Abstract: A network element includes an aggregate gateway function having a control plane and a separate user plane, wherein the network element is configured to: establish a plurality of first packet forwarding control protocol sessions for a plurality of packet data unit sessions between the residential gateway and the network, each of the plurality of first packet forwarding control protocol sessions hosting a set of data packet forwarding rules for a respective packet data unit session among the plurality of packet data unit sessions; and facilitate network access by the residential gateway according to the plurality of first packet forwarding control protocol sessions.

Abstract: A network element includes at least one processor and at least one memory. The at least one memory stores instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the network element to: establish, via the aggregate gateway function, a separate packet forwarding control protocol session for each packet data unit (PDU) session between the residential gateway and the network; and facilitate, via the aggregate gateway function, network access by the residential gateway via each PDU session according to a corresponding, separate packet forwarding control protocol session.

Abstract: A network element includes an aggregate gateway function having a control plane and a separate user plane. The network element is configured to: establish a packet forwarding control protocol session between the residential gateway and the network; and facilitate network access by the residential gateway according to the packet forwarding control protocol session. The packet forwarding control protocol session hosts (i) a first set of forwarding rules for forwarding control messages between the control plane and the separate user plane and (ii) at least one second set of forwarding rules for forwarding data traffic between the control plane and the separate user plane.

Abstract: A network element includes an aggregate gateway function having a control plane and a separate user plane, wherein the network element is configured to: establish a plurality of first packet forwarding control protocol sessions for a plurality of packet data unit sessions between the residential gateway and the network, each of the plurality of first packet forwarding control protocol sessions hosting a set of data packet forwarding rules for a respective packet data unit session among the plurality of packet data unit sessions; and facilitate network access by the residential gateway according to the plurality of first packet forwarding control protocol sessions.

Abstract: A network element includes at least one processor and at least one memory including computer program code. The at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the network element to: designate a first user plane function, from among the plurality of user plane functions, as a designated broadcast forwarder from which to receive broadcast control traffic, and receive the broadcast control traffic forwarded from the first user plane function, from among the plurality of user plane functions.

Abstract: The present disclosure discloses mechanisms for extending a local area network of a customer premises of a customer outside of the customer premises and into a private data network. The extension of a local area network of a customer premises outside of the customer premises and into a private data network may be provided using a customer bridge associated with the customer local area network, a customer bridging domain hosted on a network gateway device for the customer, and a switching element hosted in the private data network for the customer. The network gateway device may be configured to receive, at the customer bridging domain of the customer via a first tunnel associated with the customer bridging domain, a packet including a destination address and determine, based on the destination address, whether to forward the packet via a second tunnel associated with the customer bridging domain or whether to forward the packet toward a public data network.

Abstract: The present disclosure discloses mechanisms for extending a local area network of a customer premises of a customer outside of the customer premises and into a private data network. The extension of a local area network of a customer premises outside of the customer premises and into a private data network may be provided using a customer bridge associated with the customer local area network, a customer bridging domain hosted on a network gateway device for the customer, and a switching element hosted in the private data network for the customer. The network gateway device may be configured to receive, at the customer bridging domain of the customer via a first tunnel associated with the customer bridging domain, a packet including a destination address and determine, based on the destination address, whether to forward the packet via a second tunnel associated with the customer bridging domain or whether to forward the packet toward a public data network.

Abstract: The present disclosure generally discloses an addressing mechanism adapted for extending a customer local area network of a customer premises of a customer outside of the customer premises and into a private data network with improved scalability and performance. The extension of a local area network of a customer premises of a customer outside of the customer premises and into a private data network may be provided using a customer bridge associated with the customer local area network of the customer, a customer bridging domain hosted on a network gateway device for the customer, and a switching element hosted in the private data network for the customer for one or more customer components hosted within the private data network for the customer. The addressing mechanism may include one or more of address announcement functions, address resolution functions, address translation functions, or the like, as well as various combinations thereof.

Abstract: The present disclosure generally discloses an addressing mechanism adapted for extending a customer local area network of a customer premises of a customer outside of the customer premises and into a private data network with improved scalability and performance. The extension of a local area network of a customer premises of a customer outside of the customer premises and into a private data network may be provided using a customer bridge associated with the customer local area network of the customer, a customer bridging domain hosted on a network gateway device for the customer, and a switching element hosted in the private data network for the customer for one or more customer components hosted within the private data network for the customer. The addressing mechanism may include one or more of address announcement functions, address resolution functions, address translation functions, or the like, as well as various combinations thereof.

Abstract: The present disclosure discloses mechanisms for extending a local area network of a customer premises of a customer outside of the customer premises and into a private data network. The extension of a local area network of a customer premises outside of the customer premises and into a private data network may be provided using a customer bridge associated with the customer local area network, a customer bridging domain hosted on a network gateway device for the customer, and a switching element hosted in the private data network for the customer. The network gateway device may be configured to receive, at the customer bridging domain of the customer via a first tunnel associated with the customer bridging domain, a packet including a destination address and determine, based on the destination address, whether to forward the packet via a second tunnel associated with the customer bridging domain or whether to forward the packet toward a public data network.

