Application-aware MPLS tunnel selection

• US 20090213858A1
• Filed: 02/27/2008
• Published: 08/27/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RPX Corporation
• Original Assignee: Alcatel-Lucent SA (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Dolganow, Andrew, Fischer, John
• Granted Patent: US 9,100,268 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/395.500
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4633 Interconnection of networks using encapsulation techniques, e.g. tunneling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2212/00 Encapsulation of packets
• 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 45/306 Route determination based on the nature of the carried application
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/50 using label swapping, e.g. multi-protocol label switch [MPLS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/10 Flow control; Congestion control
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/20 Traffic policing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/2433 Allocation of priorities to traffic types
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/3009 Header conversion, routing tables or routing tags

Abstract

Various exemplary embodiments are a method and related system and computer-readable medium including one or more the following: receiving a data packet; analyzing the data packet using deep packet inspection (DPI) to determine an application associated with the data packet; determining an MPLS tunnel corresponding to the application associated with the data packet; and forwarding the data packet through the MPLS tunnel. In various exemplary embodiments, the step of analyzing the data packet including examining information in layers 2 through 7 of the data packet or analyzing the data packet to match an application signature. Furthermore, in various exemplary embodiments, the method and related system and computer-readable medium also includes adding a marking to the data packet to indicate the application associated with the data packet.

Claims

1. A method for application-aware forwarding of data packets through an MPLS core network, the method comprising:

receiving a data packet;

analyzing the data packet using deep packet inspection (DPI) to determine an application associated with the data packet;

determining an MPLS tunnel corresponding to the application associated with the data packet; and

forwarding the data packet through the MPLS tunnel.

2. The method for application-aware forwarding of data packets through an MPLS core network according to claim 1, wherein the step of analyzing the data packet using DPI comprises examining any combination of information in OSI layers 2 through 7 of the data packet.

3. The method for application-aware forwarding of data packets through an MPLS core network according to claim 1, wherein the step of analyzing the data packet using DPI comprises analyzing the data packet to match an application signature.

4. The method for application-aware forwarding of data packets through an MPLS core network according to claim 1, further comprising adding a marking to the data packet to indicate the application associated with the data packet.

5. The method for application-aware forwarding of data packets through an MPLS core network according to claim 4, wherein the marking is a Differentiated Services Code Point.

6. The method for application-aware forwarding of data packets through an MPLS core network according to claim 1, wherein the step of determining an MPLS tunnel corresponding to the application comprises accessing a mapping, the mapping indicating a correspondence between a plurality of applications and a plurality of MPLS tunnels.

7. The method for application-aware forwarding of data packets through an MPLS core network according to claim 1, wherein the application associated with the data packet is selected from the group consisting of voice over IP, an instant messaging application, a web browser, an email application, a video application, an audio application, and a peer-to-peer application.

8. A system for application-aware forwarding of data packets through an MPLS core network, the system comprising:

a deep packet inspection (DPI) device, the DPI device analyzing a data packet to determine an application associated with the data packet; and

a routing module, the routing module receiving the data packet from the DPI device and forwarding the data packet through an MPLS tunnel corresponding to the application associated with the data packet.

9. The system for application-aware forwarding of data packets through an MPLS core network according to claim 8, wherein the DPI device and the routing module are integrated into a single networking device.

10. The system for application-aware forwarding of data packets through an MPLS core network according to claim 9, wherein the networking device is a router.

11. The system for application-aware forwarding of data packets through an MPLS core network according to claim 8, wherein the DPI device is a standalone device coupled to a networking device, the networking device comprising the routing module.

12. The system for application-aware forwarding of data packets through an MPLS core network according to claim 8, wherein the DPI device examines information in layers 2 through 7 of the data packet.

13. The system for application-aware forwarding of data packets through an MPLS core network according to claim 8, wherein the DPI device analyzes the data packet to match an application signature.

14. The system for application-aware forwarding of data packets through an MPLS core network according to claim 8, wherein the DPI device adds a marking to the data packet to indicate the application associated with the data packet.

15. The system for application-aware forwarding of data packets through an MPLS core network according to claim 14, wherein the marking is a Differentiated Services Code Point.

16. The system for application-aware forwarding of data packets through an MPLS core network according to claim 8, wherein the routing module identifies the MPLS tunnel by accesses a mapping, the mapping indicating a correspondence between a plurality of applications and a plurality of MPLS tunnels.

17. A computer-readable medium encoded with instructions for forwarding a data packet through an MPLS core network, the computer readable medium comprising:

instructions for analyzing the data packet using deep packet inspection (DPI) to determine an application associated with the data packet;

instructions for determining an MPLS tunnel corresponding to the application associated with the data packet; and

instructions for forwarding the data packet through the MPLS tunnel.

18. The computer-readable medium encoded with instructions for forwarding a data packet through an MPLS core network according to claim 17, further comprising instructions for adding a marking to the data packet to indicate the application associated with the data packet.

19. The computer-readable medium encoded with instructions for forwarding a data packet through an MPLS core network according to claim 18, wherein the marking is a Differentiated Services Code Point.

20. The computer-readable medium encoded with instructions for forwarding a data packet through an MPLS core network according to claim 17, wherein the application associated with the data packet is selected from the group consisting of a web browser, an email application, a video application, and a peer-to-peer application.