Apparatus and method of managing virtual private network routing data

• US 6,751,220 B1
• Filed: 06/12/2000
• Issued: 06/15/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: RPX Clearinghouse LLC (RPX Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nortel Networks Limited (Nortel Networks Corporation)
• Inventors: Li, Yunzhou
• Primary Examiner(s): Jung, Min
• Application Number:
  US09/591,756
• Time in Patent Office: 1,464 Days
• Field of Search: 370/389, 370/390, 370/392, 370/400, 370/401, 370/402, 370/408, 370/409
• US Class Current: 370/390
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4641 Virtual LANs, VLANs, e.g. virtual private networks [VPN] LAN interconnection over a bridge based backbone H04L12/462; encapsulation techniques H04L12/4633; routing of packets H04L45/00; packet switches H04L49/00; virtual private networks for security H04L63/0272
• 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 45/54 Organization of routing tables

Abstract

An apparatus and method of managing given VPN routing data received for a given VPN encodes the given VPN routing data into a format that is compatible with a located routing table. The encoded VPN routing data then is stored in the routing table. The routing table may have routing data for the given VPN, and routing data for another VPN. Accordingly, the routing table is capable of storing VPN routing data for more than one VPN.

Claims

1. A method of managing VPN routing data, the method comprising:

receiving VPN routing data in a payload of a VPN packet, wherein the VPN routine data includes at least one VPN route;

encoding the VPN routing data into a format that is compatible with a protocol associated with a routing table, the protocol being different from VPN; and

storing the encoded VPN routing data in the routing table.

2. The method as defined by claim 1 wherein the act of receiving comprises:

receiving the VPN packet for a given VPN from a given interface; and

matchinig the given interface with a given VPN identifier, the given VPN identifier identifying the given VPN.

3. The method as defined by claim 2 wherein the act of receiving further comprises:

determining if the given VPN is a large mode VPN or a small mode VPN, wherein a large mode VPN comprises a VPN spanning a relatively large distance, and a small mode VPN comprises a VPN spanning a relatively small distance.

4. The method as defined by claim 1 wherein the encoded VPN routing data is stored in a multicast address space in the routing table.

5. The method as defined by claim 1 wherein the VPN routing data is encoded into a multicast format.

6. The method as defined by claim 1 wherein the act of storing comprises:

storing the encoded VPN routing data in at least one of a multicast and a reserved address space of the routing table.

7. The method as defined by claim 1 wherein the routing table includes routing data for at least two different VPNs.

8. The method as defined by claim 1 wherein the received VPN routing data relates to a given VPN, the routing table having data relating to the given VPN and another VPN.

9. The method as defined by claim 1 wherein the act of encoding comprises:

forming a bit combination that complies with a multicast entry in the routing table.

10. The method as defined by claim 1 wherein the received VPN routing data relates to a given VPN, the given VPN having a VPN identifier identifying the given VPN, a mode indicating whether the given VPN is a small mode VPN or a large mode VPN, and a given route, wherein a large mode VPN comprises a VPN spanning a relatively large distance, and a small mode VPN comprises a VPN spanning a relatively small distance, the act of encoding comprising:

forming a bit combination that includes the VPN identifier, the mode of the given VPN, and the given route.

11. The method as defined by claim 1 further comprising:

forwarding the VPN routing data to a network device.

12. An apparatus for managing VPN routing data, the method comprising:

an input module for receiving VPN routing data in a payload of a VPN packet, wherein the VPN routing data includes at least one VPN route;

an encoding module operatively coupled with the input module, the encoding module encoding the VPN routing data into a format that is compatible with a protocol associated with a routing table, the protocol being different from VPN; and

a storage module operatively coupled with the encoding module, the storage module storing the encoded VPN routing data in the routing table.

13. The apparatus as defined by claim 12 wherein the input module comprises:

a receiver for receiving the VPN packet for a given VPN from a given interface; and

a matching module operatively coupled with the receiver, the matching module matching the given interface with a given VPN identifier, the given VPN identifier identifying the given VPN.

14. The apparatus as defined by claim 13 wherein the input module is capable of determining if the given VPN is a large mode VPN or a small mode VPN, wherein a large mode VPN comprises a VPN scanning a relatively large distance, and a small mode VPN comprises a VPN spanning a relatively small distance.

15. The apparatus as defined by claim 12 wherein the encoded VPN routing data is stored in a multicast address space in the routing table.

16. The apparatus as defined by claim 12 wherein the VPN routing data is encoded into a multicast format.

17. The apparatus as defined by claim 12 wherein the storage module stores the encoded VPN routing data in at least one of a multicast and a reserved address space of the routing table.

18. The apparatus as defined by claim 12 wherein the routing table includes routing data for at least two different VPNs.

19. The apparatus as defined by claim 12 wherein the received VPN routing data relates to a given VPN, the routing table having data relating to the given VPN and another VPN.

20. The apparatus as defined by claim 12 wherein encoding module forms a bit combination that complies with a multicast entry in the routing table.

21. The apparatus as defined by claim 12 wherein the received VPN routing data relates to a given VPN, the given VPN having a VPN identifier identifying the given VPN, a mode indicating whether the given VPN is a small mode VPN or a large mode VPN, and a given route, the encoding module forming a bit combination that includes the VPN identifier, the mode of the given VPN, and the given route, wherein a large mode VPN comprises a VPN spanning a relatively large distance, and a small mode VPN comprises a VPN spanning a relatively small distance.

22. A computer program for use on a computer system for managing VPN routing data, the computer program product comprising a computer usable medium having computer readable program code thereon, the computer readable program code comprising:

program code for receiving VPN routing data in a payload of a VPN packet, wherein the VPN routing data includes at least one VPN route;

program code for encoding the VPN routing data into a format that is compatible with a protocol associated with a routing table, the protocol being different than VPN; and

program code for storing the encoded VPN routing data in the routing table.

