Method and apparatus for the exchange of data between a dynamically addressed network and a foreign network

• US 20020031131A1
• Filed: 02/01/2001
• Published: 03/14/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/02/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Trustees Of Columbia University In The City Of New York (Columbia University)
• Original Assignee: Trustees Of Columbia University In The City Of New York (Columbia University)
• Inventors: Yemini, Yechiam, Florissi, Danilo, Grossberg, Michael D.
• Application Number:
  US09/775,346
• Publication Number:
  US 20020031131A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/401
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5003 Managing SLA; Interaction between SLA and QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5009 Determining service level performance parameters or violations of service level contracts, e.g. violations of agreed response time or mean time between failures [MTBF]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5019 Ensuring fulfilment of SLA
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5022 by giving priorities, e.g. assigning classes of service
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5029 Service quality level-based billing, e.g. dependent on measured service level customer is charged more or less
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5041 characterised by the time relationship between creation and deployment of a service
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/509 wherein the managed service relates to media content delivery, e.g. audio, video or TV
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0852 Delays
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/00 Routing or path finding of packets in data switching networks routing or path finding in wireless networks H04W40/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/12 Shortest path evaluation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/121 by minimising delays
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/125 based on throughput or bandwidth
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/126 minimising geographical or physical path length
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/22 Alternate routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/28 using route fault recovery
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/34 Source routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/50 using label swapping, e.g. multi-protocol label switch [MPLS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/507 Label distribution
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/62 Wavelength based optical switching H04Q11/0062
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/00 Network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/50 : Address allocation

Abstract

DART dynamically assigns addresses to Nodes according to their relative location within the network. When a Node joins or moves the network, or a Link or Node fails addresses are dynamically updated. If some Nodes are mobile (either clients or servers) the ability to route to and from the mobile Node persists. Link failures, caused by movement, or otherwise, can be similarly accommodated.

Claims

1. A network comprising a plurality of Nodes interconnected by Links, wherein:

(a) each Node is assigned a set of one or more coordinate labels, each representing a path comprising one or more Links or other Nodes;

(b) each coordinate label is unique to the Node to which it is assigned;

(c) a path between a first Node and a second Node being determined from one of said coordinate labels associated with said first Node and one of said coordinate labels associated with said second Node;

(d) said first Node is a gateway Node and said second Node is a destination Node; and

(e) data from a foreign network is received at said gateway Node and routed on said network to said destination Node.

2. The network of claim 1 wherein said received data is routed to a closest Node of a plurality of mirror Nodes.

3. The network of claim 1 where said gateway Node translates said data from said foreign network into a local packet.

4. The network of claim 3 where said local packet is a DART packet.

5. The network of claim 3 where said local packet is an IP packet.

6. The network of claim 3 where said local packet is an Appletalk packet.

7. The network of claim 3 where said local packet is an Ethernet packet.

8. The network of claim 3 where said local packet is a MPLS packet.

9. The network of claim 3 where said local packet is an ATM packet.

10. The network of claim 1 where said data is a DART packet wrapped in a foreign packet, and where said gateway Node unwraps said DART packet from said foreign packet.

11. The network of claim 10 where said foreign packet is an IP packet.

12. The network of claim 10 where said foreign packet is an Appletalk packet.

13. The network of claim 10 where said foreign packet is an Ethernet packet.

14. The network of claim 10 where said foreign packet is a MPLS packet.

15. The network of claim 10 where said foreign packet is an ATM packet.

16. The network of claim 1 wherein said data received from said foreign network is an IP packet.

17. The network of claim 1 wherein said data received from said foreign network is a MPLS packet.

18. The network of claim 1 wherein said data received from said foreign network is an ATM packet.

19. The network of claim 1 wherein said data received from said foreign network is an Appletalk packet.

20. The network of claim 1 wherein said data received from said foreign network is an Ethernet packet.

21. A network comprising a plurality of Nodes interconnected by Links, wherein:

(a) each Node is assigned a set of one or more coordinate labels, each representing a path comprising one or more Links or other Nodes;

(b) each coordinate label is unique to the Node to which it is assigned;

(c) a path between a first Node and a second Node being determined from one of said coordinate labels associated with said first Node and one of said coordinate labels associated with said second Node;

(d) said second Node is a gateway Node; and

(e) data is transmitted from said gateway Node into a foreign network.

22. The network of claim 21 where said gateway Node translates said data into a foreign packet.

23. The network of claim 22 where said foreign packet is a DART packet.

24. The network of claim 22 where said foreign packet is an IP packet.

25. The network of claim 22 where said foreign packet is an Appletalk packet.

26. The network of claim 22 where said foreign packet is an Ethernet packet.

27. The network of claim 22 where said foreign packet is a MPLS packet.

28. The network of claim 22 where said foreign packet is an ATM packet.

29. The network of claim 21 where said gateway Node wraps a DART packet in a foreign packet to form said data.

30. The network of claim 29 where said foreign packet is an IP packet.

31. The network of claim 29 where said foreign packet is an Appletalk packet.

32. The network of claim 29 where said foreign packet is an Ethernet packet.

33. The network of claim 29 where said foreign packet is a MPLS packet.

34. The network of claim 29 where said foreign packet is an ATM packet.

35. The network of claim 21 where said transmission from said gateway Node into said foreign network is performed by a Link Label replacement.

37. The method of claim 36 further comprising the step of (e) unwrapping a foreign packet from said data to recover a DART packet.

