Methods and systems for efficiently configuring IP-based, virtual private networks

• US 20040059831A1
• Filed: 09/24/2002
• Published: 03/25/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: WSOU Investments, LLC (WSOU Holdings, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Alcatel-Lucent SA (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Gagen, Paul F., Justl, Paul G., Chu, Thomas P.
• Granted Patent: US 8,656,050 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/242
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0893 Assignment of logical groups to network elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0894 Policy-based network configuration management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0895 Configuration of virtualised networks or elements, e.g. virtualised network function or OpenFlow elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/50 using label swapping, e.g. multi-protocol label switch [MPLS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0272 Virtual private networks

Abstract

Internet-protocol based, virtual private networks are configured by first identifying the basic components of such networks and then efficiently assigning MPLS-based RD and RTs to each component or efficiently generating VR-based access lists for each component.

Claims

1. ) A device for configuring an Internet protocol based, virtual private network comprising:

an identification section adapted to identify basic components of the network; and

a routing generator adapted to generate routing data for each of the identified components.

2. ) The device in claim 1 wherein the identification section and routing generator comprise one or more programs.

3. ) The device as in claim 1 wherein the identification section is further adapted to identify full mesh, root-transmitter and root-receiver components.

4. ) The device as in claim 1 wherein the identification section is further adapted to generate a first network connectivity matrix based on two-way communication paths associated with locations in the network.

5. ) The device as in claim 4 wherein the identification section is further adapted to identify all maximal, full-mesh components in the first matrix.

6. ) The device as in claim 5 wherein the identification section is further adapted to:

identify full-mesh components that comprise only two locations that share a common location; and

convert such full-mesh components into a root-receiver and root-transmitter component with the common location as the root.

7. ) The device as in claim 4 wherein the identification section is further adapted to generate a second network connectivity matrix based on one-way communication paths associated with locations in the network.

8. ) The device as in claim 7 wherein the identification section is further adapted to identify root-receiver or root-transmitter components in the second matrix based on a set of rules.

9. ) The device as in claim 3 wherein the identification section is further adapted to identify root-transmitter components that have the same branches.

10. ) The device as in claim 9 wherein the identification section is further adapted to associate the components having the same branches to one equivalent root transmitter component.

11. ) The device as in claim 3 wherein the identification section is further adapted to identify root-receiver components that have the same branches.

12. ) The device as in claim 11 wherein identification section is further adapted to associate components having the same branches to one equivalent root-receiver component.

13. ) The device as in claim 3 further comprising a route distinguisher (“

RD”

) assignment section adapted to;

assign the same RD to all locations which are members, of the same full-mesh, identified component; and

assign a unique RD to each location which is a part of a root-receiver or root-transmitter, identified component.

14. ) The device as in a claim 3:

further comprising an route target (“

RT”

) assignment section adapted to assign an RT to;

each identified, full-mesh component;

each identified, root-receiver component;

each identified, equivalent root-receiver component;

each identified, root-transmitter component; and

to each identified, equivalent root-transmitter component.

15. ) The device as in claim 1 wherein the routing generator is further adapted to:

generate a RECEIVE, master access list of Internet protocol addresses for each network pathway associated with each identified component; and

generate a SEND, master list of Internet protocol addresses for each network pathway associated with each identified component.

16. ) The device as in claim 15 wherein the routing generator is further adapted to generate revised secondary access lists when a VPN component is modified, added, or deleted.

17. ) A router adapted to route communication traffic based on one or more assigned route distinguishers “

RDs” and

route targets “

RTs”

associated with identified components, wherein the router is further adapted to;

assign the same RD to all locations which are members of the same full-mesh, identified component;

assign a unique RD to each location which is a part of a root-receiver or root-transmitter, identified component; and

assign an RT to;

each identified, full-mesh component;

each identified, root-receiver component;

each identified, equivalent root-receiver component;

each identified, root-transmitter component; and

to each identified, equivalent root-transmitter component.

18. ) The router as in claim 17 further adapted to route communication traffic based on RECEIVE and SEND master and secondary access lists associated with identified components.

19. ) A method for configuring an Internet protocol based, virtual private network comprising:

identifying basic components of the network; and

generating routing data for each of the identified components.

20. ) The method as in claim 19 is further comprising identifying full mesh, root-transmitter and root-receiver components.

21. ) The method as in claim 19 further comprising generating a first network connectivity matrix based on two-way communication paths associated with locations in the network.

22. ) The method as in claim 21 further comprising identifying all maximal, full-mesh components in the first matrix.

23. ) The method as in claim 22 further comprising:

identifying full-mesh components that comprise only two locations that share a common location; and

converting such full-mesh components into a root-receiver and root-transmitter component with the common location as the root.

24. ) The method as in claim 22 further comprising generating a second network connectivity matrix based on one-way communication paths associated with locations in the network.

25. ) The method as in claim 24 further comprising identifying root-receiver or root-transmitter components in the second matrix based on a set of rules.

26. ) The method as in claim 20 further comprising identifying root-transmitter components that have the same branches.

27. ) The method as in claim 26 further comprising associating the components having the same branches to one equivalent root transmitter component.

28. ) The method as in claim 20 further comprising identifying root-receiver components that have the same branches.

29. ) The method as in claim 28 further comprising associating components having the same branches to one equivalent root-receiver component.

30. ) The method as in claim 20 further comprising:

assigning the same route distinguisher “

RD”

to all locations which are members, of the same full-mesh, identified component; and

assigning a unique RD to each location which is a part of a root-receiver or root-transmitter, identified component.

31. ) The method as in a claim 20 further comprising assigning route target “

RT”

to;

each identified, full-mesh component;

each identified, root-receiver component;

each identified, equivalent root-receiver component;

each identified, root-transmitter component; and

to each identified, equivalent root-transmitter component.

32. ) The method as in claim 19 further comprising:

generating a RECEIVE, master access list of Internet protocol addresses for each network pathway associated with each identified component; and

generating a SEND, master list of Internet protocol addresses for each network pathway associated with each identified component.

33. ) The method as in claim 32 further comprising generating revised secondary access lists when a VPN component is modified, added or deleted.

34. ) A method for routing communication traffic based on one or more assigned route distinguishers “

RDs” and

route target “

RTs”

associated with identified components wherein identified component are comprising;

assigning the same RD to all locations which are members, of the same full-mesh, identified component;

assigning a unique RD to each location which is a part of a root-receiver or root-transmitter, identified component; and

assigning an RT to;

each identified, full-mesh component;

each identified, root-receiver component;

each identified, equivalent root-receiver component;

each identified, root-transmitter component; and

to each identified, equivalent root-transmitter component.

35. ) The method as in claim 34 further comprising routing communication traffic based on RECEIVE and SEND master and secondary access lists associated with identified components.