Frame relay switched data service
First Claim
1. An apparatus comprising:
- means for receiving into a fast packet network, frame relay data packets, said frame relay data packets having user data in a user data field, wherein said user data comprises service category data;
means for switching said frame relay data packets within the fast packet network responsive to the user data;
means for discriminating between a plurality of service categories based on the user data;
means for selecting a virtual private network (VPN) from a plurality of VPNs based upon a data link connection identifier (DLCI); and
means for routing over said VPN selected in response to said DLCI representing at least one of the service categories.
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Abstract
A new type of data transport service which uses a frame relay layer 2 data link connection identifier (DLCI) to select among various service types, feature sets, and/or closed user groups (CUGs). A layer 3 address may be extracted from a layer 2 frame, and the layer 3 address information may be used to route a data packet over a packet-switched network according to the service classes, feature sets, and/or CUGs selected. At the destination, the layer 3 data packet may again be enclosed in a layer 2 frame with a DLCI indicating the service classes, features sets, and/or CUGs. Because the use of conventional permanent virtual circuits (PVCs) is not required in aspects of the invention, new methods of measuring and managing network traffic are presented.
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Citations
3 Claims
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1. An apparatus comprising:
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means for receiving into a fast packet network, frame relay data packets, said frame relay data packets having user data in a user data field, wherein said user data comprises service category data; means for switching said frame relay data packets within the fast packet network responsive to the user data; means for discriminating between a plurality of service categories based on the user data; means for selecting a virtual private network (VPN) from a plurality of VPNs based upon a data link connection identifier (DLCI); and means for routing over said VPN selected in response to said DLCI representing at least one of the service categories. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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Specification