38. The method of claim 37 where said foreign packet is an IP packet.

39. The method of claim 37 where said foreign packet is an Appletalk packet.

40. The method of claim 37 where said foreign packet is an Ethernet packet.

41. The method of claim 37 where said foreign packet is a MPLS packet.

42. The method of claim 37 where said foreign packet is an ATM packet.

43. The method of claim 36 further comprising the step of:

(f) Translating said data received from said foreign network into a DART packet.

44. The method of claim 43 wherein said data received from said foreign network is an IP packet.

45. The method of claim 43 wherein said data received from said foreign network is a MPLS packet.

46. The method of claim 43 wherein said data received from said foreign network is an ATM packet.

47. The method of claim 43 wherein said data received from said foreign network is an Appletalk packet.

48. The method of claim 43 wherein said data received from said foreign network is an Ethernet packet.

50. The method of claim 49 where said transmission from said destination Node into said foreign network is performed by a Link Label replacement.

51. The method of claim 49 further comprising the step of

(e) wrapping a DART packet in a foreign packet to form said data.

52. The method of claim 51 where said foreign packet is an IP packet.

53. The method of claim 51 where said foreign packet is an Appletalk packet.

54. The method of claim 51 where said foreign packet is an Ethernet packet.

55. The method of claim 51 where said foreign packet is a MPLS packet.

56. The method of claim 51 where said foreign packet is an ATM packet.

57. The method of claim 49 further comprising the step of:

(f) forming said data by translating a DART packet into a foreign packet.

58. The method of claim 57 wherein said data received from said foreign network is an IP packet.

59. The method of claim 57 wherein said data received from said foreign network is a MPLS packet.

60. The method of claim 57 wherein said data received from said foreign network is an ATM packet.

61. The method of claim 57 wherein said data received from said foreign network is an Appletalk packet.

62. The method of claim 57 wherein said data received from said foreign network is an Ethernet packet.

36. A method for determining a path from a source Node to a destination Node in a network comprising a plurality of Nodes interconnected by Links, said Nodes including a first Node, and a plurality of second Nodes, said second Nodes including said source Node and destination Node, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) assigning to each of said second Nodes, including said source Node and said destination Node, one or more coordinate labels, each coordinate label assigned to a second Node representing a path through said network from said second Node to said first Node;

(b) determining a path from said source Node to said destination Node by combining one coordinate label of said source Node and one coordinate label of said destination Node;

(c) receiving at said source node data from a foreign network; and

(d) routing said data on said network to said destination node.

49. A method for determining a path from a source Node to a destination Node in a network comprising a plurality of Nodes interconnected by Links, said Nodes including a first Node, and a plurality of second Nodes, said second Nodes including said source Node and destination Node, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) assigning to each of said second Nodes, including said source Node and said destination Node, one or more coordinate labels, each coordinate label assigned to a second Node representing a path through said network from said second Node to said first Node;

(b) determining a path from said source Node to said destination Node by combining one coordinate label of said source Node and one coordinate label of said destination Node; and

(c) transmitting at said destination node data onto a foreign network.

63. A Node for use in a network, said network comprising a plurality of Nodes connected by Links, wherein:

said Node for use in said network has one or more coordinate labels assigned thereto, each coordinate label representing a path from said Node to a particular other Node of said network, each of said coordinate labels being unique to said Node, wherein data from a foreign network is received at said Node and routed on said network to said destination Node.

64. The node of claim 63 wherein said data received from said foreign network is a foreign packet, and said gateway Node unwraps said foreign packet to retrieve a DART packet.

65. The node of claim 64 where said foreign packet is an IP packet.

66. The node of claim 64 where said foreign packet is an Appletalk packet.

67. The node of claim 64 where said foreign packet is an Ethernet packet.

68. The node of claim 64 where said foreign packet is a MPLS packet.

69. The node of claim 64 where said foreign packet is an ATM packet.

70. The node of claim 63 where said data is translated from a foreign packet into a DART packet.

71. The node of claim 70 where said foreign packet is an IP packet.

72. The node of claim 70 where said foreign packet is an Appletalk packet.

73. The node of claim 70 where said foreign packet is an Ethernet packet.

74. The node of claim 70 where said foreign packet is a MPLS packet.

75. The node of claim 70 where said foreign packet is an ATM packet.

76. A Node for use in a network, said network comprising a plurality of Nodes connected by Links, wherein:

said Node for use in said network has one or more coordinate labels assigned thereto, each coordinate label representing a path from said Node to a particular other Node of said network, each of said coordinate labels being unique to said Node, wherein said Node transmits said data onto said foreign network.

77. The node of claim 76 where said gateway Node wraps a DART packet in a foreign packet to form said data.

78. The node of claim 77 where said foreign packet is an IP packet.

79. The node of claim 77 where said foreign packet is an Appletalk packet.

80. The node of claim 77 where said foreign packet is an Ethernet packet.

81. The node of claim 77 where said foreign packet is a MPLS packet.

82. The node of claim 77 where said foreign packet is an ATM packet.

83. The Node of claim 76 where said data is a DART packet that has been translated into a foreign packet.

84. The Node of claim 83 wherein said foreign packet is an IP packet.

85. The Node of claim 83 wherein foreign packet is a MPLS packet.

86. The Node of claim 83 wherein foreign packet is an ATM packet.

87. The Node of claim 83 wherein said foreign packet is an Appletalk packet.

88. The Node of claim 83 wherein said foreign packet is an Ethernet packet.

89. The node of claim 76 where said transmission from said gateway Node into said foreign network is performed by a Link Label replacement.