Abstract: Methods apparatus and systems providing a mechanism for policy-based steering of user flows/applications via paths traversing different access networks between multi-homing user equipment (UE) and a gateway device in a manner avoiding UE signaling, wherein the UE address is the same for each path, and wherein the same flow/application paths are selected by both the UE and the gateway device in accordance with-based criteria.

Abstract: A method, apparatus and system providing migrant or unauthenticated users associating with a Wi-Fi Access Point (WAP) with a minimal amount of address, data and other managed Wi-Fi network resources until such time as the migrant or unauthenticated users actually authenticate themselves.

Abstract: An example network device includes network interfaces and a control unit that receives a network configuration request from a client device and sends a network configuration response to the client device.

Abstract: In general, the invention is directed to techniques for offloading mobile data traffic from a mobile core network to a broadband network. For example, as described herein, a breakout gateway forwards a service request from a mobile device and addressed to a service node. The service node designates an access point name (APN) for offload such that data traffic associated with service requests specifying the designated APN is to be offloaded to an offload network. The service node receives the service requests from the breakout gateway and, if the service request specifies the designated APN, the service node sends a request to the breakout gateway. The breakout gateway receives the request and assigns a routable PDP address to the mobile device. An offload module on the breakout gateway redirects mobile data traffic to the offload network when the source PDP address of the traffic is the previously assigned PDP address.

Abstract: Network devices, such as a router and a downstream multicast distribution device, may use multiple control channels when setting up a multicast stream for a multicast request. For example, first messages may be transmitted using a first protocol to an upstream device over a first channel, the first messages indicating when a first multicast media stream is being requested by at least one of a number of client devices. Second messages may be transmitted using a second protocol over a second channel, the second messages being transmitted on a per-client basis and each identifying a one of the client devices as requesting the first multicast media stream. By using two control channels to convey the multicast channel requests, the router may obtain visibility into the action of the subscriber and can consequently perform per-subscriber operations such as access-control, bandwidth based admission control, statistics, and QoS adjustment for multicast IPTV streams received by the subscriber.

Abstract: A method performed by a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) server comprising receiving a DHCP DISCOVER message from a DHCP client; generating a challenge in response to the DHCP DISCOVER message; sending the challenge to an authentication device; receiving a first challenge response from the authentication device; generating a DHCP OFFER message; sending the challenge to the DHCP client in the DHCP OFFER message; receiving a DHCP REQUEST message that includes a second challenge response from the DHCP client; comparing the first challenge response with the second challenge response; and authenticating the DHCP client when the first challenge response and the second challenge response match.

Abstract: A network controls provision of access functionality by an access node to provide a network service to a subscriber device. For example, the network device may control the queuing and forwarding of packets by the access node to facilitate packet transmission according to, for example, a Quality of Service class. The network device may send control messages to the access node to dynamically configure a control object stored by the access node, such as a Quality of Service profile. The network device may be a router, and the access node may be a base station that wireless communicates with a subscriber device, e.g., a cellular phone. The access node may then delivery the packets in accordance with the dynamically configured control object.

Abstract: In general, the invention is directed to techniques for offloading mobile data traffic from a mobile core network to a broadband network. For example, as described herein, a breakout gateway forwards a service request from a mobile device and addressed to a service node. The service node designates an access point name (APN) for offload such that data traffic associated with service requests specifying the designated APN is to be offloaded to an offload network. The service node receives the service requests from the breakout gateway and, if the service request specifies the designated APN, the service node sends a request to the breakout gateway. The breakout gateway receives the request and assigns a routable PDP address to the mobile device. An offload module on the breakout gateway redirects mobile data traffic to the offload network when the source PDP address of the traffic is the previously assigned PDP address.

Abstract: Network devices, such as a router and a downstream multicast distribution device, may use multiple control channels when setting up a multicast stream for a multicast request. For example, first messages may be transmitted using a first protocol to an upstream device over a first channel, the first messages indicating when a first multicast media stream is being requested by at least one of a number of client devices. Second messages may be transmitted using a second protocol over a second channel, the second messages being transmitted on a per-client basis and each identifying a one of the client devices as requesting the first multicast media stream. By using two control channels to convey the multicast channel requests, the router may obtain visibility into the action of the subscriber and can consequently perform per-subscriber operations such as access-control, bandwidth based admission control, statistics, and QoS adjustment for multicast IPTV streams received by the subscriber.

Abstract: A network device may include logic to establish an IP session, establish a BFD session within the established IP session, transmit BFD packets within the established BFD session, and determine that the established IP session is active based upon reception of the BFD packets. In another embodiment, the logic may also determine that an IP session is active using an inactivity timer that may also trigger transmission of BFD packets.