Abstract: Method and apparatus for controlling transmission of data packets in a packet-switched network. When a first end-host (A) sends an address query to a DNS system (300) for a second end-host, the DNS system responds by providing a sender key created from a destination key registered for the second end-host, if the first end-host is authorized to send packets to the second end-host. Thereby, the first end-host, if authorized, is able to get across data packets to the second end-host by attaching a sender tag (TAG) generated from the sender key, as ingress tag to each transmitted data packet. A router (302) in the network matches an ingress tag in a received packet with entries in a forwarding table and sends out the packet on an output port (X) according to a matching entry. Otherwise, the router discards the packet if no matching entry is found in the table.

Abstract: A method is provided of enabling access for a terminal (12-1) to a remote network (60) via a mobile network (40). A first connectivity service function (30) is provided as part of the mobile network (40). A second connectivity service function (20) is provided as part of the remote network (60). A third connectivity service function (10) is provided associated with the terminal (12-1). The first connectivity service function (30) is adapted to cooperate in establishing a first layer 2 tunnel (25) between itself (30) and the second connectivity service function (20). The first connectivity service function (30) is also adapted to cooperate in establishing a second layer 2 tunnel (15) between itself (30) and the third connectivity service function (10). The terminal (12-1) thereby has layer 2 access into the remote network (60) through the first and second tunnels (25, 15) using the first, second and third connectivity service functions (30, 20, 10).

Abstract: A technique of processing network traffic that is sent on a tunnel between a first tunnel and a second tunnel node in a communication network is provided.

Abstract: There is provided a method for use by a router in a communications network. Forwarding information is maintained (S1) which specifies the next hop node for each of a plurality of possible destination nodes. Update information is maintained (S1) which specifies how, if at all, the next hop nodes specified in the forwarding information are to be updated for a plurality of possible network resource failures. Known failure information is maintained (S1) which relates to a known network resource failure or which specifies that there is no known network resource failure. A failure notification is received (S2) relating to a network resource failure. In response to receipt of the failure notification, it is determined (S3) from the failure notification how, if at all, the known failure information is to be updated, and the known failure information is updated, if required, based on the determination (S4). A communications packet is received (S5).

Abstract: An egress node is proposed for a network domain that comprises at least one ingress node for receiving and routing data units belonging to a plurality of flows into said network domain, a plurality of interior routers for routing said data units through said network domain, and said egress node(s). One or more of the interior routers is arranged to detect whether it is subject to a congestion condition and to congestion mark routed data units if it is subject to said congestion condition. The egress node comprises a control element arranged for performing a congestion handling function that comprises a part for detecting the presence of congestion marked data units arriving at said edge node, and a part for reacting to the detection of the presence of congestion marked data units by invoking a congestion control process.

Abstract: The invention relates to techniques for traffic handling in congestion situations in a point-to-multipoint (‘PTM’) enabled network. A method embodiment of the inventive technique is performed in an egress node of the network and comprises the steps of detecting marked packets, the marking being indicative of a congestion situation in a core node of the PTM-enabled network; selecting, based on the detected markings, a particular PTM flow from one or more PTM flows passing the egress node for termination; and indicating the selected PTM flow in an upstream direction of the selected flow.

Abstract: A system and a method are described herein which provide for congestion handling in a packet switched network domain. In case of congestion, overload is measured by a core node, the data packets in proportion to the overload are marked and the signaled overload is stored. At least one egress node receives marked and not marked packets, decodes and counts the overload from the marked packets in a counting interval. Congestion report messages are sent to ingress nodes where flows are terminated.

Abstract: There is provided a method for use by a first processing unit in or to be installed in a router. The first processing unit is configured or responsible for routing (or forwarding) packets to and from other routers. There may be other such first processing units in or installed in the router. In a first step (S1), information is received at the first processing unit which requires dissemination to other routers. The information also requires processing to determine what, if any, reconfiguration of the routing (forwarding) performed by the first processing unit is required. In a second step (S2b) the information is forwarded in a packet to other routers as required according to the routing (forwarding) configuration for the first processing unit. In a third step (S2c) the information is forwarded to at least one other first processing unit in the router (if there are any other first processing units in the router) not already in receipt of the information.

Abstract: A method is described to be implemented by a node in a network. The method is for selecting an endpoint for a maximally redundant tree-fast reroute (MRT-FRR) detour path to optimize detour path cost or length across the network. The method defines a set of steps including selecting a destination node and next hop failure to calculate detour paths. A clean set of nodes for the network is then calculated, where the clean set of nodes are nodes in the network that are not impacted in reaching the destination node by the failure in the given next hop. A candidate node for the endpoint of the detour p path is selected from the set of clean nodes based on any one of a plurality of configured options and forwarding of data packets is configured to the selected candidate as the endpoint of the detour path to the destination node.

