Layer two tunneling protocol (L2TP) merging and management
First Claim
1. A system for establishing connections between a plurality of access concentrators connected to respective ones of a like plurality of Network Access Servers (NASs) and a plurality of network servers connected to a plurality of Service Providers (SPs) in a network using a point-to-point tunneling protocol, comprising a tunneling merger and management service having a plurality of tunneling merger and management edge devices, each said access concentrator being connected to a tunneling merger and management edge device and each said network servers being connected to a tunneling merger and management edge device, the tunneling merger and management service abstracting the point-to-point tunneling protocol to become an access protocol so that direct connections are not required between access concentrators and network servers by simulating to an access concentrator a connection to a network server and simulating to a network server a connection to an access concentrator.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system is provided for creating a tunneling service from the use of a traditional tunneling protocol, such as the layer two tunneling protocol (L2TP). In particular, the L2TP tunneling protocol, which is designed to go point-to-point between an L2TP Access Concentrator (LAC) and an L2TP Network Server (LNS), is abstracted so that L2TP becomes an access protocol to a tunneling service. A new L2TP tunnel merger and management (LTM) service is created which severs the tight configuration relationships between LAC and LNSs. Only a tight configuration between an LAC and its LTM edge device and between an LNS and its LTM edge device is required. An internal trunk protocol (INT protocol) carries needed information between LTM edge devices to establish ingress/egress L2TP access calls inside of separate L2TP access tunnels on opposite LTM edge devices. The addition of another LAC is accomplished by re-routing L2TP tunnels within the LTM service without reconfiguration of the LNSs, and the addition of another LNS is accomplished by re-routing L2TP tunnels within the LTM service without reconfiguration of the LACs. The LTM service determines the need for both additional trunk and access resources and establishes both new trunk/access tunnels to provide additional resources. The LTM service also determines excess resources on both trunk and access entities and releases trunk/access tunnels to provide the needed additional resources.
185 Citations
61 Claims
- 1. A system for establishing connections between a plurality of access concentrators connected to respective ones of a like plurality of Network Access Servers (NASs) and a plurality of network servers connected to a plurality of Service Providers (SPs) in a network using a point-to-point tunneling protocol, comprising a tunneling merger and management service having a plurality of tunneling merger and management edge devices, each said access concentrator being connected to a tunneling merger and management edge device and each said network servers being connected to a tunneling merger and management edge device, the tunneling merger and management service abstracting the point-to-point tunneling protocol to become an access protocol so that direct connections are not required between access concentrators and network servers by simulating to an access concentrator a connection to a network server and simulating to a network server a connection to an access concentrator.
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30. A method for establishing connections between a plurality of access concentrators connected to respective ones of a like plurality of Network Access Servers (NASs) and a plurality of network servers connected to a plurality of Service Providers (SPs) in a network using a point-to-point tunneling protocol, comprising the steps of:
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providing a tunneling merger and management service having a plurality of tunneling merger and management edge devices, each said access concentrator being connected to a tunneling merger and management edge device and each said network servers being connected to a tunneling merger and management edge device; and abstracting by the tunneling merger and management service the point-to-point tunneling protocol to become an access protocol so that direct connections are not required between access concentrators and network servers by simulating to an access concentrator a connection to a network server and simulating to a network server a connection to an access concentrator. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61)
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Specification