Transport networks supporting virtual private networks, and configuring such networks
First Claim
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1. A method for generating, by a transport network edge device, information about a newly added customer edge device belonging to a virtual private network, to be disseminated to other edge devices of the transport network, the method comprising:
- a) obtaining a label base value and a range value associated with the newly added customer edge device;
b) generating at least one message, the at least one message collectively includingi) a first field for identifying the transport network edge device;
ii) a second field for identifying the virtual private network to which the newly added customer edge device belongs;
iii) a third field for identifying the newly added customer edge device;
iv) a fourth field for identifying the range value; and
v) a fifth field for identifying the label base.
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Abstract
A layer 2 transport network, and components thereof, supporting virtual network functionality among customer edge devices. Virtual private network configuration can be accomplished with merely local intervention by preprovisioning extra channel (or circuit) identifiers at each customer edge device and by advertising label base and range information corresponding to a list of channel (or circuit) identifiers.
228 Citations
29 Claims
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1. A method for generating, by a transport network edge device, information about a newly added customer edge device belonging to a virtual private network, to be disseminated to other edge devices of the transport network, the method comprising:
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a) obtaining a label base value and a range value associated with the newly added customer edge device; b) generating at least one message, the at least one message collectively including i) a first field for identifying the transport network edge device; ii) a second field for identifying the virtual private network to which the newly added customer edge device belongs; iii) a third field for identifying the newly added customer edge device; iv) a fourth field for identifying the range value; and v) a fifth field for identifying the label base. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method for processing, by a first transport network edge device, information about a newly added customer edge device belonging to a virtual private network, the method comprising:
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for a second customer edge device, belonging to the virtual private network and attached to the first transport network edge device, a) determining a first label for getting to a second transport network edge device sourcing the information about the newly added customer edge device, b) determining a second label for reaching the newly added customer edge device from the second transport network device, c) determining a third label for data from the newly added customer edge device to reach the second customer edge device from the first transport network edge device, d) determining a first route mapping an identifier of the newly added customer edge device, used by the second customer edge device, to the first label and the second label, e) determining a second route mapping the third label to a channel identifier of the second customer edge device, and f) storing at least one of the first route and the second route for use in forwarding data by the first transport network edge device. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A device for use at an edge of a layer 2 transport network, the device comprising:
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a) a storage facility for storing i) a first route mapping a channel identifier corresponding to a destination customer edge device to a first label for forwarding data to a proper egress service provider edge device and a second label for forwarding data from the proper egress service provider edge device to the destination customer edge device, and ii) a second route mapping an ingress second label to a channel identifier associated with a destination customer edge device; b) a forwarding facility for i) forwarding ingress data to an egress service provider edge device based on the first route, and ii) forwarding egress data to a destination customer edge device based on the second route; and c) a signaling facility for signaling information about a newly added customer edge device coupled with the device, to other devices at the edge of the layer 2 transport network, wherein the information about a newly added customer edge device includes; a first value identifying the device; a second value identifying a virtual private network to which the newly added customer edge device belongs; a third value identifying the newly added customer edge device; a fourth value identifying a range associated with the newly added customer edge device; and a fifth value identifying a label base associated with the newly added customer edge device. - View Dependent Claims (21)
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22. In an edge device of a service provider transport network, a computer readable medium having stored thereon a data structure, the data structure comprising:
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(a) a first list of virtual private networks supported by the service provider transport network; (b) for each of the virtual private networks of the list, a second list of customer edge devices belonging to the virtual private network; c) for each of the customer edge devices of the second list, i) a first field for storing a label base, and ii) a second field for storing a label range. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24)
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25. In an edge device of a service provider transport network, a computer readable medium having stored thereon a data structure, the data structure comprising:
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a) a first list of virtual private networks supported by the service provider transport network; b) for each of the virtual private networks of the list, a second list of customer edge devices belonging to the virtual private network; c) for each of the customer edge devices of the second list, a third list of channel identifiers. - View Dependent Claims (26)
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27. A computer readable medium having stored thereon a message data structure, the message data structure comprising:
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a) a first field identifying a transport network edge device which sourced the message data structure; b) a second field identifying a virtual private network to which a given customer edge device, connected with the transport network edge device, belongs; c) a third field identifying the given customer edge device; d) a fourth field identifying a label range associated with the given customer edge device; and e) a fifth field identifying a label base associated with the given customer edge device. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29)
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Specification