External processor for a distributed network access system

• US 7,657,628 B1
• Filed: 11/28/2000
• Issued: 02/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/28/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Verizon Business Global LLC (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Yao, Lei, Thomas, Howard Lee, McDysan, Dave
• Primary Examiner(s): Etienne; Ario
• Assistant Examiner(s): GOLD, AVI M
• Application Number:
  US09/723,501
• Time in Patent Office: 3,353 Days
• Field of Search: 709/223, 709/225, 709/245, 709/249, 709/206, 709/217, 709/219, 709/227, 709/232, 370/401, 370/352, 370/392
• US Class Current: 709/225
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2028 eliminating a faulty processor or activating a spare
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2033 switching over of hardware resources
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2043 where the redundant components share a common memory address space
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2097 maintaining the standby controller/processing unit updated initialisation or re-synchronisation thereof G06F11/1658 and subgroups
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/185 with management of multicast group membership
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2898 Subscriber equipments DSL modems H04M11/062; cable modems H04L12/2801
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/20 Traffic policing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/00 Network arrangements or protocols for supporting network services or applications user-to-user messaging H04L51/00; network arrangements, protocols or services for supporting real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/568 Storing data temporarily at an intermediate stage, e.g. caching
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/16 Implementation or adaptation of Internet protocol [IP], of transmission control protocol [TCP] or of user datagram protocol [UDP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0025 Provisions for signalling

Abstract

An external processor for a network access system having a programmable access device includes a service controller that provides at least one service for network traffic, a message processor that processes network messages for service processing by the service controller, and a programmable access device controller that programs the programmable access device in response to service controller processing. It is advantageous for the external processor to include primary and secondary service controllers for a particular service so that, if the primary service controller fails, the secondary service controller can provide the particular service for message received from the programmable access device. In preferred embodiments, the service controller further includes a reporting processor that provides an interface through which reporting messages received from the programmable access device can be communicated to the service controller and a signaling controller that transmits signals to configure network hardware to establish requested network connections. The external processor preferably further supports a service policy interface through which the service controller can request policy decisions from a possibly remote policy server.

Claims

1. An external processor for a network access system having a programmable access device, comprising:

a message processor configured to parse a message for determining a type of communication service;

a service controller configured to receive the message if the type of communication service corresponds to the service controller, wherein the service controller determines a policy based on the message and generates a control signal according to the policy; and

a programmable access device (PAD) controller configured to receive the control signal for configuring a PAD to enforce the policy with respect to a network connection between a first network and a second network.

2. The external processor of claim 1, wherein the external processor includes a plurality of service controllers including said service controller, wherein each of said plurality of service controllers implements a respective one of a plurality of services.

3. The external processor of claim 2, wherein the plurality of service controllers includes primary and secondary service controllers for a particular service among said plurality of services, and wherein the secondary service controller provides said particular service to said programmable access device if said primary service controller fails.

4. The external processor of claim 2, wherein said plurality of service controllers includes a second service controller in communication with said first service controller such that a network message can be serviced by both of said first service controller and said second service controller.

5. The external processor of claim 2, wherein the external processor is coupled to a plurality of programmable access device, and wherein at least one of the plurality of service controllers performs selectively service processing for a portion of said plurality of programmable access devices.

6. The external processor of claim 1, wherein the service controller includes means for injecting a packet into a traffic flow handled by the programmable access device.

7. The external processor of claim 1, wherein the service controller supports a service policy interface through which the service controller requests policy decision from a policy server.

8. The external processor of claim 1, wherein the external processor includes a policy cache that selectively caches policies obtained from a policy server.

9. The external processor of claim 1, and further comprising a reporting processor that provides an interface through which a reporting event received from the programmable access device is communicated to the service controller.

10. The external processor of claim 1, and further comprising a signaling controller that transmits signals to configure network hardware to provide network connections.

11. The external processor of claim 10, wherein the signals specify a quality of service.

12. The external processor of claim 1, wherein the service controller comprises session management means for causing the programmable access device controller to signal the programmable access device to end a session receiving enhanced service.

13. The external processor of claim 12, wherein the session receiving enhanced service is a Transport Control Protocol (TCP) session, and wherein the session management means comprises means for causing the programmable access device controller to signal the programmable access device to delete the TCP session state in response to a session activity level.

14. The external processor of claim 1, wherein the service controller comprises a conference call service controller.

15. The external processor of claim 1, wherein the service controller comprises an commerce service controller.

16. The external processor of claim 1, wherein the service controller comprises an internet protocol telephony service controller.

17. The external processor of claim 1, wherein the service controller comprises a reserved bandwidth service controller.

18. The external processor of claim 1, wherein the service controller comprises a multicast service controller.

19. A method of providing a network access system with an external processor and having a programmable access device, comprising the steps of:

receiving a network message and parsing the message to determine a type of communication service with a network processor of the external processor;

determining a policy in response to the message with a service controller of the external processor;

generating and transmitting a control signal according to the policy; and

establishing a configuration of a programmable access device (PAD) to enforce the policy using the control signal with a PAD controller of the external processor in order to connect a first network and a second network.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein performing service processing comprises performing each of a plurality of services in response to network messages with a respective one of a plurality of service controllers.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the plurality of service controllers includes primary and secondary service controllers for a particular service among said plurality of services, and wherein the method further comprises:

in response to failure of communication with said primary service controller for said particular service, performing service processing utilizing the secondary service controller.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein performing service processing comprises performing a plurality of services in response to a single network message utilizing a plurality of service controllers.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein the external processor is coupled to a plurality of programmable access device, and wherein the method further comprises:

with at least one of the plurality of service controllers, performing service processing for less than all of said plurality of programmable access devices.

24. The method of claim 19, wherein performing service processing includes injecting a packet into a traffic flow handled by the programmable access device.

25. The method of claim 19, wherein performing service processing comprises requesting a policy decision from a policy server.

26. The method of claim 25, and further comprising selectively caching, in a policy cache of the external processor, policies obtained from the policy server.

27. The method of claim 19, and further comprising:

receiving a reporting message from the programmable access device; and

performing service processing with the service controller in response to the reporting message.

28. The method of claim 19, and further comprising signaling network hardware from the external processor to provide a network connection.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein signaling network hardware comprises specifying a quality of service for the network connection.

30. The method of claim 19, wherein performing service processing comprises signaling the programmable access device to end a session receiving enhanced service.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein the session receiving enhanced service is a Transport Control Protocol (TCP) session, and wherein signaling the programmable access device to end a session receiving enhanced service comprises signaling the programmable access device to delete the TCP session in response to a session activity level.

32. The method of claim 19, wherein performing service processing comprises performing conference call service processing.

33. The method of claim 19, wherein performing service processing comprises performing e-commerce service processing.

34. The method of claim 19, wherein performing service processing comprises performing internet protocol telephony service processing.

35. The method of claim 19, wherein performing service processing comprises performing reserved bandwidth service processing.

36. The method of claim 19, wherein performing service processing comprises performing multicast service processing.