Packet switching apparatus

• US 8,077,719 B2
• Filed: 01/08/2007
• Issued: 12/13/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Miki, Kazuho, Sakamoto, Ken'ichi, Wakayama, Koji, Hirata, Tetsuhiko, Miyata, Hiroaki
• Primary Examiner(s): Sefcheck, Gregory
• Assistant Examiner(s): Van, Jenkey
• Application Number:
  US11/650,489
• Publication Number:
  US 20070110060A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,800 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 370/392
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2856 Access arrangements, e.g. Internet access asynchronous transfer mode networks H04L12/5601; broadband local area networks H04L12/2801; optical access or distribution networks H04Q11/0067; access to open networks H04L12/5691; digital subscriber line end-user equipment and bit-level processing of data on a PSTN-based network H04M11/00; home network gateways H04L12/2834; wireless access networks H04W
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2859 Point-to-point connection between the data network and the subscribers encapsulation H04L12/4633; virtual LANs H04L12/4641; routing of packets H04L45/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4633 Interconnection of networks using encapsulation techniques, e.g. tunneling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/54 Organization of routing tables
• 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 69/168 specially adapted for link layer protocols, e.g. asynchronous transfer mode [ATM], synchronous optical network [SONET] or point-to-point protocol [PPP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/005 Data network PoA devices

Abstract

An access node run as a packet switching apparatus enables IP connection services for a plurality of access methods; e.g., relatively low-speed IP connection, high-speed IP connection, and mobile network IP connection. By using this apparatus of the present invention, cost can be reduced and upgrading to advanced access networks and access services is easily carried out. Provision of the above access nodes implements upgrade-type network services common for diverse protocols. Each access node retains a pathfinding table to which input port, input tunnel identifier and input session identifier entries in a set are registered per session. When routing a packet, by looking up the set of these entries matching with the packet, the associated output port, output tunnel identifier, and output session identifier are obtained. After processing for the packet, appropriate for one of the plurality of access methods and network services, the node forwards the packet over the routed path.

Claims

1. A packet switching apparatus connected to a first network transferring packets using a first access method and a second network transferring packets using a second access method, the packet switching apparatus for forwarding packets received from a terminal connected to the first or second network to their destination based on a session as a point-to-point connection set up between the terminal and a destination network, the packet switching apparatus comprising:

a first interface for receiving packets transferred from the first network using the first access method, each received packet transferred from the first network providing route information including at least one of an input port on the first interface, an identifier of an input tunnel of the received packet, and an identifier of an input session of the received packet;

a second interface for receiving packets transferred from the second network using the second access method, each received packet transferred from the second network providing route information including at least one of an input port on the second interface, an identifier of an input tunnel of the received packet, and an identifier of an input session of the received packet;

a pathfinding table having corresponding information relating input information including at least each input port on the first interface and each input port on the second interface to associated output information for sending an output packet out from the packet switching apparatus toward the destination including an identifier of an output port of the plurality of output ports for outputting packets from the packet switching apparatus, an identifier of an output tunnel from the packet switching apparatus toward the destination for the output packet, including a bundle of a plurality of sessions through which packets are logically passed to a point in the destination network, and an identifier of an output session of the output packet; and

a processing unit which, upon receiving a packet from the first or second network, searches said corresponding information to locate the output information corresponding to the input information specified by the route information included in the packet received, performs processing of the received packet, according to the output port, the output tunnel, and the output session located, and sends out the processed packet through the output port identified by the output port identifier of said corresponding output information to transmit the packet to a destination using the identifier of the output session and the identifier of the output tunnel.

2. The packet switching apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said apparatus handles packets to be transmitted through said session or sessions based on a Point to Point Protocol (PPP).

3. The packet switching apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said apparatus handles packets to be transported through output tunneling based on a Layer 2 Tunneling Protocol (L2TP).

4. The packet switching apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said apparatus handles packets to be transported through output tunneling based on a Mobile IP.

5. The packet switching apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said apparatus handles packets transported through input tunneling based on Generic Routing Encapsulation (GRE).

6. A packet switching apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said corresponding information contains a correspondence among an identifier of an input tunnel of an input packet, an identifier of an input session of the input packet, and an identifier of an output port of the input packet.

7. The packet switching apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processing unit sends out packets received from both the first and second interfaces through a same output tunnel identified by the output tunnel identifier in the associated output information.

8. A packet switching apparatus connected to a first network transferring packets using a first access method and a second network transferring packets using a second access method, said packet switching apparatus for forwarding packets received from a terminal connected to the first or second network to their destination based on a session as a point-to-point connection set up between the terminal and a destination network, the packet switching apparatus comprising:

a plurality of input line interface units, each connecting to at least one input line and carrying out protocol processing in compliance with the OSI Reference Model, at least Layer 1, for packets input through said input line, the plurality of input line interface units including a first interface unit for receiving packets transferred from the first network using the first access method and a second interface unit for receiving packets transferred from the second network using the second access method, each received packet transferred from the first network providing route information including at least one of an input line on the first interface, an identifier of an input tunnel of the received packet, and an identifier of an input session of the received packet, each received packet transferred from the second network providing route information including at least one of an input line on the second interface, an identifier of an input tunnel of the received packet, and an identifier of an input session of the received packet;

a plurality of output line interface units, each connecting to at least one output line and carrying out protocol processing in compliance with the OSI Reference Model, at least Layer 1, for packets to be output over said output line;

a plurality of input session processing units, each connecting to at least a plurality of input line interface units and carrying out session or tunnel processing for packets received from the input line interface units;

a plurality of output session processing units, each connecting to at least a plurality of output line interface units and carrying out session or tunnel processing for packets to be transferred to the output line interface units;

a switch unit that carries out packet switching from the plurality of input session processing units to the plurality of output session processing units;

a control unit connecting to said plurality of input line interface units, said plurality of output line interface units, said plurality of input session processing units, said plurality of output session processing units, and said switch unit and has control over them;

a pathfinding table having corresponding information relating input information including at least each input line connected to the first interface and each input line connected to the second interface to associated output information for sending an output packet out from the packet switching apparatus toward the destination including an identifier of an output port of the plurality of output ports for outputting packets from the packet switching apparatus, an identifier of an output tunnel from the packet switching apparatus toward the destination for the output packet, including a bundle of a plurality of sessions through which packets are logically passed to a point in the destination network, and an identifier of an output session of the output packet; and

a processing unit which, upon receiving a packet from the first or second network, searches said corresponding information to locate the output information corresponding to the input information specified by the route information included in the packet received, performs processing of the received packet, according to the output port, the output tunnel, and the output session located, and sends out the processed packet through the output port identified by the output port identifier of said corresponding output information to transmit the packet to a destination using the identifier of the output session and the identifier of the output tunnel.

9. The packet switching apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said apparatus handles packets to be transmitted through said session based on a Point to Point Protocol (PPP).

10. The packet switching apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said apparatus handles packets to be transported through tunneling based on a Layer 2 Tunneling Protocol (L2TP).

11. The packet switching apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said apparatus handles packets to be transported through tunneling based on a Mobile IP.

12. The packet switching apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said apparatus handles packets to be transported through tunneling based on Generic Routing Encapsulation (GRE).