Method for Client Data Transmission Through a Packet Switched Provider Network
First Claim
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1. A method of client data transmission through a packet switched provider network;
- the method comprising the steps of;
providing packet transmission along a first path through said provider network;
at one or more network nodes along said first path, performing address learning to allow packet transmission in reverse direction along the same first path;
protecting said first path by a redundant second path using a redundancy mechanism;
in case of a failure at said first path;
initiating said redundancy mechanism to reroute packet transmission through said provider network via said second path; and
after initiating said redundancy mechanism, sending to said one or more network nodes that have performed address learning an address withdrawal message using a data plane protocol; and
responsive to receiving said address withdrawal message, flushing addresses previously learned at the receiving network node.
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Abstract
In order to provide a redundancy mechanism in a packet switched provider network, which allows faster recovery from a failure, it is proposed that in case of a failure, a redundancy mechanism is initiated to reroute packet transmission through the provider network via an alternate path and an address withdrawal message is sent to network nodes along the failed path using data plane protocol. A network node receiving the address withdrawal message will flush MAC addresses it had learned before.
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Citations
9 Claims
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1. A method of client data transmission through a packet switched provider network;
- the method comprising the steps of;
providing packet transmission along a first path through said provider network; at one or more network nodes along said first path, performing address learning to allow packet transmission in reverse direction along the same first path; protecting said first path by a redundant second path using a redundancy mechanism; in case of a failure at said first path;
initiating said redundancy mechanism to reroute packet transmission through said provider network via said second path; andafter initiating said redundancy mechanism, sending to said one or more network nodes that have performed address learning an address withdrawal message using a data plane protocol; and responsive to receiving said address withdrawal message, flushing addresses previously learned at the receiving network node. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
- the method comprising the steps of;
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9. A network element of a packet switched provider network;
- comprising input and output interfaces for providing packet transmission along a path through said provider network;
packet switching means for switching packet traffic in accordance with address information contained in each packet, wherein said packet switching means are adapted to perform address learning to allow packet transmission in reverse direction along the same path and wherein said packet switching means are further adapted to flush addresses previously learned upon reception of a data plane control message containing an address withdrawal message.
- comprising input and output interfaces for providing packet transmission along a path through said provider network;
Specification