System and method for relaying information in order to enable services in a network environment

• US 7,756,040 B1
• Filed: 10/08/2003
• Issued: 07/13/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/08/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Iyer, Jayaraman R., O'Rourke, Chris, Menditto, Louis F., Andriantsiferana, Laurent H., Panda, Biswaranjan, Chandwadkar, Ashish A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mattis; Jason E
• Application Number:
  US10/680,957
• Time in Patent Office: 2,470 Days
• Field of Search: 370/236, 370/241.1, 370/329
• US Class Current: 370/236
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/04 adapted for relaying to or from another terminal or user
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/16 Gateway arrangements

Abstract

A method for relaying information in a network environment is provided that includes establishing primary and secondary packet data protocol (PDP) links on behalf of an end user and communicating traffic pattern information associated with the primary and secondary PDP links to a client services packet gateway (CSPG), the traffic pattern information providing data associated with how traffic flows propagating via each of the primary and secondary PDP links are to be treated in a network.

Claims

1. An apparatus for relaying information in a network environment, comprising:

a gateway general packet radio service (GPRS) support node (GGSN) operable to;

establish primary and secondary packet data protocol (PDP) links on behalf of an end user; and

communicate traffic pattern information associated with the primary and secondary PDP links to a client services packet gateway (CSPG) through one or more control path interfaces of the GGSN to the CSPG by adding the traffic pattern information into traffic flows communicated through the one or more control path interfaces of the GGSN to the CSPG, the CSPG being external to and upstream from the GGSN, the traffic pattern information;

providing data associated with how traffic flows propagating via each of the primary and secondary PDP links are to be treated in a information network;

specifying a first quality of service level for the primary PDP link and a different second quality of service level for the secondary PDP link; and

allowing the CSPG to provide at least one service according to one or more appropriate quality of service levels determined from the traffic pattern information, the CSPG operable to parse the traffic pattern information to determine the first quality of service level for the traffic flows propagating via the primary PDP link and the second quality of service level for the traffic flows propagating via the secondary PDP link.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the traffic pattern information is provided in a selected one of a group of protocols that consists of:

a) a RADIUS protocol;

b) a TACACS protocol;

c) a GTP′

protocol; and

d) a DIAMETER protocol.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the CSPG is operable to provide one or more services to the end user, the services being selected from a group of services consisting of:

a) accounting;

b) firewalling;

c) filtering;

d) wireless application protocol transformations;

e) compression;

f) optimization;

g) billing; and

h) content authorization.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the traffic pattern information includes information relating to a selected one or more elements consisting of:

a) a source IP address;

b) a destination IP address;

c) a source port;

d) a destination port;

e) a service profile associated with the end user;

f) a quality of service parameter;

g) an IP address associated with the end user;

h) a protocol type;

i) a service policy associated with the end user;

j) data related to the primary PDP link; and

k) data related to the secondary PDP link.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a table included within the CSPG that is operable to store the traffic pattern information such that it may be referenced by the CSPG to provide a selected quality of service for a selected one of the primary and secondary PDP links.

6. An apparatus for receiving information in a network environment, comprising:

a client services packet gateway (CSPG) operable to;

receive traffic pattern information from a gateway general packet radio service (GPRS) support node (GGSN), the GGSN being operable to establish primary and secondary packet data protocol (PDP) links on behalf of an end user and to communicate the traffic pattern information associated with the primary and secondary PDP links to the CSPG through one or more control path interfaces of the GGSN to the CSPG by adding the traffic pattern information into traffic flows communicated through the one or more control path interfaces of the GGSN to the CSPG, the CSPG being external to and upstream from the GGSN, the traffic pattern information;

provides providing data associated with how traffic flows propagating via each of the primary and secondary PDP links are to be treated in a network;

specifying a first quality of service level for the primary PDP link and a different second quality of service level for the secondary PDP link; and

allowing the CSPG to provide at least one associated service according to one or more appropriate quality of service levels determined from the traffic pattern information; and

parse the traffic pattern information to determine the first quality of service level for the traffic flows propagating via the primary PDP link and the second quality of service level for the traffic flows propagating via the secondary PDP link providing an associated service according to the appropriate quality of service level as determined from the traffic pattern information.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the traffic pattern information is provided in a selected one of a group of protocols that consists of:

a) a RADIUS protocol;

b) a TACACS protocol;

c) a GTP′

protocol; and

d) a DIAMETER protocol.

8. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the CSPG is operable to provide one or more services to the end user, the services being selected from a group of services consisting of:

a) accounting;

b) firewalling;

c) filtering;

d) wireless application protocol transformations;

e) compression;

f) optimization;

g) billing; and

h) content authorization.

9. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the traffic pattern information includes information relating to a selected one or more elements consisting of:

a) a source IP address;

b) a destination IP address;

c) a source port;

d) a destination port;

e) a service profile associated with the end user;

f) a quality of service parameter;

g) an IP address associated with the end user;

h) a protocol type;

i) a service policy associated with the end user;

j) data related to the primary PDP link; and

k) data related to the secondary PDP link.

10. The apparatus of claim 6, further comprising a table included within the CSPG that is operable to store the traffic pattern information such that it may be referenced by the CSPG to provide a selected quality of service for a selected one of the primary and secondary PDP links.

11. A method for relaying information in a network environment, comprising:

establishing primary and secondary packet data protocol (PDP) links on behalf of an end user; and

communicating traffic pattern information associated with the primary and secondary PDP links to a client services packet gateway (CSPG) through one or more control path interfaces of a gateway general packet radio service (GPRS) support node (GGSN) to the CSPG by adding the traffic pattern information into traffic flows communicated through the one or more control path interfaces of the GGSN to the CSPG, the CSPG being external to and upstream from the GGSN, the traffic pattern information;

providing data associated with how traffic flows propagating via each of the primary and secondary PDP links are to be treated in a network;

specifying a first quality of service level for the primary PDP link and a different second quality of service level for the secondary PDP link; and

allowing the CSPG to provide at least one service according to one or more appropriate quality of service levels determined from the traffic pattern information, the CSPG operable to parse the traffic pattern information to determine the first quality of service level for the traffic flows propagating via the primary PDP link and the second quality of service level for the traffic flows propagating via the secondary PDP link.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

leveraging a communications protocol in order to deliver the traffic pattern information, wherein the traffic pattern information is provided in a selected one of a group of protocols that consists of;

a) a RADIUS protocol;

b) a TACACS protocol;

c) a GTP′

protocol; and

d) a DIAMETER protocol.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

providing a table within the CSPG; and

storing the traffic pattern information such that it may be referenced by the CSPG to provide a selected quality of service for a selected one of the primary and secondary PDP links.

14. A system for relaying information in a network environment, comprising:

means for establishing primary and secondary packet data protocol (PDP) links on behalf of an end user; and

means for communicating traffic pattern information associated with the primary and secondary PDP to a client services packet gateway (CSPG) through one or more control path interfaces of a gateway general packet radio service (GPRS) support node (GGSN) to the CSPG by adding the traffic pattern information into traffic flows communicated through the one or more control path interfaces of the GGSN to the CSPG, the CSPG being external to and upstream from the GGSN, the traffic pattern information;

providing data associated with how traffic flows propagating via each of the primary and secondary PDP links are to be treated in a network;

specifying a first quality of service level for the primary PDP link and a different second quality of service level for the secondary PDP link; and

allowing the CSPG to provide at least one service according to one or more appropriate quality of service level as levels determined from the traffic pattern information, the CSPG operable to parse the traffic pattern information to determine the first quality of service level for the traffic flows propagating via the primary PDP link and the second quality of service level for the traffic flows propagating via the secondary PDP link.

15. The system of claim 14, further comprising:

means for leveraging a communications protocol in order to deliver the traffic pattern information.

16. The system of claim 14, further comprising:

means for receiving the traffic pattern information and providing a service based on the traffic pattern information received.

17. The system of claim 14, further comprising means for storing the traffic pattern information such that it may be referenced by the CSPG to provide a selected quality of service for a selected one of the primary and secondary PDP links.

18. A computer-readable medium comprising software for relaying information in a network environment, the software when executed operable to:

establish primary and secondary packet data protocol (PDP) links on behalf of an end user; and

communicate traffic pattern information associated with the primary and secondary PDP to a client services packet gateway (CSPG) through one or more control path interfaces of a gateway general packet radio service (GPRS) support node (GGSN) to the CSPG by adding the traffic pattern information into traffic flows communicated through the one or more control path interfaces of the GGSN to the CSPG, the CSPG being external to and upstream from the GGSN, the traffic pattern information;

providing data associated with how traffic flows propagating via each of the primary and secondary PDP links are to be treated in a network;

specifying a first quality of service level for the primary PDP link and a different second quality of service level for the secondary PDP link; and

allowing the CSPG to provide at least one service according to one or more appropriate quality of service levels determined from the traffic pattern information, the CSPG operable to parse the traffic pattern information to determine the first quality of service level for the traffic flows propagating via the primary PDP link and the second quality of service level for the traffic flows propagating via the secondary PDP link.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 18, wherein the software is further operable to:

leverage a communications protocol in order to deliver the traffic pattern information.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 18, wherein the software is further operable to:

receive the traffic pattern information and providing a service based on the traffic pattern information received.

21. The computer-readable medium of claim 18, further operable to store the traffic pattern information such that it may be referenced by the CSPG to provide a selected quality of service for a selected one of the primary and secondary PDP links.