Protection switching in an ethernet packet-switched network
First Claim
1. A method of protection switching in an Ethernet packet-switched network, the method comprising:
- establishing first and second virtual circuits, the first virtual circuit carrying packet traffic associated with a different service instance from packet traffic carried by the second virtual circuit;
transmitting packet traffic of the first virtual circuit from a source network element to a sink network element through a first Ethernet tunnel and packet traffic of the second virtual circuit from the same source network element to the same sink network element through a second Ethernet tunnel, the second Ethernet tunnel being a different path through the Ethernet packet-switched network from the first Ethernet tunnel;
switching the first virtual circuit from the first Ethernet tunnel to the second Ethernet tunnel; and
after switching the first virtual circuit to the second Ethernet tunnel, transmitting packet traffic of the first virtual circuit and packet traffic of the second virtual circuit through the second Ethernet tunnel.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Protection switching in an Ethernet packet-switched network includes establishing first and second virtual circuits. The first virtual circuit carries packet traffic associated with a different service instance from packet traffic carried by the second virtual circuit. Packet traffic of the first virtual circuit is transmitted from a source network element to a sink network element through a first Ethernet tunnel. Packet traffic of the second virtual circuit is transmitted from the same source network element to the same sink network element through a second Ethernet tunnel. The second Ethernet tunnel is a different path through the Ethernet packet-switched network from the first Ethernet tunnel. During a protection switch, the first virtual circuit is switched from the first Ethernet tunnel to the second Ethernet tunnel. After the switch, packet traffic of the first virtual circuit and packet traffic of the second virtual circuit are transmitted over the second Ethernet tunnel.
45 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method of protection switching in an Ethernet packet-switched network, the method comprising:
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establishing first and second virtual circuits, the first virtual circuit carrying packet traffic associated with a different service instance from packet traffic carried by the second virtual circuit; transmitting packet traffic of the first virtual circuit from a source network element to a sink network element through a first Ethernet tunnel and packet traffic of the second virtual circuit from the same source network element to the same sink network element through a second Ethernet tunnel, the second Ethernet tunnel being a different path through the Ethernet packet-switched network from the first Ethernet tunnel; switching the first virtual circuit from the first Ethernet tunnel to the second Ethernet tunnel; and after switching the first virtual circuit to the second Ethernet tunnel, transmitting packet traffic of the first virtual circuit and packet traffic of the second virtual circuit through the second Ethernet tunnel. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. An Ethernet packet-switched network, comprising:
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a first network element; a second network element in communication with the first network element through a first Ethernet tunnel and a second Ethernet tunnel, the second Ethernet tunnel being a different path through the Ethernet packet-switched network from the first Ethernet tunnel, the first network element transmitting packet traffic of a first virtual circuit to the second network element through the first Ethernet tunnel and packet traffic of a second virtual circuit to the second network element through the second Ethernet tunnel, the packet traffic of the first virtual circuit being associated with a different service instance from the packet traffic of the second virtual circuit; a switch for switching the first virtual circuit from the first Ethernet tunnel to the second Ethernet tunnel; and a traffic manager merging packet traffic of the first virtual circuit with packet traffic of the second virtual circuit after the first virtual circuit is switched to the second Ethernet tunnel. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A network element, comprising:
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a first port interface transmitting packet traffic of a first virtual circuit through a first Ethernet tunnel to a sink network element; a second port interface transmitting packet traffic of a second virtual circuit through a second Ethernet tunnel to the sink network element, the second Ethernet tunnel being a different path through an Ethernet packet-switched network from the first Ethernet tunnel, the packet traffic of the first virtual circuit being associated with a different service instance from the packet traffic of the second virtual circuit; a switch for switching the first virtual circuit from the first Ethernet tunnel to the second Ethernet tunnel; and a traffic manager merging packet traffic of the first virtual traffic with packet traffic of the second virtual circuit after the switch switches the first virtual circuit to the second Ethernet tunnel. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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Specification