Abstract: A method of enabling extension of a network service of a first domain to a remote customer site hosted by an Access Gateway (AG) in a Provider Ethernet domain. In the first domain, the remote customer site is represented as being hosted by a border gateway (BG) connected to the Provider Ethernet domain, such that subscriber packets associated with the network service are forwarded to or from the remote customer site via the BG. In the Provider Ethernet domain, a trunk connection is instantiated through the Provider Ethernet domain between the host AG and the BG. A trunk cross-connection function is installed in the host AG, for transferring subscriber packets associated with the network service between a respective attachment virtual circuit (AVC) through which the remote customer site is connected to the host AG and an extended AVC tunnelled through the trunk connection.

Abstract: A system, method, and wireless communication device for sharing media in a group communication among a plurality of wireless communications devices, such as among a Push-to-Talk (PTT) group. A wireless communication device that is a member of the communication group can send group-directed media, such as graphics, multimedia and applications, to other members of the communication group, either during a ongoing PTT communication, or independently there from. In one embodiment, a communication computer device stores information on communication groups on the wireless communication network that includes the member wireless communication devices of one or more communication groups, and receives group-directed media from a sending wireless communication device sends the group-directed media either directly to the other member wireless communication devices of the communication group or stores the group-directed media such that the other member devices can access and download the group-directed media.

Abstract: A system and method of verifying connectivity between hosts and optical ports in a data center is disclosed herein. The system and method includes directing, at a network control module (NCM), an electrical packet switch operatively connected to an optical port of the optical circuit switch, to transmit a data packet containing a MAC address of a host connected to an optical port determined by the NCM, and receiving, at the NCM, a response from the host, wherein the response comprises an indication that the MAC address contained in the transmitted data packet corresponds to the MAC address of a network interface card (NIC) at the host, and a determination of whether the host connected to the optical port determined by the NCM has been powered up.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method to display a visual representation of subblock utilization in an address block is provided. A plurality of subblock sizes in the address block are determined. A subblock may be referred to as a subnet or subblock but is a portion of the addresses in the address block. The size for the subblocks is determined for each of the subblocks based on which address spaces have been assigned to each of the subblocks. Also, a positioning within the address block is determined based on which address space has been assigned to each of the subblocks. A utilization for the plurality of subblocks is then determined. The utilization may be a determination based on how many addresses have been leased in the subblock. A visual representation is then generated that shows the size of the subblocks relative to each other and also showing a utilization measurement for the subblocks.

Abstract: A method, apparatus and computer program product for performing TCAM lookups in multi-threaded packet processors is presented. A Ternary Content Addressable Memory (TCAM) key is constructed for a packet and a Packet Reference Number (PRN) is generated. The TCAM key and the packet are tagged with the PRN. The TCAM key and the PRN are sent to a TCAM and in parallel the packet and the PRN are sent to a packet processing thread. The PRN is used to read the TCAM result when it is ready.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a Mobile Termination (MT) that offers functions related to communication with a network, a Terminal Equipment (TE) that offers services to a user of the apparatus, and a Terminal Adaptor (TA) that allows communication between the MT and the TE using Attention (AT) commands. A packet domain event reporting command (+CGEREP) is one type of AT command that enables or disables sending of result codes from the MT to the TE in case certain events occur in the MT for a packet domain or in the network. One such type of event is a Packet Data Protocol (PDP) context activation, for which the MT sends to the TE a result code that includes an integer type parameter to indicate the reason why a context activation request with PDP type IPv4v6 was not granted, and a context id parameter to indicate the capability of Mobile Termination for autonomously requesting a second address bearer, and the result of the second address bearer activation.

Abstract: A handover performing method and a method of allocating a connection identifier (CID) at the time of handover are disclosed. The method includes transmitting a handover request message to a serving base station, and receiving a handover response message including CID update information used in a target base station from the serving base station. At this time, the CID update information may include a transport CID (TCID) allocation start position and a TCID allocable value used in the target base station. Accordingly, it is possible to minimize service delay of a mobile station by providing a method of updating the CID of the mobile station for performing fast handover.

Abstract: A method of ensuring secure and cost effective communication of aeronautical data to and from an aircraft is provided. The method includes uplinking air-ground aircraft data communications via an aeronautical safety data link and downlinking air-ground aircraft data communications via a consumer data link separated from the aeronautical safety data link by a one-way firewall.

Abstract: To promote network security in a wireless local area network (WLAN), a mobile communication device, which is operable as a mobile wireless access point, may read a WLAN identifier that is known to be used by the WLAN and an indication of a channel on which a wireless access point of the WLAN is known to operate. The device may then monitor the channel for a transmission of the WLAN identifier. The mobile wireless access point may be configured to operate using the selected channel so that the monitoring occurs on the same channel as that on which the mobile wireless access point is operating. The transmission, if detected, may be considered to indicate that the mobile communication device is within the WLAN. Upon detecting the transmission, use of the WLAN identifier by the mobile wireless access point at the mobile communication device may be prevented, e.g. by requiring the mobile wireless access point to use a different WLAN identifier or by disabling the mobile wireless access point.

