Methods and apparatus providing an overlay network for voice over internet protocol applications

• US 7,586,899 B1
• Filed: 07/16/2002
• Issued: 09/08/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/18/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Juniper Networks Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Juniper Networks Incorporated
• Inventors: Getz, Benjamin J., Mohaban, Shai, Kahane, Opher, Parnafes, Itzhak
• Primary Examiner(s): Duong; Frank
• Application Number:
  US10/196,796
• Time in Patent Office: 2,611 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 370/352
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2212/00 Encapsulation of packets
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/22 Alternate routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/247 using M:N active or standby paths
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/302 Route determination based on requested QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/50 using label swapping, e.g. multi-protocol label switch [MPLS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/125 by balancing the load, e.g. traffic engineering
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1013 Network architectures, gateways, control or user entities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1083 In-session procedures
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/65 Network streaming protocols, e.g. real-time transport protocol [RTP] or real-time control protocol [RTCP]

Abstract

A system and method for transferring Media over IP (MoIP) packets over an overlay network is provided. The system provides specially designed overlay network units located at key points in the IP network effectively creating an overlay network that is capable of interacting both on the overlay level as well as over the standard IP network.

Claims

1. A network for transferring multimedia over Internet protocol (MoIP) packets, said network comprising:

at least two points of presence (PoPs) that are communicatively coupled to one another by an IP-based packet network having IP routes;

an overlay network configured to route said MoIP packets and comprising a plurality of overlay network units (ONU), wherein at least one of the ONUs is communicatively coupled to said IP-based packet network such that the overlay network exists on top of the IP-based packet network, wherein at least one of the ONUs establishes at least one label-switched path (LSP) of the overlay network, wherein the at least one LSP is established using a label distribution protocol as an alternative path to a default IP route within the IP-based packet network, wherein the at least one LSP is established as a designated source-to-destination path that is pre-defined from a specified source to a specified destination;

in each of the ONUs, a packet forwarding mechanism for determining (i) a packet next destination along the at least one LSP and (ii) a Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) label to be applied to the MoIP packets for communication along the at least one LSP.

2. A network as recited in claim 1, wherein said MoIP packets are transferred over said network based on at least one of:

quality of service (QoS), load balancing.

3. A network as recited in claim 1, wherein said next destination is one of:

ONU and final destination.

4. A network as recited in claim 1, wherein said ONU comprises:

means for communication with a network;

means, coupled to the communication means, for receiving said MoIP packets;

means, coupled to the receiving means, for sending MoIP packets over at least said overlay network;

a label-switching table that is coupled to the sending means.

5. A network as recited in claim 4, wherein said ONU further comprising logic for performing the steps of:

receiving one or more packets associated with a voice call originating at one of the points of presence;

selecting, using the packet forwarding mechanism, a next ONU to which the packets should be forwarded; and

forwarding the packets to the selected next ONU.

6. The network of claim 1, wherein said MoIP packets are at least one of:

data packets, voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) packets, video packets, and multi-media packets.

7. The network of claim 5, wherein each ONU is one of:

overlay network ramp (ONR), voice endpoint, and overlay network deflector (OND).

8. The network of claim 5, wherein said voice endpoint is configured to route said MoIP packets directly to an overlay network deflector (OND).

9. The network of claim 7, wherein each said ONR is an integral part of one of said PoPs.

10. The network of claim 9, wherein each said ONR is further connected to said at least one multi-media endpoint and at least to said IP-based packet network.

11. The network of claim 9, wherein each said ONR is further connected to at least one ONU.

12. The network of claim 7, wherein said ONR is further capable of determining a path for said MoIP packets based upon a plurality of available overlay network paths and on one or more of:

priority, load balancing, router availability, source address, destination address, source port, destination port, or quality of service.

13. The network of claim 12, wherein said ONR is further capable of modifying said MoIP packet by means of

attaching an MPLS label.

14. The network of claim 7, wherein said ONR is further configured to determine a next hop for said MoIP packets, wherein said next hop is determined based upon a plurality of available overlay network paths and on one or more of priority, load balancing, router availability, source address, destination address, source port, destination port, or quality of service.

