Two phase reservations for packet networks
First Claim
1. A network device for use in a computer network carrying network traffic, the network device comprising:
- a traffic scheduler having one or more resources for use in forwarding network traffic received at the device at different rates;
a classification engine configured to identify received network traffic based upon predefined criteria; and
a resource reservation engine in communicating relationship with the traffic scheduler and the classification engine,wherein, in response to a first request to reserve resources for a given traffic flow from a destination entity, the resource reservation engine allocates one or more resources to the given traffic flow, but does not make the one or more allocated resources available to the given traffic flow until receiving a second request to reserve the one or more resources from the destination entity indicating that the destination entity accepts the traffic flow.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A two phase reservation mechanism for use with computer networks carrying voice or other time or bandwidth sensitive traffic. During the first or “resource allocation” phase, network resources sufficient to support the anticipated voice traffic are set aside within the computer network along the route between the sourcing entity and receiving entity. Although the network resources have been set aside, they are specifically not made available to the voice traffic, until the second phase of the reservation mechanism, called the “resource available” phase. During the resource available phase, the network resources that were previously set aside are now made available to the voice traffic.
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Citations
36 Claims
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1. A network device for use in a computer network carrying network traffic, the network device comprising:
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a traffic scheduler having one or more resources for use in forwarding network traffic received at the device at different rates; a classification engine configured to identify received network traffic based upon predefined criteria; and a resource reservation engine in communicating relationship with the traffic scheduler and the classification engine, wherein, in response to a first request to reserve resources for a given traffic flow from a destination entity, the resource reservation engine allocates one or more resources to the given traffic flow, but does not make the one or more allocated resources available to the given traffic flow until receiving a second request to reserve the one or more resources from the destination entity indicating that the destination entity accepts the traffic flow. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. In a computer network having a plurality of entities interconnected by a plurality of intermediate network devices having one or more resources for use in forwarding network traffic, a method for providing end-to-end resource reservations along a route between two or more entities, the method comprising the steps of:
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receiving a first resource reservation message at a given intermediate network device disposed along the network route, the first resource reservation message from a destination entity, the first resource reservation message identifying a traffic flow between one or more entities and the destination entity, and requesting a reservation of resources; in response to receiving the first resource reservation message, allocating one or more of the device'"'"'s resources for use in forwarding network traffic between the one or more entities and the destination entity; and withholding the one or more allocated resources from being applied to the traffic flow between the one or more entities and the destination entity, until the given intermediate network device receives a second resource reservation message from the destination entity, the second resource reservation message identifying the traffic flow and indicating that the destination entity accepts the traffic flow. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A method for providing resource reservations along a route through a computer network between two or more entities the method comprising the steps of:
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generating a first resource reservation message by a destination entity identifying a traffic flow and requesting a reservation of resources; configuring the first resource reservation message to include a first two phase reservation flag; asserting the first two phase reservation flag so that resources within the network will be allocated, but not made available to the identified traffic flow until the destination entity accepts the traffic flow generating a second resource reservation message by the destination entity identifying the traffic flow; configuring the second resource reservation message to include a second two phase reservation flag; and deasserting the second two phase reservation flag so that the allocated resources are made available for application to the identified traffic flow.
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20. A router, comprising:
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means for receiving a first resource reservation message from a destination entity, the first resource reservation message identifying a traffic flow between one or more entities and the destination entity, the first resource reservation message requesting a reservation of resources; means for allocating, in response to the first resource reservation message, one or more of the router'"'"'s resources for use in forwarding network traffic between the one or more entities and the destination entity, but not making available the one or more router'"'"'s resources to the identified traffic flow; means for receiving a second resource reservation message from the destination entity; and means for making available, in response to the second resource reservation message, the one or more router'"'"'s resources to the identified traffic flow.
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21. A computer readable media having information written thereon, the information having instructions for execution on a processor for operating a router, the instructions for:
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receiving a first resource reservation message from a destination entity, the first resource reservation message identifying a traffic flow between one or more entities and the destination entity, the first resource reservation message requesting a reservation of resources; allocating, in response to the first resource reservation message, one or more of the router'"'"'s resources for use in forwarding network traffic between the one or more entities and the destination entity, but not making available the one or more router'"'"'s resources to the identified traffic flow; receiving a second resource reservation message from the destination entity; and making available, in response to the second resource reservation message, the one or more router'"'"'s resources to the identified traffic flow.
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22. A method for operating a router, comprising:
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receiving a first modified Resource reSerVation Protocol (RSVP) message transmitted by a destination entity to a source entity; allocating resources between the source entity and the destination entity for a Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) call, in response to the first modified RSVP message, and not making the resources available; receiving, as an indication of acceptance of the VoIP call by the destination entity, a second RSVP message from the destination entity; and making available the previously allocated resources for the VoIP call in response to receiving the second RSVP message. - View Dependent Claims (23)
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24. A router, comprising:
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means for receiving a first modified Resource reSerVation Protocol (RSVP) message transmitted by a destination entity to a source entity; means for allocating resources between the source entity and the destination entity for a Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) call, in response to the first modified RSVP message, and not making the resources available; means for receiving, as an indication of acceptance of the VoIP call by the destination entity, a second RSVP message from the destination entity; and means for making available the previously allocated resources for the VoIP call in response to receiving the second RSVP message. - View Dependent Claims (25)
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26. An apparatus comprising:
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a traffic scheduler having one or more resources for use in forwarding network traffic; a resource reservation engine configured to receive a first resource reservation message from a destination entity, the first resource reservation message identifying a traffic flow between a source entity and the destination entity, the resource reservation engine, in response to the first resource reservation message, to direct the traffic scheduler to allocate the one or more resources to the traffic flow, but not make the one or more resources available to the traffic flow; and the resource reservation engine further configured to receive a second resource reservation message from the destination entity, the second resource reservation message identifying the traffic flow, the resource reservation engine, in response to the second resource reservation message, to direct the traffic scheduler to make the one or more resources available to the traffic flow. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
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Specification