SUMMARIZATION AND LONGEST-PREFIX MATCH WITHIN MPLS NETWORKS
First Claim
1. A method comprising:
- maintaining, with a first router of a first area of a network, a label space defining a plurality of labels available for mapping to a plurality of addresses assigned to network devices within the network;
reserving, with the first router, a contiguous set of the plurality of labels defined by the label space;
mapping, with the first router, the contiguous set of labels to a plurality of first area addresses, wherein the first area addresses include those addresses of the plurality of addresses available for assignment to network devices within the first area of the network; and
transmitting, with the first router to a second router different than the first router of a second area of the network different from the first area, an advertisement that advertises a summarized version of the mapping between the contiguous set of labels and the first area addresses as a prefix mapping between a label prefix that summarizes the contiguous set of labels and a network address prefix that summarizes the first area addresses.
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Abstract
In general, techniques are described for summarizing label mappings and thereby enabling longest-prefix match within Multi-Protocol Label Switching (MPLS) networks. More specifically, a first router included within a first area of a network comprises a control unit that maintains a label space defining labels available for mapping to a plurality of addresses assigned to network devices within the network. The control unit reserves a contiguous set of the labels of the label space and maps the contiguous set of labels to first area addresses. The first area addresses include those addresses of the plurality of addresses available for assignment to network devices within the first area. The first router also includes an interface card that transmits, to a second router of a second area of the network, an advertisement that advertises a summarized version of the mapping between the contiguous set of labels and the first area addresses.
111 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method comprising:
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maintaining, with a first router of a first area of a network, a label space defining a plurality of labels available for mapping to a plurality of addresses assigned to network devices within the network; reserving, with the first router, a contiguous set of the plurality of labels defined by the label space; mapping, with the first router, the contiguous set of labels to a plurality of first area addresses, wherein the first area addresses include those addresses of the plurality of addresses available for assignment to network devices within the first area of the network; and transmitting, with the first router to a second router different than the first router of a second area of the network different from the first area, an advertisement that advertises a summarized version of the mapping between the contiguous set of labels and the first area addresses as a prefix mapping between a label prefix that summarizes the contiguous set of labels and a network address prefix that summarizes the first area addresses. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A first router included within a first area of a network, the first router comprising:
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a control unit that maintains a label space defining a plurality of labels available for mapping to a plurality of addresses assigned to network devices within the network, reserves a contiguous set of the plurality of labels defined by the label space and maps the contiguous set of labels to a plurality of first area addresses, wherein the first area addresses include those addresses of the plurality of addresses available for assignment to network devices within the first area of the network; and at least one interface card that transmits, to a second router different than the first router of a second area of the network different from the first area, an advertisement that advertises a summarized version of the mapping between the contiguous set of labels and the first area addresses as a prefix mapping between a label prefix that summarizes the contiguous set of labels and a network address prefix that summarizes the first area addresses. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A network system comprising:
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a network that includes a first area and a second area, wherein the first and second areas are different from each other; a first router included within the first area; and a second router included within the second area, wherein the second router is different from the first router, and wherein the first router includes; a control unit that maintains a label space defining a plurality of labels available for mapping to a plurality of addresses assigned to network devices within the network, reserves a contiguous set of the plurality of labels defined by the label space and maps the contiguous set of labels to a plurality of first area addresses, wherein the first area addresses include those addresses of the plurality of addresses available for assignment to network devices within the first area of the network; and at least one interface card that transmits, to a second router different than the first router of a second area of the network different from the first area, an advertisement that advertises a summarized version of the mapping between the contiguous set of labels and the first area addresses as a prefix mapping between a label prefix that summarizes the contiguous set of labels and a network address prefix that summarizes the first area addresses. - View Dependent Claims (18)
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19. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions for causing a programmable processor to:
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maintain, with a first router of a first area of a network, a label space defining a plurality of labels available for mapping to a plurality of addresses assigned to network devices within the network; reserve, with the first router, a contiguous set of the plurality of labels defined by the label space; map, with the first router, the contiguous set of labels to a plurality of first area addresses, wherein the first area addresses include those addresses of the plurality of addresses available for assignment to network devices within the first area of the network; and transmit, with the first router to a second router different than the first router of a second area of the network different from the first area, an advertisement that advertises a summarized version of the mapping between the contiguous set of labels and the first area addresses as a prefix mapping between a label prefix that summarizes the contiguous set of labels and a network address prefix that summarizes the first area addresses.
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20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 26, wherein the network address prefix comprises an Internet Protocol (IP) prefix that summarizes the first area addresses.
Specification