15. The network of claim 14, wherein said ONR is further capable of encapsulating said MoIP packet and sending it to said next hop.

16. The network of claim 1, wherein the ONUs apply path calculation algorithms to automatically determine and establish the at least one LSP through the overlay network.

17. The network of claim 5, wherein said logic further includes logic for carrying out the step of periodically checking at least one neighbor ONU, and in response detecting a failure of the neighbor ONU, updating the packet forwarding mechanism.

18. The network of claim 1, wherein the ONUs apply quality of service (QoS)-based path selection algorithms to automatically determine and establish the at least one LSP through the overlay network.

19. An overlay network unit (ONU) for an overlay network, wherein the overlay network comprises one or more overlay network units (ONUs) that are communicatively coupled with one another in association with an IP-based packet network having IP routes, such that the overlay network exists on top of the IP-based packet network, said ONU comprising:

means for communication with a packet network;

means, coupled to the communication means, for receiving multimedia over Internet protocol (MoIP) packets from a source in the packet network;

means, coupled to the receiving means, for establishing at least one label-switched path (LSP) of the overlay network, wherein the at least one LSP is established using a label distribution protocol as an alternative path to default IP route in the IP-based packet network, wherein the at least one LSP is established as a designated source-to-destination path that is pre-defined from a specified source to a specified destination;

means, coupled to the receiving means and the establishing means, for sending MoIP packets over said overlay network via the at least one path to reach a destination in the packet network; and

a label-switching table that is coupled to the sending means, wherein the means for sending comprises means for determining from the label-switching table (i) a packet next destination along the at least one path and (ii) a Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) label to be applied to the MoIP packets for communication along the LSP.

20. The ONU of claim 19, wherein said ONU is one of:

overlay network ramp (ONR), overlay network deflector (OND).

21. The ONU of claim 20, further comprising a memory comprising one or more sequences of instructions which, when executed by one or more of the receiving means and sending means, cause the receiving means or sending means to perform the following steps:

accepting MoIP packets from the IP-based packet network;

determining if said MoIP packets are to be routed through said overlay network and if not routing said MoIP packets over said IP-based packet network;

selecting a path in the overlay network for routing the MoIP packets;

forwarding MoIP packets over said overlay network path.

22. The ONU of claim 20, wherein said ONU further comprising a memory comprising one or more sequences of instructions which, when executed by one or more of the receiving means and sending means, cause the receiving means or sending means to perform the following steps:

accepting MoIP packets from the IP-based packet network;

determining if said MoIP packets are to be routed through said overlay network and if not routing said MoIP packets over said IP-based packet network;

selecting a next hop in the overlay network for routing the MoIP packets;

forwarding MoIP packets over said overlay network to said next hop.

23. The ONU of claim 22, wherein said method of sending comprises the step of determining the next hop to be used, and wherein said determining the next hop is based on at least one of:

priority, load balancing, router availability, source address, destination address, source port, destination port, or quality of service.

24. The ONU of claim 23, wherein tables for determination of said next hop are configured by label distribution protocols.

25. The ONU of claim 19, wherein said ONU checks periodically at least one neighbor ONU to identify a failure of the neighbor ONU, and in response to identifying a failure of the neighbor ONU, said ONU updates at least a packet forwarding mechanism.

26. The ONU of claim 19, wherein said packet forwarding mechanism is updated dynamically based on at least one of:

QoS measurements, availability of next ONU, routing policies.

27. The ONU of claim 19, wherein said MoIP packets are at least one of:

data packets, voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) packets, video packets, and multi-media packets.

28. The ONU of claim 20, wherein said method of sending further comprising the step of checking functionality of a path to be used, and in response thereto, if said path to be used is non-functional, then selecting an alternate path.

29. The ONU of claim 20, wherein said ONR is further configured to classify said MoIP packets using one of:

parsing of application level protocols, using media recognition heuristics, determining packet parameters.

