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Creating multipoint-to-multipoint MPLS trees in an inter-domain environment

  • US 8,355,347 B2
  • Filed: 12/19/2007
  • Issued: 01/15/2013
  • Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2007
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A method comprising:

  • at a first root node of a first Multipoint-to-Multipoint (MP2MP) Multi-Protocol Label Switching (MPLS) tree, advertising to a second root node of a second MP2MP MPLS tree a first label for the second root node to use to send multicast traffic to the first MP2MP MPLS tree, the first root node being distinct from the second root node and the first MP2MP MPLS tree being distinct from the second MP2MP MPLS tree;

    at the first root node, receiving a second label from the second root node for the first root node to use to send multicast traffic to the second MP2MP MPLS tree; and

    carrying out communications between the first MP2MP MPLS tree and the second MP2MP MPLS tree using the first label and the second label, wherein carrying out communications includes;

    at the first root node, receiving a communications packet from a child node of the first MP2MP MPLS tree for multicast distribution to a stitched MP2MP MPLS tree, the stitched MP2MP MPLS tree including the first MP2MP MPLS tree and the second MP2MP MPLS tree, the packet having a third label; and

    at the first root node, replicating the communications packet and forwarding the replicated communications packet with the second label to the second root node for multicast distribution to the second MP2MP MPLS tree;

    wherein the method further comprises establishing a directed Label Distribution Protocol (LDP) session between the first root node and the second root node over a first Point-to-Point (P2P) Label Switched Path (LSP) and a second P2P LSP;

    wherein advertising to the second root node the first label includes sending the first label over the directed LDP session via the first P2P LSP; and

    wherein receiving the second label from the second root node includes receiving the second label over the directed LDP session via the second P2P LSP;

    wherein the first MP2MP MPLS tree is under control of a first service provider;

    wherein the second MP2MP MPLS tree is under control of a second service provider, the first service provider and the second service provider being distinct; and

    wherein establishing the directed LDP session between the first root node and the second root node over the first P2P LSP and the second P2P LSP includes establishing the directed LDP session as an inter-domain session between the first service provider and the second service provider.

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