System and method for providing rapid rerouting of real-time multi-media flows

• US 20030016664A1
• Filed: 07/23/2001
• Published: 01/23/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/23/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Primary Network
• Original Assignee: Acme Packet Incorporated (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Penfield, Robert F., Norton, Stephen E., Dobbins, Ephraim W., MeLampy, Patrick J.
• Granted Patent: US 7,031,311 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/389
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/3065 for real time traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/502 Frame based
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/20 Traffic policing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/22 Traffic shaping
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/2416 Real-time traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/2441 relying on flow classification, e.g. using integrated services [IntServ]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/2503 Translation of Internet protocol [IP] addresses
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/2557 Translation policies or rules
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1104 Session initiation protocol [SIP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/65 Network streaming protocols, e.g. real-time transport protocol [RTP] or real-time control protocol [RTCP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/80 Responding to QoS

Abstract

A system and method for providing rapid rerouting of real-time transport protocol (RTP) multi-media flows is disclosed. Generally, a first endpoint is connected to a second endpoint, wherein the first endpoint comprises a transceiver, software stored within the first endpoint defining functions to be performed by the first endpoint, and a processor configured by the software. The processor is configured to perform the steps of, performing flow processing on a data packet received at a first endpoint, from a second endpoint, removing a multi-protocol label switching (MPLS) tag from the data packet, translating a source address and destination address of the data packet, and determining a forwarding destination if more than one destination address of the data packet is provided.

Claims

1. A method for providing rapid rerouting of real-time multi-media data flows, comprising the steps of:

receiving a data packet at a first endpoint, from a second endpoint;

determining a source address and a destination address from said data packet; and

determining a forwarding destination if more than one destination address of said data packet is provided.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of removing a level two header from said data packet prior to said step of determining a source address and a destination address, and adding said level two header to said data packet prior to transmission away from said first endpoint.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said level two header is a link protocol header.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein said level two header is a layer two header.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said data packet is a real-time protocol (RTP) data flow packet.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of performing flow processing wherein said step of performing flow processing further comprises the steps of:

determining a source address and a destination address for said data packet;

determining if a flow transform record (FTR) is located within said first endpoint;

if said FTR exists within said first endpoint, retrieving said FTR and determining whether to translate said source address, said destination address, or both said source address and said destination address in accordance with said retrieved FTR;

determining if said data packet is a real-time control protocol (RTCP) data packet; and

if said data packet is an RTCP data packet, processing said RTCP data packet to determine flow quality statistics.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of removing a multi-protocol label switching (MPLS) tag from said data packet.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said step of removing said MPLS tag from said data packet is performed if specified by a flow transform record located within said first endpoint.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of determining a forwarding destination is performed by determining and analyzing flow quality statistics for each of said destination addresses.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of performing traffic measurement on said received data packet.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of applying quality of service characteristics to said data packet, wherein said application allows for guaranteed bandwidth for transmission of said data packet within a data flow.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein said step of applying quality of service characteristics provides for policing and shaping of said data flow.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of fragmenting said data packet.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein said fragmenting step is performed if said data packet is at a maximum transit unit (MTU) size when it is received by said first endpoint.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein said processor is further configured to perform the steps of removing a level two header from said data packet prior to said step of determining a source address and destination address, and adding said level two header to said data packet prior to transmission away from said first endpoint.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein said level two header is a link protocol header.

18. The system if claim 16, wherein said level two header is a layer two header.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein said data packet is a real-time protocol (RTP) data flow packet.

20. The system of claim 14, wherein said processor is further configured to perform the step of performing flow processing, wherein said step of performing flow processing further comprises the steps of:

determining a source address and a destination address for said data packet;

determining if a flow transform record (FTR) is located within said first endpoint;

if said FTR exists within said first endpoint, retrieving said FTR and determining whether to translate said source address, said destination address, or both said source address and said destination address in accordance with said retrieved FTR;

determining if said data packet is a real-time control protocol (RTCP) data packet; and

if said data packet is an RTCP data packet, processing said RTCP data packet to determine one or more flow quality statistics.

