Routing method and apparatus for optimising auto-tunnelling in a heterogeneous network
First Claim
1. A method of routing data packets in a heterogeneous network from a first network node, the method comprising the steps of:
- creating entries in at least one database associated with said first network node, each entry relating to at least one respective path from said first network node to a respective destination node in the network;
determining, when creating an entry, if a network node located along said at least one respective path is a heterogeneous network node;
associating with each created entry, additional information comprising at least one heterogeneous characteristic of said heterogeneous network node, said at least one heterogeneous characteristic comprising a metric cost for encapsulating data packets provided in a form compliant with a first protocol set into a form compliant with a second protocol set;
creating subsequent entries in respect of paths to other network nodes;
associating said additional information with said subsequent entries; and
determining an optimum path along which said data packets are to be routed in dependence on said additional information.
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Abstract
In the preferred embodiment, the invention provides a modified Shortest Path First routing algorithm for use in a heterogeneous network. The routing algorithm is modified to include predetermined heterogeneous characteristics of the network nodes and to take these characteristics into account when calculating the shortest paths. For example, information may be included in the algorithm which identifies heterogeneous network nodes as it calculates shortest paths. Once a node has been identified as heterogeneous, i.e., capable of supporting at least two protocol sets, this information is carried over into subsequent path entries created by the routing algorithm. The algorithm then uses the encapsulation capability identifier in the calculation of the shortest paths by including the cost of auto-tunneling between heterogeneous nodes to be taken into account when determining the short path.
43 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method of routing data packets in a heterogeneous network from a first network node, the method comprising the steps of:
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creating entries in at least one database associated with said first network node, each entry relating to at least one respective path from said first network node to a respective destination node in the network; determining, when creating an entry, if a network node located along said at least one respective path is a heterogeneous network node; associating with each created entry, additional information comprising at least one heterogeneous characteristic of said heterogeneous network node, said at least one heterogeneous characteristic comprising a metric cost for encapsulating data packets provided in a form compliant with a first protocol set into a form compliant with a second protocol set; creating subsequent entries in respect of paths to other network nodes; associating said additional information with said subsequent entries; and determining an optimum path along which said data packets are to be routed in dependence on said additional information. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 19)
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12. A method of routing data packets in a heterogeneous network from a first network node, the method comprising the steps of:
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creating entries in at least one database associated with said first network node, each entry relating to at least one respective path from said first network node to a respective destination node in the network; determining, when creating an entry, if a network node located along said at least one path is a heterogeneous network node; associating with each heterogeneous network node an entry identifying at least one characteristic of said heterogeneous network node; creating subsequent entries in respect of paths to other network nodes; associating said heterogeneous characteristic information with said subsequent entries; and determining an optimum path along which said data packets are to be routed in dependence on said heterogeneous characteristic information, wherein at least one characteristic of said heterogeneous network node indicates an encapsulation cost for encapsulating data packets provided in accordance with a first protocol set into a second protocol set. - View Dependent Claims (13)
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14. Apparatus arranged to implement a method of routing data packets in a heterogeneous network from a first network node, the apparatus comprising:
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means arranged to create entries in at least one database associated with said first network node, each entry relating to at least one respective path from said first network node to a respective destination node in the network, means arranged to determine, when creating an entry, if a network node located along said at least one path is a heterogeneous network node, means arranged to associate with each heterogeneous network node an entry identifying at least one characteristic of said heterogeneous network node, and means arranged to create subsequent entries in respect of paths to other network nodes, and means arranged to associate said heterogeneous characteristic information with said subsequent entries by determining an optimum path along which said data packets are to be routed in dependence on said heterogeneous characteristic information, wherein at least one characteristic of said heterogeneous network node indicates an encapsulation cost for encapsulating data packets providing in accordance with a first protocol set into a second protocol set. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18)
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20. Apparatus arranged to implement a method of routing data packets in a heterogeneous network from a first network node, the apparatus comprising:
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a processing component arranged to create entries in at least one database associated with said first network node, each entry relating to at least one respective path from said first network node to a respective destination node in the network, a processing component arranged to determine, when creating an entry, if a network node located along said at least one path is a heterogeneous network node, a processing component arranged to associate with each heterogeneous network node an entry identifying at least one characteristic of said heterogeneous network node, and a processing component arranged to create subsequent entries in respect of paths to other network nodes, and a processing component arranged to associate said heterogeneous characteristic information with said subsequent entries by determining an optimum path along which said data packets are to be routed in dependence on said heterogeneous characteristic information, wherein at least one characteristic of said heterogeneous network node indicates an encapsulation cost for encapsulating data packets providing in accordance with a first protocol set into a second protocol set.
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Specification