Metro ethernet service enhancements

• US 7,701,948 B2
• Filed: 06/02/2004
• Issued: 04/20/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/20/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: RPX Clearinghouse LLC (RPX Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nortel Networks Limited (Nortel Networks Corporation)
• Inventors: Aboul Magd, Osama, Rabie, Sameh
• Primary Examiner(s): Shah, Chirag G
• Assistant Examiner(s): Zhou, Yong
• Application Number:
  US10/858,076
• Publication Number:
  US 20050160180A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,148 Days
• Field of Search: 370/230.1, 370/231, 370/235, 370/389, 370/392, 370/395.2, 370/395.21, 370/395.3, 370/395.4, 370/396, 370/397, 370/400, 370/401
• US Class Current: 370/395.41
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/10 Flow control; Congestion control
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/13 in a LAN segment, e.g. ring or bus
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/20 Traffic policing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/2408 for supporting different services, e.g. a differentiated services [DiffServ] type of service
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/2441 relying on flow classification, e.g. using integrated services [IntServ]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/31 by tagging of packets, e.g. using discard eligibility [DE] bits
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/32 by discarding or delaying data units, e.g. packets or frames

Abstract

Numerous enhancements to metro Ethernet network (MEN) services include an enhancement of the overall MEN Quality of Service (QoS) architecture, an enhancement to classification at the provider edge, the use of Ethernet QoS classes, enhancements to policing and marking at ingress provider edge equipment, the provision of traffic management functions at egress provider edge equipment, the use of multiple Ethernet virtual connections (EVCs) and Aggregate EVCs, an enhancement to QoS across an external network-network interface and an enhancement to treatment of Ethernet service frames in a core network.

Claims

1. A method of handling an Ethernet service frame in an Ethernet Network comprising:

receiving an Ethernet service frame at provider edge network equipment;

determining a marked forwarding treatment for said Ethernet service frame;

assigning a new forwarding treatment to said Ethernet service frame based on said marked forwarding treatment;

determining a color to associate with said Ethernet service frame based on said new forwarding treatment;

generating an indication of said color;

determining compliance of said Ethernet service frame with a Bandwidth Profile;

generating an indication of said compliance of said Ethernet service frame with said Bandwidth Profile;

determining, based on said indication of said compliance, that said Ethernet service frame does not comply with said Bandwidth Profile;

responsive to said determining that said Ethernet service frame does not comply with said Bandwidth Profile, processing said Ethernet service frame based on said indication of said color;

modifying a header of said Ethernet service frame to indicate said new forwarding treatment for said Ethernet service frame based on a service class and said indication of said compliance;

mapping said service class to a core forwarding treatment for use within a service provider network; and

transmitting said Ethernet service frame to a node in said Ethernet network.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said assigning comprises:

selecting a candidate marking map; and

determining a correspondence in said candidate marking map between said marked forwarding treatment and said new forwarding treatment.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising:

determining an identity of an Ethernet virtual connection to associate with said Ethernet service frame; and

wherein said selecting said candidate marking map is based on said identity of said Ethernet virtual connection.

4. The method of claim 2 further comprising:

determining an identity of said user-network interface; and

wherein said selecting said candidate marking map is based on said identity of said user-network interface.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

determining, based on information in said header of said Ethernet service frame, said service class for said Ethernet service frame, where said service class is associated with said forwarding treatment for said Ethernet service frame.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising determining an identity of an Ethernet virtual connection to associate with said Ethernet service frame.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising determining an identity of said Bandwidth Profile to associate with said Ethernet service frame.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein said determining said identity of said Bandwidth Profile comprises:

selecting a service class map based on said identity of said Ethernet virtual connection, where said service class map associates scheduling treatments with Bandwidth Profile identities;

determining a scheduling treatment for said Ethernet service frame based on said service class; and

determining said identity of said Bandwidth Profile based on an association, in said service class map, between said Bandwidth Profile and said scheduling treatment for said Ethernet service frame.

9. The method of claim 6 further comprising:

determining, from said information in said header, an identity of a virtual local area network with which said Ethernet service frame is associated; and

wherein said determining said identity of said Ethernet virtual connection is based, at least in part, on said identity of said virtual local area network.

10. The method of claim 6 wherein said determining said identity of said Ethernet virtual connection is based, at least in part, on a port on which said Ethernet service frame is received.

11. The method of claim 6 wherein said determining said identity of said Ethernet virtual connection is based, at least in part, on a Medium Access Control address included in a header of said Ethernet service frame.

