on the path identifier.
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16. An apparatus for establishing a path identifier in a communication network, the apparatus comprises:
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processing module; and
memory operably coupled to the processing module, wherein the memory includes operational instructions that cause the processing module to;
establish a communication link to include a plurality of network elements of the communication network, wherein each of the plurality of network elements is of a particular type of network element of a plurality of network element types, and wherein adjacent network elements of the plurality of networks elements of a like type are arranged into a grouping of network elements such that the communication link includes a plurality of groupings of network elements;
determine each grouping of network elements that include network elements of a first type of network element of the plurality of network elements to produce a set of groupings of network elements; and
assign a path identifier to the set of groupings of network elements.
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23. An apparatus for establishing a set of groupings of network elements of a communication link in a communication network, the apparatus comprises:
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processing module; and
memory operably coupled to the processing module, wherein the memory includes operational instructions that cause the processing module to;
identify each grouping of network elements of the communication link that include a first type of network element of a plurality of network element types to produce identified groupings of network elements; and
assign the same path identifier to each grouping of network elements of the identified groupings of network elements to produce the set of groupings of network elements.
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28. An apparatus for altering a communication link in a communication network, the apparatus comprises:
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processing module; and
memory operably coupled to the processing module, wherein the memory includes operational instructions that cause the processing module to;
process a communication link alteration request for the communication link that includes a plurality of network elements to produce a link command;
identify a path identifier that identifies a set of groupings of network elements of the plurality of network elements, wherein each grouping of network elements of the set of groupings of network elements includes network elements of a first type of network element of a plurality of network element types; and
issue the link command to at least some of the network elements in at least some of the groupings of network elements in the set of groupings of network elements based on the path identifier.
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Specification