Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for fault-tolerance in an inter-carrier network interface. A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a PE-ASBR (Provider Edge-Autonomous System Boundary Router) (108, 138) having a communications interface (202) for internetworking with another MPLS-VPN (Multi-protocol Label Switching-Virtual Private Network) cluster (102, 132), and a controller (204). The controller can be programmed to exchange (302) routing information with a PE-ASBR within its own MPLS-VPN cluster and with a corresponding PE-ASBR of another MPLS-VPN cluster, and accept (334) a reroute of packet traffic away from a PE-ASBR of its MPLS-VPN cluster experiencing a fault.

Abstract: The present disclosure is generally directed to systems and methods associated with data communications. In a particular embodiment, a method for use of multi-protocol labels switching (MPLS) encapsulation with control word communicated over a distributed computer network is disclosed. The method includes providing MPLS virtual circuit label with the control word associated with a data packet selected from one of a customer data packet and an OAM data packet, and communicating the MPLS packet with control word and the data packet over the distributed computer network. In another embodiment, a method of handling a data packet within a computer network is disclosed. The data packet is either an unknown unicast, multicast, or broadcast packet. The method includes encapsulating the packet into a multi-packet label switching label and a control word, the control word having a source site identity and a multi-cast identity; and distributing the packet to a plurality of sites within the computer network.

Abstract: A method of delivering video content includes receiving a request for a video stream at a network device of a video distribution network. The request is received via a network link associated with a link aggregation group. The method includes determining a current real-time traffic load at each of a plurality of physical interfaces associated with the link aggregation group at the network device. Further, the method includes identifying an interface having a lowest traffic load of the plurality of physical interfaces. The lowest traffic load is lower than a pre-defined threshold. The method includes determining a total traffic load for the identified interface. The total traffic load includes an estimated traffic load corresponding to the requested video stream and including the lowest traffic load. The method also includes sending the requested video stream via the identified interface when the total traffic load is lower than the pre-defined threshold.

Abstract: In an embodiment, a method of allocating media streams includes measuring real-time port usage data related to each of a plurality of physical ports associated with a link aggregation group. The method further includes selecting at least one, but not all, of the plurality of physical ports based on the real-time port usage data and sending a media stream to a network via the physical port.

Abstract: A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a network policy manager having a controller element to provision one or more network elements in a communication system with at least one base policy template and at least one atomic policy template retrieved from one or more base policy templates and a plurality of atomic policy templates according to a service order of a subscriber. At least one base policy template can correspond to an operating baseline of the one or more network elements, while at least one atomic policy template can correspond to one among a plurality of service configurations of the one or more network elements. Additional embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: Methods for automating membership discovery in a distributed computer network are presented. A particular method includes establishing a Multi-Protocol Label Switching (MPLS) tunnel and Targeted Label Distribution Protocol (LDP) signaling channel between a first Provider Edge (PE) device and a plurality of PE devices. A first Virtual Private LAN Service (VPLS) site is added to a Multi-Tenant Unit (MTU) device associated with the first PE device. A first LDP Label Mapping Message is sent to the first PE device from the MTU device. The first LDP Label Mapping Message is broadcast to the plurality of PE devices from the first PE device. A second LDP Label Mapping Message is sent to the MTU device from the first PE device to establish a virtual circuit label switch path between the MTU device and the first PE device. A second VPLS site is added to the MTU device without sending an associated LDP Label Mapping Message to the first PE device.

Abstract: Systems and methods of controlling communication of data are provided. A method of controlling communication of data may include receiving, at a network component, a request for data associated with a data source. The network component may have a limited capacity to distribute data. The method also includes determining whether the network component is exceeding a first capacity threshold. When the network component is exceeding the first capacity threshold, the method includes determining whether the data source meets a popularity criterion. When the data source meets the popularity criterion, the method includes sending the data associated with the data source.