12. The method of claim 6 wherein said determining said service class is based, at least in part, on said identity of said Ethernet virtual connection.

13. The method of claim 6 wherein said service class is associated with performance targets for said Ethernet service frame.

14. The method of claim 6 wherein said service class is associated with a policing treatment for said Ethernet service frame.

15. The method of claim 5 wherein said determining said service class is based on information in said Ethernet service frame related to an Open System Interconnect layer.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein said information in said Ethernet service frame is located in a user priority field and said determining said service class is based, at least in part, on values of bits in said user priority field.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein said information in said Ethernet service frame related to said Open System Interconnect layer is an Internet Protocol Differentiated Services Code Point.

18. The method of claim 5 further comprising:

directing said Ethernet service frame to a queue; and

transmitting said Ethernet service frame from said queue as part of a flow of Ethernet service frames, where said flow is limited to a predetermined rate.

19. The method of claim 5 wherein said node in said Ethernet network comprises customer edge equipment.

20. The method of claim 5 wherein said node in said Ethernet network comprises service provider equipment.

21. The method of claim 5 wherein said receiving said Ethernet service frame is performed over a user-network interface.

22. The method of claim 21 further comprising determining an identity of said user-network interface and basing said determining said service class for said Ethernet service frame on said identity of said user-network interface.

23. The method of claim 5 wherein said receiving said Ethernet service frame is performed over a network-network interface.

24. The method of claim 5 wherein said Ethernet service frame is received from a node in a service provider network.

25. The method of claim 1 wherein said determining said color is based on said information in said header of said Ethernet service frame.

26. The method of claim 1 wherein said forwarding treatment relates to treatment of said Ethernet service frame within said service provider network.

27. The method of claim 1 wherein said forwarding treatment relates to treatment of said Ethernet service frame within a customer network.

28. A hardware traffic management system in a provider edge node in an Ethernet Network comprising:

a classifier operable to;

receive an Ethernet service frame;

determine a marked forwarding treatment for said Ethernet service frame;

assign a new forwarding treatment to said Ethernet service frame based on said marked forwarding treatment;

determine a color to associate with said Ethernet service frame based on said new forwarding treatment; and

generate an indication of said color;

a policer operable to;

determine that said Ethernet service frame does not comply with a Bandwidth Profile;

generate an indication of non-compliance of said Ethernet service frame with said Bandwidth Profile; and

process said Ethernet service frame based on said indication of said color based on said indication of said non-compliance;

a marker operable to;

modify a header of sad Ethernet service frame to indicate said forwarding treatment for said Ethernet service frame based on a service class and said indication of said compliance;

a mapper operable to;

map said service class to a core forwarding treatment for use within a service provider network; and

a forwarder operable to

transmit said Ethernet service frame to a node in said Ethernet network.

29. The traffic management system of claim 28, wherein:

said classifier is operable to determine, based on information recorded in said header of said Ethernet service frame, said service class for said Ethernet service frame, where said service class is associated with said forwarding treatment for said Ethernet service frame.

30. The traffic management system of claim 29 wherein said classifier is further operable to determine an identity of an Ethernet virtual connection to associate with said Ethernet service frame.

31. The traffic management system of claim 30 wherein said service class is associated with performance targets for said Ethernet service frame.

32. The traffic management system of claim 30 wherein said service class is associated with a policing treatment for said Ethernet service frame.

33. The traffic management system of claim 30 wherein said classifier is further operable to determine an identity of said Bandwidth Profile to associate with said Ethernet service frame.

34. The traffic management system of claim 33 wherein said classifier is further operable to:

select a service class map based on said identity of said Ethernet virtual connection, where said service class map associates scheduling treatments with Bandwidth Profile identities;

determine a scheduling treatment for said Ethernet service frame based on said service class; and

determine said identity of said Bandwidth Profile based on an association, in said service class map, between said Bandwidth Profile and said scheduling treatment for said Ethernet service frame.

35. The traffic management system of claim 34 wherein said classifier is further operable to determine said identity of said Ethernet virtual connection based, at least in part, on a Medium Access Control address included in a header of said Ethernet service frame.

36. The traffic management system of claim 30 wherein said classifier is further operable to:

determine, from said information in said header, an identity of a virtual local area network with which said Ethernet service frame is associated; and

base said determining said identity of said Ethernet virtual connection, at least in part, on said identity of said virtual local area network.

