Methods, apparatus and data structures for segmenting customers using at least a portion of a layer 2 address header or bits in the place of a layer 2 address header

• US 7,839,802 B2
• Filed: 12/03/2004
• Issued: 11/23/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Verizon Communications Inc.
• Inventors: Baum, Robert T., Voit, Eric A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ngo, Ricky
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, PHUONGCHAU BA
• Application Number:
  US11/003,963
• Publication Number:
  US 20050157664A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,181 Days
• Field of Search: 370/256, 370/402, 370/465, 709/249
• US Class Current: 370/256
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4641 Virtual LANs, VLANs, e.g. virtual private networks [VPN] LAN interconnection over a bridge based backbone H04L12/462; encapsulation techniques H04L12/4633; routing of packets H04L45/00; packet switches H04L49/00; virtual private networks for security H04L63/0272
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2463/102 applying security measure for e-commerce data processing systems or methods, specially adapted for e-commerce G06Q30/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/00 Network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/35 involving non-standard use of addresses for implementing network functionalities, e.g. coding subscription information within the address or functional addressing, i.e. assigning an address to a function
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0272 Virtual private networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/101 Access control lists [ACL]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/104 Grouping of entities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/22 Parsing or analysis of headers

Abstract

Limiting or controlling access to various services thereby performing a firewall function. An access router may permit or deny a packet based on at least a portion of a unique bit string (or context information) which replaced layer 2 header information (e.g., the layer 2 (e.g., MAC) address). Further, a particular quality of service may be indicated by at least a part of the unique bit string (or context information). The service provided to a group of customers, that group of customers being defined by at least a portion of the unique bit string (or context information), may be monitored. Multicast groups may be supported by checking at least a part of the unique bit string (or context information) to determine whether or not a customer associated with that port is permitted to join the multicast group.

Claims

1. A method for provisioning services to packets sourced from a number of client customer devices, the method comprising:

a) accepting, by communications system, a packet sourced from one of a number of client customer devices, wherein the packet has had at least a part of a layer 2 header, generated by the source client customer device, replaced with a unique bit string that is independent of any contents of the packet, wherein the at least a portion of the unique bit string corresponds to a virtual private network-INDEX;

b) determining, by the communications system, whether or not the packet is entitled to access a particular service using at least a portion of the unique bit string; and

c) if it is determined that the packet is entitled to access the particular service, then routing, by the communications system, the packet, otherwise denying, by the communications system, the packet access to the particular service.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein at least a portion of the unique bit string represents one of a number of logical interfaces.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein at least a portion of the unique bit string corresponds to a virtual private network-organizational universal identifier.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein at least a portion of the unique bit string represents a logical port identifier including a geographic location identifier and a physical unit identifier.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of determining whether or not the packet is entitled to access a particular service using at least a portion of the unique bit string is a separate determination from determining whether or not the packet can be forwarded.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the packet is routed only if it is determined that the packet is entitled to access the particular service.

7. A method for providing various quality of service levels to packets sourced from a number of client customer devices, the method comprising:

a) accepting, by the communications system, a packet sourced from one or a number of client customer devices, wherein the packet has had at least a part of a layer 2 header, generated by the source client customer device, replaced with a unique bit string that is independent of any contents of the packet, wherein the at least a portion of the unique bit string corresponds to a virtual private network-INDEX;

b) determining, by the communications system, a service level to which the packet is entitled using the unique bit string; and

c) forwarding, by the communications system, the packet to a particular one of a plurality of queues associated with the service level determined.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein at least a portion of the unique bit string represents one of a number of logical interfaces.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein at least a portion of the unique bit string corresponds to a virtual private network-organizational universal identifier.

10. The method of claim 7 wherein at least a portion of the unique bit string represents a logical port identifier including a geographic location identifier and a physical unit identifier.

11. The method of claim 7 wherein the service level is a quality of service level.

12. The method of claim 7 wherein the service level is a quality of service level represented by a plurality of bits.

13. A method for monitoring packets sourced from a group of client customer devices defining a subset of client customer devices, each of the packets having at least a part of a layer 2 header, generated by the source client customer device, replaced with a unique bit string, the method comprising:

a) determining, by the communications system, whether or not the packet belongs to the group of client customer devices using at least a portion of the unique bit string, wherein the at least a portion of the unique bit string corresponds to a virtual private network-INDEX; and

b) if it is determined that the packet does belong to the group of client customer devices, then

i) copying, by the communications system, the packet to generate a duplicate packet, and

ii) forwarding, by the communications system, the duplicate packet to a monitoring facility, wherein the monitoring facility monitors at least one of (A) service provided to a group of customers, and (B) security.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein at least a portion of the unique bit string represents one of a number of logical interfaces.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein at least a portion of the unique bit string corresponds to a virtual private network-organizational universal identifier.

16. The method of claim 13 wherein the unique bit string is independent of a layer 2 destination address.

17. The method of claim 13 wherein at least a portion of the unique bit string represents a logical port identifier including a geographic location identifier and a physical unit identifier.