Transmission of layer two (L2) multicast traffic over multi-protocol label switching networks
First Claim
1. A method comprising:
- establishing, with a source device of a computer network, a point to multi-point (P2MP) label switched path (LSP) that connects the source device to multiple receiver devices included within the computer network, where the source device is configured to operate as an ingress to the P2MP LSP and the multiple receiver devices are configured to operate as egresses for the P2MP;
connecting, with the source device, two or more ingress layer two (L2) interfaces of the source device to the P2MP LSP; and
forwarding, with the source device, L2 data units from the two or more ingress L2 interfaces to the multiple receiver devices via the P2MP LSP.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Principles of the invention relate to techniques for transmission of Layer 2 (L2) traffic over a point to multi-point (P2MP) label switched path (LSP) within a multi-protocol Label Switching (MPLS) network. A source or ingress network device may implement the techniques to connect multiple L2 interfaces to a P2MP LSP within an MPLS network via a P2MP Pseudo-Wire (PW) mechanism that emulates delivery of L2 data units over a packet switched network, such as the MPLS network. The ingress network device first establishes the P2MP LSP and then connects two or more L2 interfaces to the P2MP LSP via the P2MP PW mechanism. Egress network devices may also implement the techniques to terminate the P2MP LSP and de-multiplex traffic arriving via multiple P2MP PWs carried over the same P2MP LSP.
115 Citations
34 Claims
-
1. A method comprising:
-
establishing, with a source device of a computer network, a point to multi-point (P2MP) label switched path (LSP) that connects the source device to multiple receiver devices included within the computer network, where the source device is configured to operate as an ingress to the P2MP LSP and the multiple receiver devices are configured to operate as egresses for the P2MP; connecting, with the source device, two or more ingress layer two (L2) interfaces of the source device to the P2MP LSP; and forwarding, with the source device, L2 data units from the two or more ingress L2 interfaces to the multiple receiver devices via the P2MP LSP. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
-
-
14. A network device comprising:
-
at least one layer two (L2) interface card having two or more ingress L2 interfaces; and a control unit that establishes a point to multi-point (P2MP) label switched path (LSP) through a computer network to connect, as a source device, the network device to multiple receiver devices and connect the two or more ingress L2 interfaces to the P2MP LSP, where the source device is configured to operate as an ingress to the P2MP LSP and the multiple receiver devices are configured to operate as egresses for the P2MP, and wherein the at least one L2 interface card forwards L2 data units from the two or more ingress L2 interfaces to the multiple receiver devices via the P2MP LSP. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
-
-
21. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions that cause a programmable processor to:
-
establish, with a source device of a computer network, a point to multi-point (P2MP) label switched path (LSP) that connects the source device to multiple receiver devices included within the computer network, where the source device is configured to operate as an ingress to the P2MP LSP and the multiple receiver devices are configured to operate as egresses for the P2MP; connect, with the source device, two or more ingress layer two (L2) interfaces of the source device to the P2MP LSP; and forward, with the source device, L2 data units from the two or more ingress L2 interfaces to the multiple receiver devices via the P2MP LSP. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23)
-
-
24. A system comprising:
-
a computer network; multiple receiver network devices included within the computer network; and a source network device included within the computer network that includes; at least one layer two (L2) interface card having two or more ingress L2 interfaces; and a control unit that establishes a point to multi-point (P2MP) label switched path (LSP) through a computer network to connect the source network device to multiple receiver devices and connect the two or more ingress L2 interfaces to the P2MP LSP, where the source device is configured to operate as an ingress to the P2MP LSP and the multiple receiver devices are configured to operate as egresses for the P2MP, and wherein the at least one L2 interface card forwards L2 data units from the two or more ingress L2 interfaces to the multiple receiver devices via the P2MP LSP. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
-
-
34. A network device comprising:
-
at least one layer two (L2) interface card having one or more egress L2 interfaces; and a control unit that establishes a point to multi-point (P2MP) label switched path (LSP) through a computer network to connect a source network device the network device, as one of multiple receiver devices, and connect one or more of the egress L2 interfaces to the P2MP LSP, where the source device is configured to operate as an ingress to the P2MP LSP and the multiple receiver devices are configured to operate as egresses for the P2MP, wherein the at least one L2 interface card receives Multi-Protocol Label Switching (MPLS) packets from the source device via the P2MP LSP, wherein the MPLS packets include a L2 data unit, an outer label that identifies the P2MP LSP and an inner label selected for the L2 data unit to identify the P2MP PW, wherein the control unit stores first and second mapping data, wherein the first mapping data maps the outer label of the MPLS packet to one of a plurality of context-specific label spaces, wherein the one of the plurality of context-specific label spaces comprises the second mapping data that maps the inner label of the MPLS packet to the at least one egress L2 interface, wherein the control unit further receives the MPLS packet from the P2MP LSP, retrieves the outer and inner labels from the MPLS packet, accesses the first mapping data in response to retrieving the outer label to select the one of the context-specific label spaces associated with the outer label, accesses, in response to selecting the one of the context-specific label spaces, the second mapping to determine, based on the inner label, the at least one egress L2 interfaces on which to forward the L2 data units, and retrieves the L2 data units encapsulated within the MPLS packet, and wherein the at least one egress L2 interface forwards the retrieved L2 data units.
-
Specification