Method and apparatus to perform network routing

• US 20030016679A1
• Filed: 03/30/2001
• Published: 01/23/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Adams, Steve, Yavatkar, Rajendra
• Granted Patent: US 7,664,119 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/401
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/04 Interdomain routing, e.g. hierarchical routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/42 Centralised routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/724 at intermediate nodes, e.g. resource reservation protocol [RSVP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/825 Involving tunnels, e.g. MPLS

Abstract

A method and apparatus to route information over a network is described.

Claims

1. A method to perform routing in a network, comprising:

receiving a packet at a network node;

determining whether said packet requires advanced routing services; and

sending said packet to an advanced routing services provider.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said sending is performed over a virtual connection.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said virtual connection is secure.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving said packet with advanced routing information; and

sending said packet to another network node using said advanced routing information.

5. A method to perform routing in a network, comprising:

receiving a packet at a network node;

determining whether said packet requires advanced routing services;

sending a request for advanced routing information to an advanced routing services provider;

receiving said advanced routing information; and

routing said packet using said advanced routing information.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said sending and receiving are performed over a virtual connection.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein said virtual connection is secure.

8. A method to perform routing in a network, comprising:

receiving a packet and a request for advanced routing information from an intermediate node;

determining a packet classification for said packet;

retrieving advanced routing information corresponding to said packet classification; and

routing said packet using said advanced routing information.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein said packet is received and routed using a virtual connection.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein said virtual connection is secure.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein said retrieving comprises retrieving said routing information from a routing table.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein said packet is received and routed using a virtual connection.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein said virtual connection is secure.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein said retrieving comprises retrieving said routing information from a routing table.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein said first and second virtual connections are secure.

19. The article of claim 18, wherein the stored instructions, when executed by a processor, further result in sending said packet over a secure virtual connection.

20. The article of claim 18, wherein the stored instructions, when executed by a processor, further result in receiving said packet with advanced routing information, and sending said packet to another network node using said advanced routing information.

12. A method to perform routing in a network, comprising:

receiving a request for advanced routing information for a packet from an intermediate node;

determining a packet classification for said packet;

retrieving advanced routing information corresponding to said packet classification; and

sending said advanced routing information to said intermediate node.

16. A method to perform advanced network services in a network, comprising:

receiving a request for an advanced network service for a packet from an intermediate node over a first virtual connection;

performing said advanced network service for said packet; and

sending said packet over a second virtual connection.

18. An article comprising:

a storage medium;

said storage medium including stored instructions that, when executed by a processor, result in performing routing in a network by receiving a packet at a network node, determining whether said packet requires advanced routing services, and sending said packet to an advanced routing services provider.

21. An article comprising:

a storage medium;

said storage medium including stored instructions that, when executed by a processor, result in performing routing in a network by receiving a packet at a network node, determining whether said packet requires advanced routing services, sending a request for advanced routing information to an advanced routing services provider, receiving said advanced routing information, and routing said packet using said advanced routing information.

22. The article of claim 21, wherein the stored instructions, when executed by a processor, further result in sending and receiving said request and said advanced routing information, respectively, over a secure virtual connection.

24. The article of claim 23, wherein the stored instructions, when executed by a processor, further result in receiving and routing over a secure virtual connection.

23. An article comprising:

a storage medium;

said storage medium including stored instructions that, when executed by a processor, result in performing routing in a network by receiving a packet and a request for advanced routing information from an intermediate node, determining a packet classification for said packet, retrieving advanced routing information corresponding to said packet classification, and routing said packet using said advanced routing information.