21. The system of claim 15, wherein said processor is further configured to perform the step of removing a multi-protocol label switching (MPLS) tag from said data.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein said processor performs said step of removing said MPLS tag from said data packet if specified by a flow transform record located within said first endpoint.

23. The system of claim 15, wherein said step of determining a forwarding destination is performed by determining and analyzing flow quality statistics for each of said destination addresses.

24. The system of claim 15, wherein said processor is further configured to perform the step of performing traffic measurement on said received data packet.

25. The system of claim 14, wherein said processor is further configured to perform the step of applying quality of service characteristics to said data packet, wherein said application allows for guaranteed bandwidth for transmission of said data packet within a data flow.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein said step of applying quality of service characteristics provides for policing and shaping of said data flow.

27. The system of claim 15, wherein said processor is further configured to perform the step of fragmenting said data packet.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein said fragmenting step is performed if said data packet is at a maximum transit unit (MTU) size when it is received by said first endpoint.

30. The system of claim 29, further comprising means for removing a level two header from said data packet prior to determining said source address and said destination address, and means for adding said level two header to said data packet prior to transmission away from said first endpoint.

31. The system of claim 30, wherein said level two header is a link protocol header.

32. The system of claim 30, wherein said level two header is a layer two header.

33. The system of claim 29, wherein said data packet is a real-time protocol (RTP) data flow packet.

34. The system of claim 29, further comprising a means for performing flow processing, wherein said means for performing flow processing further comprises:

means for determining a source address and a destination address for said data packet;

means for determining if a flow transform record (FTR) is located within said first endpoint;

means for retrieving said FTR and determining whether to translate said source address, said destination address, or both said source address and said destination address in accordance with said retrieved FTR, if said FTR exists within said first endpoint;

means for determining if said data packet is a real-time control protocol (RTCP) data packet; and

means for processing said RTCP data packet to determine flow quality statistics, if said data packet is an RTCP data packet.

35. The system of claim 29, further comprising means for removing a multi-protocol label switching (MPLS) tag from said data.

36. The system of claim 35, wherein said means for removing said MPLS tag from said data packet removes said MPLS tag if specified by a flow transform record located within said first endpoint.

37. The system of claim 29, wherein said means for determining a forwarding destination performs said determination by determining and analyzing flow quality statistics for each of said destination addresses.

38. The system of claim 29, further comprising means for performing traffic measurement on said received data packet.

39. The system of claim 29, further comprising means for applying quality of service characteristics to said data packet, wherein said application allows for guaranteed bandwidth for transmission of said data packet within a data flow.

40. The system of claim 39, wherein said means for applying quality of service characteristics provides for policing and shaping of said data flow.

41. The system of claim 29, further comprising means for fragmenting said data packet.

42. The system of claim 41, wherein said means for fragmenting said data packet fragments if said data packet is at a maximum transit unit (MTU) size when it is received by said first endpoint.

15. A system for providing rapid rerouting of real-time multi-media data flows, comprising:

a first endpoint, connected to a second endpoint, wherein said first endpoint comprises;

a transceiver;

software stored within said first endpoint defining functions to be performed by said first endpoint; and

a processor configured by said software to perform the steps of,

determining a source address and a destination address from said data packet; and

determining a forwarding destination if more than one destination address of said data packet is provided.

29. A system for providing rapid rerouting of real-time multi-media data flows, comprising:

means for receiving a data packet at a first endpoint from a second endpoint;

means for determining a source address and destination address from said data packet; and

means for determining a forwarding destination if more than one destination address of said data packet is provided.

43. A system for providing rapid routing of real-time multi-media data flow comprising:

a first endpoint, connected to a second endpoint, wherein said first endpoint comprises;

a transceiver; and

a controller programmed to perform the steps of,

determining a source address and a destination address from said data packet; and

determining a forwarding destination if more than one destination address of said data packet is provided.

44. The system of claim 43, wherein said controller is located within an application specific integrated circuit.