Metro ethernet network with scaled broadcast and service instance domains

• US 20060245438A1
• Filed: 04/28/2005
• Published: 11/02/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Sajassi, Ali, Finn, Norman W.
• Granted Patent: US 8,194,656 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/399
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/18 for broadcast or conference , e.g. multicast
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2852 Metropolitan area networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4645 Details on frame tagging routing of packets H04L45/00; support for virtual LAN H04L49/354
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/465 wherein a single frame includes a plurality of VLAN tags
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4662 wherein a VLAN tag represents a service instance, e.g. I-SID in PBB
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4691 GVRP [GARP VLAN registration protocol]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/16 Multipoint routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/351 for local area network [LAN], e.g. Ethernet switches
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/22 Parsing or analysis of headers

Abstract

A method of operation for a provider edge device of a core network includes receiving a customer frame from an access network; the customer frame having a first Virtual Local Area Network (VLAN) tag of a first predetermined bit length. The first VLAN tag including a service instance identifier. The service instance identifier of the first VLAN tag is then mapped into a second VLAN tag of a second predetermined bit length greater than the first predetermined bit length. It is emphasized that this abstract is provided to comply with the rules requiring an abstract that will allow a searcher or other reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the technical disclosure. It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims. 37 CFR 1.72(b).

Claims

1. A method of operation for a network-facing provider edge device (n-PE) of a core network, the method comprising:

receiving a customer frame from an access network, the customer frame having a first Virtual Local Area Network (VLAN) tag of a first predetermined bit length, the first VLAN tag including a service instance identifier; and

mapping the service instance identifier of the first VLAN tag into a second VLAN tag of a second predetermined bit length greater than the first predetermined bit length.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

encapsulating the customer frame within a provider address header.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

stacking a third VLAN tag on the second VLAN tag, the third VLAN tag specifying a broadcast domain of the core network.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the core network comprises an Ethernet core network.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein core network comprises a Multi-protocol label switching (MPLS)/Internet Protocol (IP) network.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the first predetermined bit length is 12-bits and the second predetermined bit length is 20-bits.

7. A method of operation for a user-facing provider edge device (u-PE) of an access network, the method comprising:

receiving a customer frame from a customer edge (CE) device;

adding a first Virtual Local Area Network (VLAN) tag having a first bit length of 12-bits or more to the customer frame, the first VLAN tag including a service instance identifier; and

adding a second Virtual Local Area Network (VLAN) tag of a second bit length to the customer frame, the second VLAN tag specifying a broadcast domain of the access network.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising:

encapsulating the customer frame within a provider address header.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein the access network comprises an Ethernet access network.

10. The method of claim 7 wherein the second bit length is 12-bits.

11. The method of claim 7 wherein the first bit length is 12-bits or more.

20. The method of claim 7 wherein the access network comprises an Ethernet access network.

12. A method of operation for a network-facing provider edge device (n-PE) of a core network, the method comprising:

receiving a customer frame from an access network, the customer frame having a first Virtual Local Area Network (VLAN) tag of a first predetermined bit length, the first VLAN tag including a service instance identifier; and

mapping the service instance identifier of the first VLAN tag into a second VLAN tag of a second predetermined bit length greater than the first predetermined bit length, the second VLAN tag further specifying a broadcast domain of the core network.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising:

encapsulating the customer frame within a provider address header.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein the first Virtual Local Area Network (VLAN) tag further specifies a broadcast domain of the access network.

15. The method of claim 12 wherein the core network comprises an Ethernet core network.

16. The method of claim 12 wherein the access network comprises an Ethernet access network.

17. The method of claim 12 wherein the first predetermined bit length is 12-bits and the second predetermined bit length is 20-bits.

18. A method of operation for a user-facing provider edge device (u-PE) of an access network, the method comprising:

receiving a customer frame from a customer edge (CE) device; and

adding a Virtual Local Area Network (VLAN) tag having a bit length of 20-bits or more to the customer frame, the VLAN tag including broadcast domain and a service instance identifiers.

19. The method of claim 18 further comprising:

encapsulating the customer frame within a provider address header.

21. A network-facing provider edge (n-PE) device comprising:

a port to receive a customer frame from an access network, the customer frame having a first Virtual Local Area Network (VLAN) tag of a first predetermined bit length, the first VLAN tag including a service instance identifier; and

a processing unit that maps the service instance identifier of the first VLAN tag into a second VLAN tag of a second predetermined bit length greater than the first predetermined bit length.

22. The n-PE device of claim 21 wherein the processing unit is further operable to encapsulate the customer frame within a provider address header.

23. The n-PE device of claim 21 wherein the processing unit is further operable to stack a third VLAN tag on the second VLAN tag, the third VLAN tag specifying a broadcast domain of the core network.

24. The n-PE device of claim 21 wherein the first predetermined bit length is 12-bits and the second predetermined bit length is 20-bits.

25. A user-facing provider edge device (u-PE) device comprising:

a port to receive a customer frame from a customer edge (CE) device; and

a processing unit that adds first and second Virtual Local Area Network (VLAN) tags to the customer frame, the first VLAN tag having a first bit length of 12-bits or more that identifies a service instance, and the second VLAN tag having a second bit length of 12-bits or more that specifies a broadcast domain of a network.

26. The u-PE device of claim 25 wherein the processing unit is further operable to encapsulate the customer frame within a provider address header.

27. A network-facing provider edge device (n-PE) device comprising:

a port to receive a customer frame from an access network, the customer frame having a first Virtual Local Area Network (VLAN) tag of a first predetermined bit length, the first VLAN tag including a service instance identifier; and

a processing unit that maps the service instance identifier of the first VLAN tag into a second VLAN tag of a second predetermined bit length greater than the first predetermined bit length.

28. The n-PE device of claim 27 wherein the processing unit is further operable to encapsulate the customer frame within a provider address header.

29. The n-PE device of claim 27 wherein the first Virtual Local Area Network (VLAN) tag further specifies a broadcast domain of the access network.

30. The n-PE device of claim 27 wherein the first predetermined bit length is 12-bits and the second predetermined bit length is 20-bits.

31. A user-facing provider edge device (u-PE) device comprising:

a port to receive a customer frame from a customer edge (CE) device; and

a processing unit that adds a Virtual Local Area Network (VLAN) tag having a bit length of 20-bits or more to the customer frame, the VLAN tag including broadcast domain and a service instance identifiers.

32. The u-PE device of claim 31 wherein the processing unit is further operable to encapsulate the customer frame within a provider address header.

33. A provider edge device comprising:

a plurality of ports; and

means for adding an Extended Virtual Local Area Network (E-VLAN) tag to a data packet received at a first port for transmission across a network, and for dropping the E-VLAN tag received at a second port after traversed the network, the E-VLAN tag including a service instance identifier and having a bit length of at least 20 bits.

34. The provider edge device of claim 33 wherein the E-VLAN tag further specifies a broadcast domain of the network.

35. The provider edge device of claim 33 wherein the network comprises an Ethernet core network.