Abstract: A system and methods for automating membership discovery in a distributed computer network is presented. A first virtual circuit label switch path (LSP) associated with a first VPLS is established between a first multi tenant unit (MTU) and an attached provider edge (PE) device. A first label mapping message (LMM) is communicated over the first virtual circuit LSP and received at the PE device. The PE device broadcasts the LMM to a plurality of additional PE devices. In addition, methods for automating membership discovery for adding and deleting virtual private LAN service (VPLS) sites are presented. A virtual circuit forwarding equivalence class (VC-FEC) type packet utilized in the various methods and system is also disclosed.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for supporting an asymmetric transport network is disclosed. An apparatus that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a network element having a number of bidirectional switching cards each logically reconfigured as at least one among ingress and egress switching elements for transporting asymmetric unidirectional packet traffic. Additional embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: A Pseudo-Wire to Virtual Private Network Provider Edge (PW-VPN PE) router (300) has a pseudo-wire (PW) element (302), a virtual routing and forwarding (VRF) element (304) integrally coupled to the PW element, and a controller (306) for controlling operations of the PW and the VRF elements. The controller is programmed to receive (408-414) a layer 3 (L3) packet comprising a frame and an embedded L3 packet, and transmit (416) to a targeted network element on a virtual circuit a new frame with the embedded L3 packet.

Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for fault-tolerance in an inter-carrier network interface. A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a PE-ASBR (Provider Edge-Autonomous System Boundary Router) (108, 138) having a communications interface (202) for internetworking with another MPLS-VPN (Multi-protocol Label Switching-Virtual Private Network) cluster (102, 132), and a controller (204). The controller can be programmed to exchange (302) routing information with a PE-ASBR within its own MPLS-VPN cluster and with a corresponding PE-ASBR of another MPLS-VPN cluster, and accept (334) a reroute of packet traffic away from a PE-ASBR of its MPLS-VPN cluster experiencing a fault.

Abstract: A computer-readable storage medium (102) is provided for managing end-to-end QoS (Quality of Service) policies in a communication network (100). The storage medium includes computer instructions for establishing (302) a plurality of QoS domains (108) between a plurality of packet switching technologies (102, 106. 110) operating with disparate QoS policies, each QoS domain having an ingress and egress boundary, remapping (303) a QoS policy of each packet exchanged between the ingress boundaries of the plurality of QoS domains, and restoring (309) the QoS policy of each packet exchanged between the egress boundaries of the plurality of QoS domains.

Abstract: A system and methods for automating membership discovery in a distributed computer network is presented. A first virtual circuit label switch path (LSP) associated with a first VPLS is established between a first multi tenant unit (MTU) and an attached provider edge (PE) device. A first label mapping message (LMM) is communicated over the first virtual circuit LSP and received at the PE device. The PE device broadcasts the LMM to a plurality of additional PE devices. In addition, methods for automating membership discovery for adding and deleting virtual private LAN service (VPLS) sites are presented. A virtual circuit forwarding equivalence class (VC-FEC) type packet utilized in the various methods and system is also disclosed.

Abstract: The present disclosure is generally directed to systems and methods associated with data communications. In a particular embodiment, a method of encapsulating data packets for use in a distributed computer network is disclosed. The method includes providing a data packet for transmission over the distributed computer network, the data packet selected from one of a customer data packet and an OAM data packet; and encapsulating the data packet with a medium access control outer packet.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to operations, administration, and maintenance related systems and methods associated with data communications. In a particular embodiment, an encapsulated operations, administration and maintenance (OAM) data packet for use in connection with a service provider network is disclosed. The encapsulated OAM data packet includes a service provider destination address and a service provider source address. The service provider destination address is associated with a destination node within the service provider network; and the service provider source address is associated with a source node within the service provider network.

Abstract: The present disclosure is generally directed to systems and methods associated with data communications. In a particular embodiment, a method for use of multi-protocol labels switching (MPLS) encapsulation with control word communicated over a distributed computer network is disclosed. The method includes providing MPLS virtual circuit label with the control word associated with a data packet selected from one of a customer data packet and an OAM data packet, and communicating the MPLS packet with control word and the data packet over the distributed computer network.