23. The computer program product as defined by claim 22 wherein the program code for receiving comprises:

program code for receiving the VPN packet for a given VPN from a given interface; and

program code for matching the given interface with a given VPN identifier, the given VPN identifier identifying the given VPN.

24. The computer program product as defined by claim 23 wherein the program code for receiving further comprises:

program code for determining if the given VPN is a large mode VPN or a small mode VPN, wherein a large mode VPN comprises a VPN spanning a relatively large distance, and a small mode VPN comprises a VPN spanning a relatively small distance.

25. The computer program product as defined by claim 22 wherein the encoded VPN routing data is stored in a multicast address space in the routing table.

26. The computer program product as defined by claim 22 wherein the VPN routing data is encoded into a multicast format.

27. The computer program product as defined by claim 22 wherein the program code for storing comprises:

program code for storing the encoded VPN routing data in at least one of a multicast and a reserved address space of the routing table.

28. The computer program product as defined by claim 22 wherein the routing table includes routing data for at least two different VPNs.

29. The computer program product as defined by claim 22 wherein the VPN routing data received relates to a given VPN, the routing table having data relating to the given VPN and another VPN.

30. The computer program product as defined by claim 22 wherein the program code for encoding comprises:

program code for forming a bit combination that complies with a multicast entry in the routing table.

31. The computer program product as defined by claim 22 wherein the received VPN routing data relates to a given VPN, the given VPN having a VPN identifier identifying the given VPN, a mode indicating whether the given VPN is a small mode VPN or a large mode VPN, and a given route, wherein a large mode VPN comprises a VPN spanning a relatively large distance, and a small mode VPN comprises a VPN spanning a relatively small distance, the program code for encoding comprising:

program code for forming a bit combination that includes the VPN identifier, the mode of the given VPN, and the given route.

32. A method of managing given VPN routing data received for a given VPN, the VPN routing data received in a payload of a VPN packet, when the VPN routing data includes at least one VPN route, the method using a routing table, the method comprising:

encoding the given VPN routing data into a format that is compatible with the routing table; and

storing the encoded VPN routing data in the routing table, the routing table having routing data for the given VPN, and routing data for another VPN.

33. The method as defined by claim 32 further comprising:

receiving the VPN packet with the given VPN routing data, the given VPN packet being received from a given interface; and

matching the given interface with a given VPN identifier that identifies the given VPN.

34. The method as defined by claim 33 further comprising:

determining if the given VPN is a large mode VPN or a small mode VPN, wherein a large mode VPN comprises a VPN spanning a relatively large distance, and a small mode VPN comprises a VPN spanning a relatively small distance.

35. The method as defined by claim 32 wherein the given VPN routing data is encoded into a multicast format.

36. The method as defined by claim 32 wherein the encoded VPN routing data is stored in a multicast address space in the routing table.

37. The method as defined by claim 32 wherein the encoded VPN routing data is stored in at least one of a multicast and a reserved address space of the routing table.

38. An apparatus for managing given VPN routing data received for a given VPN in a payload of a VPN packet, wherein the VPN routing data includes at least one VPN route the method comprising:

an encoding module that encodes the given VPN routing data into a format that is compatible with a routing table; and

a storage module operatively coupled with the encoding module, the storage module storing the encoded VPN routing data in the routing table, the routing table having routing data for the given VPN, and routing data for another VPN.

39. The apparatus as defined by claim 38 further comprising:

an input module for receiving the VPN packet with the given VPN routing data, the given VPN packet being received from a given interface; and

a matching module operatively coupled with the input module, the input module matching the given interface with a given VPN identifier that identifies the given VPN.

40. The apparatus as defined by claim 39 further comprising:

means for determining if the given VPN is a large mode VPN or a small mode VPN, wherein a large mode VPN comprises a VPN spanning a relatively large distance, and a small mode VPN comprises a VPN spanning a relatively small distance.

41. The apparatus as defined by claim 38 wherein the given VPN routing data is encoded into a multicast format.

42. The apparatus as defined by claim 38 wherein the encoded VPN routing data is stored in a multicast address space in the routing table.

43. The apparatus as defined by claim 38 wherein the encoded VPN routing data is stored in at least one of a multicast and a reserved address space of the routing table.

44. A computer program product for use on a computer system for managing given VPN routing data received for a given VPN in a payload of a VPN packet, wherein the VPN routing data includes at least one VPN route, the computer program product comprising a computer useable medium having computer readable program code thereon, the computer readable program code comprising:

program code for encoding the given VPN routing data into a format that is compatible with a routing table; and

program code for storing the encoded VPN routing data in the routing table, the routing table having routing data for the given VPN, and routing data for another VPN.

45. The computer program product as defined by claim 44 further comprising:

program code for receiving the given VPN packet with the given VPN routing data, the given VPN packet being received from a given interface; and

program code for matching the given interface with a given VPN identifier that identifies the given VPN.

46. The computer program product as defined by claim 45 further comprising:

program code for determining if the given VPN is a large mode VPN or a small mode VPN, wherein a large mode VPN comprises a VPN spanning a relatively large distance, and a small mode VPN comprises a VPN spanning a relatively small distance.

47. The computer program product as defined by claim 44 wherein the given VPN routing data is encoded into a multicast format.

48. The computer program product as defined by claim 44 wherein the encoded VPN routing data is stored in a multicast address space in the routing table.

49. The computer program product as defined by claim 44 wherein the encoded VPN routing data is stored in at least one of a multicast and a reserved address spacing of the routing table.