Provisioning single or multistage networks using ethernet service instances (ESIs)
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A system comprising:
- a plurality of ports configurable to receive and forward data; and
a processor configurable to;
enable creation of a parent service instance, the parent service instance specifying both a network as an element of the parent service instance and one or more packet encapsulation attribute values;
enable creation of a child service instance, the child service instance specifying a set of one or more networks and one or more packet encapsulation attribute values as elements of the child service instance;
enable a hierarchical relationship to be created between the parent service instance and the child service instance by specifying the child service instance as an element of the parent service instance, the hierarchical relationship causing the one or more networks specified as elements of the child service instance to be aggregated and carried over the network specified as an element of the parent service instance, and the hierarchical relationship causing the parent service instance to incorporate the one or more encapsulation attribute values of the child service instance; and
perform packet encapsulation for packets moving from the one or more networks specified as elements of the child service instance to the network specified as an element of the parent service instance based upon the one or more encapsulation attribute values that the parent service instance incorporates from the child service instance.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Techniques for provisioning single or multistage networks using Ethernet Service Instances (ESIs). In one embodiment, an ESI is a logical entity or object that stores information that may be used to provision a network. An ESI may represent a logical entity that identifies a grouping of elements of a network or network device and associated attributes. Hierarchical relationships may be created between ESIs. The hierarchical relationships are used to perform packet-level processing including performing network packet encapsulations.
563 Citations
21 Claims
-
1. A system comprising:
-
a plurality of ports configurable to receive and forward data; and a processor configurable to; enable creation of a parent service instance, the parent service instance specifying both a network as an element of the parent service instance and one or more packet encapsulation attribute values; enable creation of a child service instance, the child service instance specifying a set of one or more networks and one or more packet encapsulation attribute values as elements of the child service instance; enable a hierarchical relationship to be created between the parent service instance and the child service instance by specifying the child service instance as an element of the parent service instance, the hierarchical relationship causing the one or more networks specified as elements of the child service instance to be aggregated and carried over the network specified as an element of the parent service instance, and the hierarchical relationship causing the parent service instance to incorporate the one or more encapsulation attribute values of the child service instance; and perform packet encapsulation for packets moving from the one or more networks specified as elements of the child service instance to the network specified as an element of the parent service instance based upon the one or more encapsulation attribute values that the parent service instance incorporates from the child service instance. - View Dependent Claims (4, 5, 6)
-
-
2. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a plurality of instructions for controlling a processor, the plurality of instructions comprising:
-
instructions that cause the processor to enable creation of a parent service instance, the parent service instance specifying both a network as an element of the parent service instance and one or more packet encapsulation attribute values; instructions that cause the processor to enable creation of a child service instance, the child service instance specifying a set of one or more networks and one or more packet encapsulation attribute values as elements of the child service instance; instructions that cause the processor to enable a hierarchical relationship to be created between the parent service instance and the child service instance by specifying the child service instance as an element of the parent service instance, the hierarchical relationship causing the one or more networks specified as elements of the child service instance to be aggregated and carried over the network specified as an element of the parent service instance, and the hierarchical relationship causing the parent service instance to incorporate the one or more encapsulation attribute values of the child service instance; and instructions that cause the processor to perform packet encapsulation for packets moving from the one or more networks specified as elements of the child service instance to the network specified as an element of the parent service instance based upon the one or more encapsulation attribute values that the parent service instance incorporates from the child service instance. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9)
-
-
3. A method comprising:
-
enabling creation of a parent service instance, the parent service instance specifying both a network as an element of the parent service instance and one or more packet encapsulation attribute values; enabling creation of a child service instance, the child service instance specifying a set of one or more networks and one or more packet encapsulation attribute values as elements of the child service instance; enabling a hierarchical relationship to be created between the parent service instance and the child service instance by specifying the child service instance as an element of the parent service instance, the hierarchical relationship causing the one or more networks specified as elements of the child service instance to be aggregated and carried over the network specified as an element of the parent service instance, and the hierarchical relationship causing the parent service instance to incorporate the one or more encapsulation attribute values of the child service instance; and performing packet encapsulation for packets moving from the one or more networks specified as elements of the child service instance to the network specified as an element of the parent service instance based upon the one or more encapsulation attribute values that the parent service instance incorporates from the child service instance. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12)
-
-
13. A system comprising:
-
a plurality of ports configurable to receive and forward data; and a processor configurable to; enable creation of a first service instance, the first service instance defining a first network as an association between a particular network identifier and a first subset of the plurality of ports; enable creation of a second service instance, the second service instance defining a second network as an association between the particular network identifier and a second subset of the plurality of ports different from the first subset of the plurality of ports; receive, at a particular port of the plurality of ports, a packet that specifies the particular network identifier; select, from among the first and second service instances, a particular service instance that associates the particular network identifier with the particular port; and process the packet based on a value associated with the particular service instance. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15)
-
-
16. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a plurality of instructions for controlling a processor, the plurality of instructions comprising:
-
instructions that cause the processor to enable creation of a first service instance, the first service instance defining a first network as an association between a particular network identifier and a first subset of a plurality of ports configurable to receive and forward data; instructions that cause the processor to enable creation of a second service instance, the second service instance defining a second network as an association between the particular network identifier and a second subset of the plurality of ports different from the first subset of the plurality of ports; instructions that cause the processor to receive, at a particular port of the plurality of ports, a packet that specifies the particular network identifier; instructions that cause the processor to select, from among the first and second service instances, a particular service instance that associates the particular network identifier with the particular port; and instructions that cause the processor to process the packet based on a value associated with the particular service instance. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18)
-
-
19. A method comprising:
-
enabling creation of a first service instance, the first service instance defining a first network as an association between a particular network identifier and a first subset of a plurality of ports configurable to receive and forward data; enabling creation of a second service instance, the second service instance defining a second network as an association between the particular network identifier and a second subset of the plurality of ports different from the first subset of the plurality of ports; receiving, at a particular port of the plurality of ports, a packet that specifies the particular network identifier; selecting, from among the first and second service instances, a particular service instance that associates the particular network identifier with the particular port; and processing the packet based on a value associated with the particular service instance. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21)
-
Specification