System and method for providing improved packet traceability
First Claim
1. A method of locating a point of interest in a packet based network includes the steps of:
- determining, by one or more network devices, a service identifier associated with the point of interest; and
using mapping information that associates the service identifier with tunnels and network identifiers, including source address, connectivity and destination address, in one of a Provider Backbone Bridge (PBB) or Provider Backbone Transport (PBT) network to locate the point of interest in the packet based network, the mapping information being included in a PBB header of a packet, the PBB header including;
a bridge source Media Access Control (MAC) address;
a bridge destination MAC address; and
the service identifier.
11 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus is described which enables location information associated with a client to easily be obtained by a service provider in a packet-based network. The location information may be the location of the client itself, or may be location information associated with devices in a communication facility established by the client. Location information associated with the client may be provided to services such as emergency services to facilitate fast dispatch of resources to assist the client. Location information associated with facilities of the client may be used to facilitate lawful interception of client communications. In one embodiment, the location information is obtained using information included in one of a Provider Backbone Bridge (PBB) or Provider Backbone Transport (PBT) packet.
18 Citations
22 Claims
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1. A method of locating a point of interest in a packet based network includes the steps of:
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determining, by one or more network devices, a service identifier associated with the point of interest; and using mapping information that associates the service identifier with tunnels and network identifiers, including source address, connectivity and destination address, in one of a Provider Backbone Bridge (PBB) or Provider Backbone Transport (PBT) network to locate the point of interest in the packet based network, the mapping information being included in a PBB header of a packet, the PBB header including; a bridge source Media Access Control (MAC) address; a bridge destination MAC address; and the service identifier. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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4. A method of determining a location of a client requesting a service from a service provider of a packet-based network includes the steps of:
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receiving, by one or more network devices, a service request, the service request comprising a Provider Backbone Bridge (PBB) header, the PBB header comprising a bridge source Media Access Control (MAC) address a bridge destination MAC address, and a service identifier (SID) associated with the client; and retrieving location information for the client based on the bridge source MAC address of the PBB header and the service identifier of the PBB header; and returning the location information to an E911 service for the client. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method implemented by a connection aware network device in a Provider Backbone Bridge (PBB) packet-based network, the method comprising:
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monitoring, by the connection aware network device, Provider Backbone Bridge (PBB) headers of packets that traverse the connection aware network device, a PBB header having a bridge source Media Access Control (MAC) address, a bridge destination MAC address, and a service identifier (SID); associating service identifiers and tunnel identifiers provided in the PBB headers of packets that traverse the connection aware network device; and in response to receipt of a request to locate a client, determining a service identifier associated with the client and retrieving the bridge source MAC address of an edge node associated with the client; and accessing the edge node to retrieve location information associated with the client and responding to the request by returning the location information associated with the client. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method implemented by a User Network Interface (UNI) of an edge device coupled to a packet based network core, the method comprising:
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observing Provider Backbone Bridge (PBB) headers comprising a bridge source Media Access Control (MAC) address, a bridge destination MAC address, and a service identifier (SID); storing, for each tunnel which the UNI edge device is an end-point, interface information for a client associated with the end-point, a tunnel being defined by the bridge source MAC address and the bridge destination MAC address, the interface information including client location information based on the bridge source MAC address and SID of a PBB header; and providing the interface information for the client to a requesting service. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17)
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18. A method of identifying, at a test access point (TAP) of a data center, a location of at least one network device that is associated with a client communication in a packet-based network includes the steps of:
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receiving, at the TAP, a request to monitor a client; identifying at least one service identifier associated with the client; identifying at least one tunnel associated with the service identifier, the tunnel being defined by a bridge source Media Access Control (MAC) address and a bridge destination MAC address, the bridge source MAC address and the bridge destination MAC address being contained in a Provider Backbone Bridge (PBB) header of a packet originating from the client; and monitoring a plurality of network devices in the packet-based network to detect a traversal of the packets using the at least one tunnel through the plurality of network devices including identifying a set of network devices traversed by the tunnel based on the PBB headers of the packets. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21)
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22. A method implemented by an Access Data Center in a packet-based network, the method comprising:
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monitoring received packet traffic to detect a traversal of the packets associated with a particular tunnel, and comparing a tunnel identifier in a header of received Provider Backbone Bridge (PBB) packets against an identifier of the particular tunnel to detect a match, a tunnel being identified by a bridge source Media Access Control (MAC) address and a bridge destination MAC address contained in a PBB header of a received PBB packet; and forwarding attachment information associated with a received packet having a tunnel identifier that matches the identifier of the particular tunnel to a lawful intercept service.
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Specification