EXTERNAL PROCESSOR FOR A DISTRIBUTED NETWORK ACCESS SYSTEM
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Abstract
An external processor for a network access system having a programmable access device includes a service controller that provides at least one service for network traffic, a message processor that processes network messages for service processing by the service controller, and a programmable access device controller that programs the programmable access device in response to service controller processing. It is advantageous for the external processor to include primary and secondary service controllers for a particular service so that, if the primary service controller fails, the secondary service controller can provide the particular service for message received from the programmable access device. In preferred embodiments, the service controller further includes a reporting processor that provides an interface through which reporting messages received from the programmable access device can be communicated to the service controller and a signaling controller that transmits signals to configure network hardware to establish requested network connections. The external processor preferably further supports a service policy interface through which the service controller can request policy decisions from a possibly remote policy server.
159 Citations
21 Claims
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1. (canceled)
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2. A method comprising:
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parsing a message, by an external processor, to determine a type of communication service; selecting, by the external processor, one of a plurality of service controllers in response to the determined type of communication service; generating, by the external processor, a control signal based on a policy associated with the one service controller; and determining, by the external processor, a configuration parameter for enforcing the policy on a connection between a first network and a second network. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. An apparatus comprising:
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a message processor configured to parse a message and to determine a type of communication service; a plurality of service controllers coupled to the message processor, wherein one of the service controllers is selected in response to the determined type of communication service, wherein the one service controller is configured to generate a control signal based on a policy associated with the one service controller; and a programmable access device (PAD) controller coupled to the one service controller and configured to determine a configuration parameter for enforcing the policy on a connection between a first network and a second network. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A system comprising:
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an external processor including a plurality of service controllers, wherein one of the service controllers is configured to generate a control signal based on a policy, and to determine a configuration parameter for enforcing the policy using the control signal to connect a first network and a second network; and a plurality of programmable access devices coupled to the external processor, wherein one of the programmable access device receives the configuration parameter for use in forwarding one or more packets from the first network to the second network; - View Dependent Claims (21)
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Specification