37. The traffic management system of claim 30 wherein said classifier is further operable to determine said identity of said Ethernet virtual connection based, at least in part, on a port on which said Ethernet service frame is received.

38. The traffic management system of claim 30 wherein said classifier is further operable to determine said service class based, at least in part, on said identity of said Ethernet virtual connection.

39. The traffic management system of claim 29 wherein said classifier is further operable to determine said service class based on information in said Ethernet service frame related to an Open System Interconnect layer.

40. The traffic management system of claim 39 wherein said information in said Ethernet service frame is located in a user priority field and said classifier is further operable to determine said service class based, at least in part, on values of bits in said user priority field.

41. The traffic management system of claim 39 wherein said information in said Ethernet service frame related to said Open System Interconnect layer is an Internet Protocol Differentiated Services Code Point.

42. The traffic management system of claim 29 wherein said forwarder is further operable to:

direct said Ethernet service frame to a queue; and

transmit said Ethernet service frame from said queue as part of a flow of Ethernet service frames, where said flow is limited to a predetermined rate.

43. The traffic management system of claim 29 wherein said node in said Ethernet network comprises customer edge equipment.

44. The traffic management system of claim 29 wherein said node in said Ethernet network comprises service provider equipment.

45. The traffic management system of claim 29 wherein said classifier is further operable to receive said Ethernet service frame over a user-network interface.

46. The traffic management system of claim 45 wherein said classifier is further operable to determine an identity of said user-network interface and to determine said service class for said Ethernet service frame based on said identity of said user-network interface.

47. The traffic management system of claim 29 wherein said classifier is further operable to receive said Ethernet service frame over a network-network interface.

48. The traffic management system of claim 29 wherein said classifier is further operable to receive said Ethernet service frame from a node in a service provider network.

49. The traffic management system of claim 28 wherein said forwarding treatment relates to treatment of said Ethernet service frame within said service provider network.

50. The traffic management system of claim 28 wherein said forwarding treatment relates to treatment of said Ethernet service frame within a customer network.

51. The traffic management system of claim 28 wherein said mapper is further operable to select a connection, within said service provider network, on which to transmit said Ethernet service frame, based on said core forwarding treatment.

52. The traffic management system of claim 28 wherein said classifier is further operable to determine said color based on said information in said header of said Ethernet service frame.

53. The traffic management system of claim 28 wherein said classifier is further operable to:

select a candidate marking map; and

determine a correspondence in said candidate marking map between said marked forwarding treatment and said new forwarding treatment.

54. The traffic management system of claim 53 wherein said classifier is further operable to:

determine an identity of an Ethernet virtual connection to associate with said Ethernet service frame; and

base said selecting said candidate marking map on said identity of said Ethernet virtual connection.

55. The traffic management system of claim 53 wherein said classifier is further operable to:

determine an identity of a user-network interface; and

base said selecting said candidate marking map on said identity of said user-network interface.

56. A non-transitory medium containing computer-executable instructions which, when performed by processor in provider edge network equipment in an Ethernet Network, cause the processor to:

receive an Ethernet service frame;

determine a marked forwarding treatment for said Ethernet service frame;

assign a new forwarding treatment to said Ethernet service frame based on said marked forwarding treatment;

determine a color to associate with said Ethernet service frame based on said new forwarding treatment; and

generate an indication of said color;

determine compliance of said Ethernet service frame with a Bandwidth Profile;

generate an indication of said compliance of said Ethernet service frame with said Bandwidth Profile;

determine, based on said indication of said compliance, that said Ethernet service frame does not comply with said Bandwidth Profile;

process said Ethernet service frame based on said indication of said color responsive to said determining that said Ethernet service frame does not comply with said Bandwidth Profile;

modify a header of sad Ethernet service frame to indicate said forwarding treatment for said Ethernet service frame based on the service class and said indication of said compliance;

map said service class to a core forwarding treatment for use within a service provider network; and

transmit said Ethernet service frame to a node in said Ethernet network.

57. The non-transitory medium of claim 56, wherein said computer-executable instructions further cause the processor to:

determine, based on information recorded in said header of said Ethernet service frame, said service class for said Ethernet service frame, where said service class is associated with said forwarding treatment for said Ethernet service frame.

58. The non-transitory medium of claim 57 wherein said computer-executable instructions further cause the processor to determine an identity of an Ethernet virtual connection to associate with said Ethernet service frame.

59. The non-transitory medium of claim 58 wherein said service class is associated with performance targets for said Ethernet service frame.

