Auto-provisioning of network services over an ethernet access link

• US 8,144,699 B2
• Filed: 11/21/2006
• Issued: 03/27/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Vinneras, Ulf
• Primary Examiner(s): Ngo, Ricky
• Assistant Examiner(s): Oveissi, David
• Application Number:
  US11/603,993
• Publication Number:
  US 20080117902A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,953 Days
• Field of Search: 370/395.53, 370/389, 370/250, 370/254, 370/352, 340/572.1
• US Class Current: 370/389
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2898 Subscriber equipments DSL modems H04M11/062; cable modems H04L12/2801
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4641 Virtual LANs, VLANs, e.g. virtual private networks [VPN] LAN interconnection over a bridge based backbone H04L12/462; encapsulation techniques H04L12/4633; routing of packets H04L45/00; packet switches H04L49/00; virtual private networks for security H04L63/0272

Abstract

In one embodiment, an apparatus includes an Ethernet port, for connection to an Ethernet access network providing multiple different services. A plurality of local service ports are provided for connection to items of peripheral customer premises equipment (CPE), each item supporting a different, respective service. A bridge is coupled to convey data frames between the Ethernet port and the local service ports. A controller is coupled to receive via the Ethernet port at least one provisioning message indicating associations between the services and respective Virtual Local Area Network (VLAN) identifiers, and to configure the bridge, responsively to the provisioning message, to forward the data frames received via the Ethernet port on each VLAN to a respective service port in accordance with the associations.

Claims

1. A method for provisioning a home access gateway, the method comprising:

receiving an indication via a provisioning message transmitted via an Ethernet port that a home access gateway bridge between an Ethernet network furnishing services and customer premises equipment (CPE) connecting to the services has been connected to a port of an Ethernet access network providing multiple different services, selected from a group of services consisting of video, telephony, and data services, each service provided via a different Virtual Local Area Network (VLAN) via Ethernet protocol;

responsively to the indication, transmitting via the Ethernet port at least one provisioning message indicating associations between the services and respective Virtual Local Area Network (VLAN) identifiers, wherein the at least one provisioning message indicates a different VLAN identifier to be respectively associated with each of the services;

after transmitting the at least one provisioning message, conveying from the network to the port Ethernet frames containing data provided by one or more of the services, each frame comprising a VLAN identifier in accordance with the indicated associations; and

configuring the home access gateway bridge to deliver the services to the customer premises equipment;

wherein receiving the indication comprises receiving an upstream Ethernet frame transmitted via the port by a customer premises gateway, and wherein transmitting the at least one provisioning message comprises transmitting a downstream Ethernet frame to the customer premises gateway.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the upstream and downstream Ethernet frames are transmitted without using an Internet Protocol (IP) address.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one provisioning message indicates a further VLAN to be used for management communications, and comprising transmitting management frames on the further VLAN to the CPE.

4. The method according to claim 1, transmitting the at least one provisioning message comprises configuring the CPE for operation automatically, without human intervention other than connecting the CPE to the port and to peripheral equipment.

5. The method according to claim 1, and comprising receiving an acknowledgment frame via the port in response to transmitting the at least one provisioning message.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one provisioning message comprises respective quality of service (QoS) parameters assigned to the VLAN identifiers.