Full mesh LSP and full mesh T-LDP provisioning between provider edge routers in support of Layer-2 and Layer-3 virtual private network services
First Claim
1. A method of provisioning support for Virtual Private Network (VPN) services, centrally, in a network management context, the method comprising the steps of:
- establishing a full transport mesh of bidirectional Label Switched Paths (LSPs) between a plurality of managed Provider Edge (PE) communications network nodes in a managed communications network, the step of establishing the full transport mesh comprising;
selecting a group of PE communications network nodes participating in the managed communications network, each PE communications network node comprising a Label Switched Router (LSR),deriving a corresponding plurality of PE communications network node pairs from the selected group of PE communications network nodes, andissuing LSP commissioning commands to each PE communications network node in the group to establish an LSP in respect of each corresponding PE communications network node pair;
establishing a full signaling mesh of targeted Label Distribution Protocol (LDP) signaling sessions between the plurality of PE communications network nodes; and
removing a PE communications network node from the group, the step of removing the PE communications network node comprising;
selecting at least one provisioned LSP terminating at the PE communications network node to be removed,determining two PE communications network nodes corresponding to ends of the at least one selected LSP,determining whether content is being conveyed via the at least one selected LSP in respect of at least one actively provisioned VPN service,selectively issuing LSP decommissioning commands to the two PE communications network nodes corresponding to the ends of the at least one selected LSP when a determination is made that no content is being conveyed through the at least one selected LSP, andexcluding the PE communications network node from the group if all selected LSPs have been decommissioned.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A network management system, and a method of, centrally provisioning a full transport LSP mesh and a full targeted LDP signaling session mesh in support of VPN services provisioning are provided. A network management system repository tracks Provider Edge nodes (PE) having label switch router functionality, transport LSP meshes and targeted LDP session meshes. The method includes selecting PE nodes for inclusion in a node group, identifying PE node pairs, and issuing commands to paired PE nodes to commission managed transport LSPs and targeted LDP signaling sessions. The advantages are derived from the full mesh LSP content transport provisioning and targeted LDP signaling session provisioning effected in a centralized network management context enabling service providers to: assure network resiliency, assure service quality, and provide accounting, in respect of Layer-2 and Layer-3 VPN services irrespective of client side deployed infrastructure while leveraging installed infrastructure in the service provider communications network core. Additional advantages are derived from increased operations management personnel productivity while reducing the probability of human error compared to manual provisioning thereof enabling wide availability of VPN services.
60 Citations
17 Claims
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1. A method of provisioning support for Virtual Private Network (VPN) services, centrally, in a network management context, the method comprising the steps of:
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establishing a full transport mesh of bidirectional Label Switched Paths (LSPs) between a plurality of managed Provider Edge (PE) communications network nodes in a managed communications network, the step of establishing the full transport mesh comprising; selecting a group of PE communications network nodes participating in the managed communications network, each PE communications network node comprising a Label Switched Router (LSR), deriving a corresponding plurality of PE communications network node pairs from the selected group of PE communications network nodes, and issuing LSP commissioning commands to each PE communications network node in the group to establish an LSP in respect of each corresponding PE communications network node pair; establishing a full signaling mesh of targeted Label Distribution Protocol (LDP) signaling sessions between the plurality of PE communications network nodes; and removing a PE communications network node from the group, the step of removing the PE communications network node comprising; selecting at least one provisioned LSP terminating at the PE communications network node to be removed, determining two PE communications network nodes corresponding to ends of the at least one selected LSP, determining whether content is being conveyed via the at least one selected LSP in respect of at least one actively provisioned VPN service, selectively issuing LSP decommissioning commands to the two PE communications network nodes corresponding to the ends of the at least one selected LSP when a determination is made that no content is being conveyed through the at least one selected LSP, and excluding the PE communications network node from the group if all selected LSPs have been decommissioned. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method of provisioning support for Virtual Private Network (VPN) services, centrally, in a network management context, the method comprising the steps of:
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establishing a full transport mesh of bidirectional Label Switched Paths (LSPs) between a plurality of managed Provider Edge (PE) communications network nodes in a managed communications network, the step of establishing the full transport mesh comprising; selecting a group of PE communications network nodes participating in the managed communications network, each PE communications network node comprising a Label Switched Router (LSR), deriving a corresponding plurality of PE communications network node pairs from the selected group of Ph communications network nodes, and issuing LSP commissioning commands to each PE communications network node in the group to establish an LSP in respect of each corresponding PE communications network node pair; establishing a full signaling mesh of targeted Label Distribution Protocol (LDP) signaling sessions between the plurality of Ph communications network nodes; ascribing an identifier to one of;
a transport mesh of LSPs, and a signaling mesh of targeted LDP sessions; andremoving a PE communications network node from the group, the step of removing the PE communications network node comprising; selecting at least one provisioned LSP terminating at the PE communications network node to be removed, determining two PE communications network nodes corresponding to ends of the at least one selected LSP, determining whether content is being conveyed via the at least one selected LSP in respect of at least one actively provisioned VPN service, selectively issuing LSP decommissioning commands to the two PE communications network nodes corresponding to the ends of the at least one selected LSP when a determination is made that no content is being conveyed through the at least one selected LSP, and excluding the PE communications network node from the group if all selected LSPs have been decommissioned. - View Dependent Claims (11)
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12. A network management system centrally provisioning hill mesh MultiProtocol Label Switching (MPLS) connectivity in a managed communications network in support of Virtual Private Network (VPN) service provisioning, the network management system comprising:
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a network management system repository tracking managed Provider Edge (PE) communications network nodes in the managed communications network; a full content transport Label Switched Path (LSP) mesh configuration and provisioning means for managing a plurality of content transport LSPs between a selected group of managed PE communications network nodes, the means for managing comprising; means for deriving a corresponding plurality of PE communications network node pairs from the selected group of PE communications network node, and means for issuing LSP commissioning commands to each PE communications network node in the group to establish an LSP in respect of each corresponding PE communications network node pair; a full targeted Label Distribution Protocol (LDP) signaling session mesh configuration and provisioning means for managing a plurality of targeted LDP signaling sessions between the selected group of PE communications network nodes; and a PE communications network node removing means for removing a PE communications network node from the selected group, the removing means comprising; means for selecting at least one provisioned LSP terminating at the PE communications network node to be removed, means for determining two PE communications network nodes corresponding to ends of the at least one selected LSP, means for determining whether content is being conveyed via the at least one selected LSP in respect of at least one actively provisioned VPN service, means for selectively issuing LSP decommissioning commands to the two PE communications network nodes corresponding to the ends of the at least one selected LSP when a determination is made that no content is being conveyed through the at least one selected LSP, and means for excluding the PE communications network node from the group if all selected LSPs have been decommissioned. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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Specification