Abstract: A method supports incremental deployment of maximally redundant trees-fast reroute (MRT-FRR) by supporting MRT-FRR within an island of nodes in the network. A destination node and next hop failure selected to calculate detour paths. The clean set of nodes is calculated. The clean set of nodes is expanded with extended island candidate nodes that are reachable by a border node within the island via shortest path first (SPF) to the destination node that does not pass through the failed next hop. The extended island candidate nodes that are reachable by the border node within the island via SPF are part of an extended island. An MRT is calculated for each extended island candidate node. A candidate node is selected from the clean set of nodes according to a configured optimization option to serve as the endpoint of detour path to a destination node.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for selecting an edge node from a plurality of edge nodes in a fixed access communications network. A selection node receives from a host entity a request for a network service. The selection node then obtains, from at least one further network node, data relating to a plurality of edge nodes. On the basis of the retrieved data, the selection node selects an edge node from the plurality of edge nodes, wherein the selected edge node provides a path between the host entity and the requested network service. The selection node then sends a response to the host entity, the response including information identifying the selected edge node.

Abstract: A Path Computation Client (24) of a node in a network sends a request message (52) to a Path Computation Element (28) of the network for computation of a path, and the Path Computation Element sends a response message (54) comprising information identifying a calculated path. The Path Computation Element also sends a request for feedback on a result of the attempt to set up the connection. The Path Computation Element attempts to set up a connection based on the calculated path, and reports (64) to the Path Computation Element the result of the attempt to set up the connection.

Abstract: In a packet switched communications transport network a method for re-routing traffic flow is provided. The invention based on the recognition of actual utilization of transport resources. In accordance with the implementation, Fast Re-Route detour paths are recalculated each time after new bandwidth information is received. The detours are re-established on new computed paths if needed, i.e., if an optimized path has been found. A node and a system are also disclosed, referring to MPLS network. Also a node is described acting as a Point of Local Repair for link failures. The node comprises a Routing engine, a Link state database, a Detour path calculator and a Detour path establisher in order to capture bandwidth information of the network links and to calculate detour path information for the nodes.

Abstract: Mobility between access domains in an Internet Protocol (IP) network can be supported by introducing a so-called Mobility Manager (MM) that maintains a database of currently attached devices and their current access domain location. The mobility manager may then detect, for a device registered in the database, a change of access domain from a first access domain to a second access domain by monitoring connection maintenance signaling related to the considered device. The mobility manager should at least obtain an indication of such a change of access domain. In response to a detected change of access domain, the mobility manager arranges for a reconfiguration of the network to forward traffic destined to an IP address of the device in the first access domain to a new location in the second access domain. In this way, the mobility manager allows the device to keep its IP address when moving between access domains.

Abstract: In an access network, a tunnel gateway (TGW) managed network caching architecture is proposed. The proposed TGW receives a terminal request directed to a data server for a flow of data. The terminal request is forwarded to the TGW through a tunnel from a tunnel endpoint located below the TGW. The TGW selects a network cache to handle the data traffic of the flow requested by the requesting terminal. The TGW then redirects the terminal request to the selected network cache to provide the requested service. The TGW redirects the terminal request through a tunnel whose endpoint is the selected network cache.

Abstract: A method, a mobility node 211 and a new mobility anchor 214b configured to operatively relocate the mobility anchor 214a for a mobile terminal 215a in a wireless communication system 200. The relocation is achieved by a request for redirecting an old bearer B-old configured to communicate user-data between the mobile terminal 215a and an old mobility anchor 214a, and by setting up a new standby bearer B-new configured to operatively communicate user-data between the Mobile Terminal 215a and the new mobility anchor 214b. The standby bearer B-old is ready to be activated once the old bearer B-old is deleted.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method, a serving node and a mobility node for relocating the mobility anchor for a mobile terminal 215a in a wireless communication system 200. The relocation comprises a request for redirecting a first bearer B-old for the mobile terminal 215a between the serving node 212b and a first mobility anchor 214a so as to create a new substantially identical second bearer B-new between the serving node 212b and a second mobility anchor 214b. In addition, the relocation comprises a transmission of a request to the first mobility anchor 214a for deleting the first bearer B-old and a transmission of a request to the second mobility anchor 214b for establishing the second bearer B-new.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of configuring routing information in a network router linked into a network. The network router has a forwarding table. The method comprises removing the forwarding table entries which are not used. A network router configured in accordance with the method has a forwarding table comprising only forwarding table entries that are used.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for protecting the routing of data packets in a packet data network. When a first end-host sends an address query to a DNS server system regarding a second end-host, the DNS server system responds by providing a destination parameter containing an encrypted destination address associated with the second end-host. Thereby, the first end-host is able to get across data packets to the second end-host by attaching the destination parameter to each transmitted data packet. A router in the packet data network admits a received packet if a destination parameter is attached to the packet including a valid destination address encrypted by a key dependent on a distributed master encryption key. Otherwise, the router discards the packet if no such valid destination address can be derived from the packet by applying decryption to the destination parameter.

Abstract: A method is provided of reducing traffic in or relating to a service provider network. The service provider network comprises a core packet network, a plurality of first access points (6) off the core network to an external packet network (7), and a plurality of second access points (4) off the core network to local subscribers. A cache (T1, T2) is provided at each of the access points (6, 4) for caching content passing through. In response to a request received from the external network (7) at any of the first access points (6) for content from a local subscriber, it is attempted to serve the request from content previously cached at that first access point (6) or another of the first access points (6). If unable to serve the request from any of the first access point caches (T1), it is attempted to serve the request from content previously cached at the second access point (4) serving the local subscriber.