Abstract: The present invention relates to a method, an access node, an access edge node and a decentralized node for aggregating data traffic over an access domain. The decentralized node corresponds to one of the service providers, and is located in closer proximity with user domains to be serviced. The decentralized node maintains over the access domain one or several Virtual Local Area Networks, for aggregating thereon data traffic to be exchanged with the user domains, on behalf of the service provider domain. To allow proper aggregation of the data traffic, service bindings are created and stored at the access edge node, and further stored at the decentralized node and at the access node. Therefore, aggregation of the data traffic between the decentralized node and the user domains over the access domain is performed in accordance with the created service bindings.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and nodes for managing service bindings over an access domain. For doing so, an access edge node is introduced in the access domain between a plurality of service providers and user domains, and an access node is introduced between the user domains and the access domain. The access edge node creates, modifies and removes service bindings and informs the access node of those creations, modifications and removals. Each service binding binds one of the user domain, the access node and the access edge node on data traffic handling over the access domain between the user domain and the service provider domain. More particularly, the service binding associates the user domain to a Virtual Local Area Network (VLAN) for the service provider domain on the access domain, controlled by the access edge node.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and nodes for aggregating data traffic over an access domain carrying data traffic between a plurality of service providers and user domains. For doing so, an access edge node is introduced in the access domain between the plurality of service providers, and the user domains. The access edge node hosts a plurality of service agents, where each service agent controls a Virtual Local Area Network over the access domain for one of the service providers. Upon receipt of a service request related message identifying one of the service provider domain and one of the user domain, verification is made at the access edge node to identify whether a service agent corresponding to the service provider identified in the service request related message exists. If the verification is positive, the user domain is added to the Virtual Local Area Network corresponding to the requested service provider through the creation of a service binding at the access edge node.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and nodes for handling broadcast messages over an access domain. For doing so, an access node and an access edge node are adapted to allow tunnelling of broadcast messages within Unicast messages transmitted over the access domain. The access node receives broadcast messages from user domains, intercepts the broadcast messages and forwards the received broadcast messages to the access edge node in Unicast messages. The access edge node receives and identifies the tunnelled broadcast messages. Then, the identified tunnelled broadcast messages are detunneled by the broadcast handler at the access edge node and handled by the broadcast handler.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and nodes for performing data traffic aggregation over an access domain using service bindings. Upon receipt of a service request related message at an access edge node for a first device of a user domain, the service request related message identifying the first device of the user domain and one of the service provider domains, a service binding is created at the access edge node. The service binding rules data traffic between the first device of the user domain and the service provider domain by committing an access node serving the user domain and the access edge node in a manner of managing data traffic therebetween over the access domain. An access node serving the user domain for which the service request related message is received is informed of the created service binding.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and nodes for performing bridging of data traffic over an access domain. For doing so, for data traffic received at an access node from a first user domain and destined to a second user domain, the access node identifies a service binding corresponding to the received data. Then, the access node tunnels the data traffic in a Unicast message addressed to an access edge node in accordance with the identified service binding. The tunnelled data traffic is then forwarded to the access edge node. The access edge node receives the tunnelled data traffic, and identifies the service binding corresponding to the received tunnelled data traffic. The access edge node then proceeds with redirecting the tunnelled data traffic to a second access node in accordance with the identified service binding therein. The redirected tunnelled data traffic is received at a second access node, where it is detunnelled and forwarded to the second user domain.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and nodes for handling multicast messages over an access domain. The method starts with the receipt of a multicast message from a service provider domain. The method pursues with the identification of a service agent corresponding to the service provider domain from which the multicast message is received. Then, the content of a Virtual Local Area Network (VLAN) Tag field of the multicast message is modified so as to correspond to the identified service agent. The modified multicast message is forwarded on the access domain. Upon receipt of the modified multicast message at an access node, the access node identifies at least one service binding related to the service agent identified in the VLAN Tag field of the received multicast message.

Abstract: A router, a switching element card and a related method for providing a rate limiting mechanism in the router comprising a network interface, a forwarding element card connected to the network interface and the switching element card. The switching element card is capable of receiving the network traffic from the forwarding element card and applying a rate limiting mechanism on the network traffic before forwarding the network traffic to a further card of the router. The switching element card does so if the further card has a lower treatment rate than the forwarding element card and the rate limiting mechanism is applied based on the difference between the rate of the received network traffic and the treatment rate of the further card.

Abstract: A method and a related router comprising a network interface, a logical addressing module and a forwarding element card. The logical addressing module is capable of maintaining at least one local table associating at least one card of the router with at least a portion of at least one service provided by the router. The forwarding element card is capable of receiving a packet stream on the network interface, detecting that the packet stream requires further treatment from a further card of the router and, upon detection, consulting the local table to find an identifier, to which the further card is linked, based on information found in the packet stream before forwarding the packet stream toward the further card.

Abstract: A router and a router architecture comprising at least one network interface, a plurality of processing elements, at least one switching element and a plurality of forwarding elements. Each of the plurality of processing elements comprises at least one processing unit, wherein each processing unit is capable of processing network traffic to provide at least a portion of a network service. The switching element is capable of acting as a proxy of the plurality of processing elements while each of the plurality of forwarding elements is capable of receiving network traffic on the at least one network interface of the router and delegating processing of network traffic toward at least one of the plurality of processing elements through the at least one switching element.

Abstract: A router comprising a plurality of elements, each having an element identifier, subdivided into a plurality of groups of at least one element. Each group has a common identifier and each member within each group shares redundant capabilities. Each element is capable of communicating with another element by addressing information to the common identifier instead of the element identifier. Optionally, one element can be a member of more than one group. Another option suggests that all elements within a group share essential information associated with a service provided by the group. Another option is implemented through one element of the router identifying a primary element for a group, wherein the primary element serves requests addressed the corresponding common identifier. Yet another option suggests that one element is identified through configuration of the router as a primary element in its group to serve requests addressed to the common identifier.

Abstract: A method, a router and a switching element card for providing a rate limiting mechanism in the router. Upon reception of a packet stream from a forwarding element card of the router at a first rate, it is determined that the packet stream is to be forwarded to a further card of the router. If the further card has a treatment rate lower than the first rate, the packet stream is passed to a rate limiting mechanism before being forwarded to the further card. Optionally, if the further card does not have a treatment rate lower than the first rate the packet stream is forwarded to the further card without being passed to the rate limiting mechanism.