30. The ONU of claim 29, wherein said parsing is performed on at least one of the protocols:

SIP, H.323 and MGCP.

31. The ONU of claim 20, wherein said OND is further configured to forward said MoIP packets based on label switching tables.

32. The ONU of claim 31, wherein said label switching tables are determined using access control lists (ACL), said ACL further comprising MPLS labels.

33. The OND claim 20, wherein said OND is capable of receiving MoIP packets directly from a voice endpoint.

34. A method for communicating between overlay network units (ONUs) over an overlay network that exists on top of an Internet protocol (IP)-based packet network having IP routes, the method comprising the steps of:

accepting multimedia over Internet protocol (MoIP) packets;

establishing at least one label-switched path (LSP) between points of presence (PoPs) through the overlay network, wherein the at least one label-switched path is established using a label distribution protocol as an alternative path to a default IP route in the IP-based packet network, wherein the at least one LSP is established as a designated source-to-destination path that is pre-defined from a specified source to a specified destination; and

forwarding MoIP packets over the at least one LSP in said overlay network by determining (i) a packet next destination along the at least one LSP and (ii) a Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) label to be applied to the MoIP packets for communication along the at least one LSP.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein said ONU is at least one of:

overlay network ramp (ONR) and overlay network deflector (OND).

36. The method of claim 35, wherein said accepting MoIP packets for said ONU is at least one of:

another ONU, a source within the IP-based packet network other than an ONU.

37. The method of claim 34, wherein said forwarding of MoIP packets over said overlay network comprises the steps of:

determining which method of sending said MoIP packets should be used;

forwarding said MoIP packets based on said method of sending.

38. The method of claim 37, wherein said determining a method of sending said MoIP packets is one of:

selecting a path and selecting a next hop.

39. The method of claim 37, wherein said method of sending comprises at least the step of determining the next ONU to be used.

40. The method of claim 39, wherein said determining the next ONU is based on at least one of the following considerations:

priority, load balancing, router availability, source address, destination address, source port, destination port, quality of service.

41. The method of claim 34, wherein said method further comprises the step of checking functionality of a network path to be used, and wherein said network path to be used is non-functional then selecting an alternate.

42. The method of claim 34, wherein said method further comprises the step of checking periodically at least one neighbor ONU, wherein as a result of said neighbor ONU failure notification, said OND updates at least a forwarding mechanism.

43. The method of claim 34, wherein said MoIP packets are at least one of:

data packets, voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) packets, video packets, and multi-media packets.

44. A computer-readable storage medium for communicating between an overlay network deflector (OND) and an overlay network unit (ONU) over an overlay network that exists on top of an Internet protocol (IP)-based packet network having IP routes, the computer-readable medium comprising one or more sequences of software instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to carry out the following steps:

accepting multimedia over Internet protocol (MoIP) packets;

establishing at least one label-switched path (LSP) through an overlay network, wherein at the at least one LSP is established using a label distribution protocol as an alternative path to a default IP route in the IP-based packet network wherein the at least one LSP is established as a designated source-to-destination path that is pre-defined from a specified source to a specified destination; and

forwarding MoIP packets on the at least one path over said overlay network by determining (i) a packet next destination along the at least one LSP and (ii) a Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) label to be applied to the MoIP packets for communication along the at least one LSP.

45. A computer-readable storage medium for communicating between an overlay network ramp (ONR) and an overlay network unit (ONU) over an overlay network that exists on top of an Internet protocol (IP)-based packet network having IP routes, the computer-readable medium comprising one or more sequences of software instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to carry out the following steps:

accepting multimedia over Internet protocol (MoIP) packets;

determining if said MoIP packets are to be routed through at least one label-switched path (LSP) established through said overlay network and if not routing said MoIP packets over the IP-based packet network, and wherein the at least one LSP is established using a label distribution protocol as an alternative path to a default IP route in the IP-based packet network, wherein the at least one LSP is established as a designated source-to-destination path that is pre-defined from a specified source to a specified destination;

selecting a routing method for MoIP packets; and

forwarding MoIP packets over the at least one LSP through said overlay network.