Virtual private network publish-subscribe multicast service

• US 20070204339A1
• Filed: 12/02/2005
• Published: 08/30/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/02/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alcatel-Lucent SA (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Alcatel SA (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Bou-Diab, Bashar
• Granted Patent: US 7,797,382 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0272 Virtual private networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/55 Push-based network services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/63 Routing a service request depending on the request content or context

Abstract

Publish-subscribe XML multicast service within a VPN service is described. A backbone such as an IP/MPLS backbone connects multiple subscriber sites using VPN technology and VPN edge routers. XML publish-subscribe modules are addressable within the VPN and form an overlay network between the edge routers participating in the VPN. The XML publish-subscribe modules may perform either topic-based multicast or content-based multicast services. The multicast service is self-managed.

Claims

1. A method of delivering multicast services between multiple subscribers within a virtual private network (VPN) comprising:

connecting subscriber sites to the VPN through VPN edge routers; and

overlaying an XML publish-subscribe service on the VPN edge routers, the XML publish-subscribe service being addressable within the VPN.

2. The method as defined in claim 1 wherein the VPN is implemented over an IP/MPLS backbone.

3. The method as defined in claim 1 wherein the XML publish-subscribe service is topic based multicast for predefined multicast channels.

4. The method as defined in claim 1 wherein the XML publish-subscribe service is content based multicast for dynamic channels.

5. The method as defined in claim 1 wherein the XML publish-subscribe service for multicast capability is self managed.

6. The method as defined in claim 5 wherein the XML publish-subscribe service offers automatic creation and destruction of many to many channels for group communications.

7. A system for delivering multicast services between multiple subscriber sites over a Virtual Private Network (VPN) comprising:

an edge router between each subscriber site and the provider network; and

an XML publish-subscribe module associated with each edge router,

the modules being addressable within the VPN to form an overlay network.

8. The system as defined in claim 7 wherein the VPN is implemented over an IP/MPLS backbone.

9. The system as defined in claim 7 wherein each XML publish-subscribe module is integrated with its associated edge router.

10. The system as defined in claim 7 wherein each XML publish-subscribe module is attached to its associated edge router using VLAN ports and Ethernet technology.

11. The system as defined in claim 7 wherein the XML publish-subscribe modules present standardized layer 5 interfaces to customer equipment at customer sites over attachment circuits.

12. The system as defined in claim 7 wherein the XML publish-subscribe modules allow subscribers to save on bandwidth by eliminating the need for subscribers'"'"' servers to replicate messages for multiple sites.

13. The system as defined in claim 7 wherein the publish-subscribe modules provide an infinite number of multicast channels that are easily configured.

14. An XML publish-subscribe module for use in an overlay-configured association with an edge router in a VPN for delivery of multicast services between multiple customer sites.

15. The XML publish-subscribe module as defined in claim 14 integrated with its associated edge router.

16. The XML publish-subscribe module as defined in claim 14 attached to its associated edge router using VLAN ports and Ethernet technology.

17. The XML publish-subscribe module as defined in claim 14 for performing Operation, Administration and Management (OAM) functions.

18. The XML publish-subscribe module as described in claim 14 for intercepting and processing all publish and subscribe messages sent from a subscriber site to the associated edge router.

19. A method of delivering multicast services between multiple subscribers within a virtual private network (VPN) comprising:

connecting a VPN PE router to a publish-subscribe module within the VPN;

maintaining VPN traffic isolation over the VPN PE router connection using unique network identifiers;

associating an independent virtual XML Router (VXMLR) entity on the publish-subscribe module with each VPN;

making the VXMLR reachable from respective customer sites by assigning it one or more IP addresses and host names;

running an XML routing protocol to discover the VXMLR, populate the VXMLR forwarding table with routing entries (Queries), and detecting failures and handling them; and

offering XML document forwarding, replication, filtering, transformation, and QoS marking as per queries within the VXMLR VPSN Query Table.

20. A system for delivering multicast services between multiple subscriber sites over a Virtual Private Network (VPN) comprising:

A Network interface having logical port capabilities for connecting to multiple VPN networks and keeping VPN traffic isolated;

multiple virtual XML Router (VXMLR) entities, each VXMLR being associated with the VPN it serves and being capable of processing layer 3, layer 4, layer 5, layer 6 and layer 7;

an independent Virtual Publish-Subscribe Network Query Table populated by each VXMLR; and

a XML Routing Protocol Engine for execution of an XML routing protocol to discover the VXMLR, populate the VXMLR forwarding table with routing entries (Queries), and detecting failures and handling them.

21. The system as defined in claim 21 wherein Each VXMLR has independent processing, memory, and bandwidth resources.

22. The system as defined in claim 21 wherein each VXMLR forwards, replicates, filters, and transforms published XML documents according to queries within it VPSN Query Table.

23. The system as defined in claim 21 wherein layer 3 is processed with IP.

24. The system as defined in claim 21 wherein layer 4 is processed with TCP and UDP with TLS.

25. The system as defined in claim 21 wherein layer 5 is processed with one of HTTP, SMTP, FTP, and XMPP.

26. The system as defined in claim 21 wherein layer 6 is processed with one of SOAP, JMS, Atom, RSS and XML.

27. The system as defined in claim 21 wherein layer 6 is processed with XML.