Multiple endpoint paths for point-to-multipoint (P2MP) SPVC

• US 20070091792A1
• Filed: 10/21/2005
• Published: 04/26/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/21/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alcatel-Lucent SA (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Alcatel SA (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Chandra, Neeraj, Houssari, Adel, Li, Benhong, Poitras, Robert
• Granted Patent: US 7,668,079 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/227
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/00 Routing or path finding of packets in data switching networks routing or path finding in wireless networks H04W40/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/16 Multipoint routing

Abstract

A method and system for implementing Multiple Endpoint Paths (MEP) for Point to Multipoint (P2MP) calls over Soft Permanent Virtual Connections (SPVC) are provided. When a condition is detected that requires a particular endpoint to be switched to an alternate endpoint, all calls of the P2MP group that used the particular endpoint are torn down in sequence, in accordance with SPVC procedures. Once all of the calls are torn down, any calls that are enabled for MEP are re-established using the alternate endpoint to replace the particular endpoint.

Claims

1. A method for establishing an alternate root endpoint to a root endpoint for one or more calls of a point-to-multipoint (P2MP) group over a soft permanent virtual connection(SPVC), where the P2MP group comprises a plurality of calls from a root endpoint located on a root network element, each call ending at a different leaf endpoint, the method comprising:

detecting a condition requiring calls starting at the root endpoint to be switched to the alternate root endpoint;

causing the root network element to initiate disconnection of at least the calls of the P2MP group that have the alternate root endpoint specified; and

causing a network element on which the alternate root endpoint is located to initiate re-establishment of at least one of the calls of the P2MP group that have the alternate root endpoint specified, using the alternate endpoint as a new root endpoint.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein causing the root network element to initiate disconnection further comprises causing the root network element to initiate disconnection of all of the calls of the P2MP group.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein a specific call can only be re-established from the alternate root endpoint after the disconnection of the specific call from the root endpoint has been completed.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein more than one alternate endpoint is provided, each alternate endpoint supporting a portion of the calls of the P2MP group.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising selecting which calls are to be re-established.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the calls to be re-established are selected based on at least one of priority and available connectivity.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein at least two active root endpoints are alternate endpoints for each other.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein at least two root endpoints have the same alternate root endpoint.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein each call comprises an indicator of whether or not it is to be re-established if a condition requiring the call to be switched to an alternate endpoint is detected.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the disconnection and re-establishment of calls on the alternate root endpoint is interleaved on a per call basis.

11. A computer readable medium having computer readable instructions stored thereon, that when executed by a computer, implement the method of claim 1.

12. A network manager configured to implement the method of claim 1.

13. A method for establishing an alternate endpoint to a particular leaf endpoint for a point-to-multipoint (P2MP) call of a P2MP group over a soft permanent virtual connection (SPVC), where the P2MP group comprises a plurality of calls from a root endpoint located on a root network element, each call ending at a different leaf endpoint, the method comprising:

detecting a condition that requires a call ending at the particular leaf endpoint to be switched to an alternate endpoint;

causing the root network element to initiate disconnection of the call that ended at the particular leaf end point, wherein disconnection comprises disconnecting only those connections unique to the call that ended at the particular leaf endpoint; and

causing the root network element to initiate re-establishment of the call, using the alternate endpoint as a new leaf endpoint.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein at least two leaf endpoints have the same alternate endpoint.

15. A computer readable medium having computer readable instructions stored thereon, that when executed by a computer, implement the method of claim 13.

16. A network manager configured to implement the method of claim 13.

17. A system for establishing an alternate endpoint for an endpoint for at least one call of a point-to-multipoint (P2MP) group over a soft permanent virtual circuit (SPVC), where the P2MP group comprises a plurality of calls from a root endpoint located on a root network element, each call ending at a different leaf endpoint, the system comprising:

a detector for detecting a condition that requires calls to or from a particular endpoint to be switched;

a first interface for causing the root network element to initiate disconnection of all connections unique to any call having an alternate to the particular end point specified; and

a second interface for causing at least one call of the calls that were disconnected to be re-established, using the alternate endpoint to replace the particular endpoint, by instructing a network element from which the at least one call is to start to connect the at least one call.

18. The system according to claim 17, further comprising a storage means for storing call information for the calls of the P2MP group.

19. The system according to claim 17, wherein the detector detects the condition by querying a network element.

20. The system according to claim 17, wherein the detector detects the condition by receiving an error message from a network element.