60. The non-transitory medium of claim 59 wherein said computer-executable instructions further cause the processor to determine an identity of said Bandwidth Profile to associate with said Ethernet service frame.

61. The non-transitory medium of claim 60 wherein said computer-executable instructions further cause the processor to:

select a service class map based on said identity of said Ethernet virtual connection, where said service class map associates scheduling treatments with Bandwidth Profile identities;

determine a scheduling treatment for said Ethernet service frame based on said service class; and

determine said identity of said Bandwidth Profile based on an association, in said service class map, between said Bandwidth Profile and said scheduling treatment for said Ethernet service frame.

62. The non-transitory medium of claim 58 wherein said service class is associated with a policing treatment for said Ethernet service frame.

63. The non-transitory medium of claim 58 wherein said computer-executable instructions further cause the processor to:

determine, from said information in said header, an identity of a virtual local area network with which said Ethernet service frame is associated; and

base said determining said identity of said Ethernet virtual connection, at least in part, on said identity of said virtual local area network.

64. The non-transitory medium of claim 58 wherein said computer-executable instructions further cause the processor to determine said identity of said Ethernet virtual connection based, at least in part, on a port on which said Ethernet service frame is received.

65. The non-transitory medium of claim 58 wherein said computer-executable instructions further cause the processor to determine said identity of said Ethernet virtual connection based, at least in part, on a Medium Access Control address included in a header of said Ethernet service frame.

66. The non-transitory medium of claim 58 wherein said computer-executable instructions further cause the processor to determine said service class based, at least in part, on said identity of said Ethernet virtual connection.

67. The non-transitory medium of claim 57 wherein said computer-executable instructions further cause the processor to determine said service class based on information in said Ethernet service frame related to an Open System Interconnect layer.

68. The non-transitory medium of claim 67 wherein said information in said Ethernet service frame is located in a user priority field and said classifier is further operable to determine said service class based, at least in part, on values of bits in said user priority field.

69. The non-transitory medium of claim 67 wherein said information in said Ethernet service frame related to said Open System Interconnect layer is an Internet Protocol Differentiated Services Code Point.

70. The non-transitory medium of claim 57 wherein said computer-executable instructions further cause the processor to:

direct said Ethernet service frame to a queue; and

transmit said Ethernet service frame from said queue as part of a flow of Ethernet service frames, where said flow is limited to a predetermined rate.

71. The non-transitory medium of claim 57 wherein said node in said Ethernet network comprises customer edge equipment.

72. The non-transitory medium of claim 57 wherein said node in said Ethernet network comprises service provider equipment.

73. The non-transitory medium of claim 57 wherein said computer-executable instructions further cause the processor to receive said Ethernet service frame over a user-network interface.

74. The non-transitory medium of claim 73 wherein said computer-executable instructions further cause the processor to determine an identity of said user-network interface and to determine said service class for said Ethernet service frame based on said identity of said user-network interface.

75. The non-transitory medium of claim 57 wherein said computer-executable instructions further cause the processor to receive said Ethernet service frame over a network-network interface.

76. The non-transitory medium of claim 57 wherein said computer-executable instructions further cause the processor to receive said Ethernet service frame from a node in a service provider network.

77. The non-transitory medium of claim 56 wherein said forwarding treatment relates to treatment of said Ethernet service frame within said service provider network.

78. The non-transitory medium of claim 56 wherein said forwarding treatment relates to treatment of said Ethernet service frame within a customer network.

79. The non-transitory medium of claim 56 wherein said computer-executable instructions further cause the processor to select a connection, within said service provider network, on which to transmit said Ethernet service frame, based on said core forwarding treatment.

80. The non-transitory medium of claim 56 wherein said computer-executable instructions further cause the processor to determine said color based on said information in said header of said Ethernet service frame.

81. The non-transitory medium of claim 56 wherein said computer-executable instructions further cause the processor to:

select a candidate marking map; and

determine a correspondence in said candidate marking map between said marked forwarding treatment and said new forwarding treatment.

82. The non-transitory medium of claim 81 wherein said computer-executable instructions further cause the processor to:

determine an identity of an Ethernet virtual connection to associate with said Ethernet service frame; and

base said selecting said candidate marking map on said identity of said Ethernet virtual connection.

83. The non-transitory medium of claim 81 wherein said computer-executable instructions further cause the processor to:

determine an identity of a user-network interface; and

base said selecting said candidate marking map on said identity of said user-network interface.