Abstract: A system and method can support virtual network interface card (NIC) failover in a middleware machine environment. The middleware machine environment includes a local management node and a remote management node. The system provides a local NIC driver and a remote proxy instance on a local management node. The remote proxy instance can associate a machine address with a remote NIC driver on a remote management node that is connected with the local remote management node in a subnet. Furthermore, the remote proxy instance operates to direct packets to and from the remote NIC driver using the machine address.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for a User Equipment (UE) to transmit a Sounding Reference Signal (SRS). A first Downlink Control Information (DCI) format with an aperiodic SRS request field indicating aperiodic SRS transmission with first values for aperiodic SRS transmission parameters, is received. A second DCI format with an aperiodic SRS request field indicating aperiodic SRS transmission with second values for the aperiodic SRS transmission parameters, is received. The first values for the aperiodic SRS transmission parameters are compared with the second values for the aperiodic SRS transmission parameters. An aperiodic SRS is transmitted when the first values are identical to the second values. Transmission of the aperiodic SRS is suspended when the first values are not identical to the second values.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and system for policy control in a data packet network comprising a user equipment, a gateway and a home policy control node. The method comprises the steps of establishing a session between the user equipment and an application function. Then a session identifier is generated by the user equipment, and the same session identifier is generated by the home policy control node. The user equipment requests bearer establishment from the data packet network and marks bearer establishment packets with said session identifier. The gateway derives a user equipment identifier from the bearer establishment packets and determines policy decisions based on the session identifier and the user equipment identifier. The user equipment marks data packets sent over the established bearer with the session identifier; and the gateway applies policy and charging information for the session to the marked data packets.

Abstract: A method for providing network services includes the ability to dynamically and flexibly configure resources in a network server platform to service classes and sets of network traffic. According to one aspect, a programmable network server platform can be configured to bind multiple traffic classes in a mixture of inline and tap modes to a group of CPUs. Traffic having the associated classes can be configured to pass directly through while sending a copy down to one or more CPUs, as well as load balanced to a group or sub group of CPUs. According to another aspect, different applications or configurations can be run on different groups or sub groups of CPUs allowing complete flexibility.

Abstract: A method includes encoding a session identifier into a uniform resource identifier (URI) associated with a TCAP Begin message request originating at an application server, where the session identifier identifies a communication session. The method also includes transmitting the TCAP Begin message request from the application server to a transaction capabilities application part (TCAP) interface and receiving a TCAP Continue message request from the TCAP interface with the TCAP Continue message request including the encoded URI. The method includes correlating the TCAP Continue message request to the communication session that originated the Begin request identified by the session identifier in the received URI and routing the TCAP Continue message request to the communication session.

Abstract: Connection profiles are created and stored. The connection profiles are for connections for sources to connect to a network. The connection profiles identify network attributes for the connections and each connection profile includes a status of available or subscribed. A connection profile is assigned to a requested connection for a source. The network attributes for the assigned connection are sent to an edge switch for the source to configure the edge switch to accept traffic for the source.

Abstract: A node is configured to receive a packet from a host device, where the packet includes a source address associated with the host device; determine that the source address is not stored by the node; generate one or more logical distances, associated with one or more nodes, based on the source address and a respective address associated with each of the nodes; determine that another node is associated with a shortest logical distance, of the one or more logical distances; and transmit the source address to the other node based on the determination that the other node is associated with the shortest logical distance, where transmitting the source address allows the other node to store the source address or enables further nodes to obtain the source address from the other node.

Abstract: A method includes receiving a signaling protocol message associated with a voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) call. The method includes identifying a From value of the signaling protocol message. The From value includes at least one symbol. The method includes converting each symbol of the From value to a corresponding American Standard Code for Information Exchange (ASCII) decimal value. A To value of the at least one signaling protocol message is identified. The To value includes at least one symbol. The method includes converting each symbol of the To value to a corresponding ASCII decimal value. The ASCII decimal value of the From value is compared to the ASCII decimal value of the To value to determine a larger integer and a smaller integer. The method includes concatenating the larger integer and the smaller integer to form a remote service identifier based on a predetermined sequence.

Abstract: A network node or corresponding method of performing link aggregation reduces a number of Content Addressable Memory (CAM) entries required to make a forwarding decision for a given ingress flow, reducing cost, size, and power consumption of the CAM and accompanying static RAM. In one embodiment, an ingress flow is mapped to an egress flow identifier. Subsequently, the egress flow identifier is mapped to a member of an aggregated group associated with an egress interface based on information available in a given ingress flow. Finally, the given ingress flow is forwarded to the member of the aggregated group associated with the egress interface. A hashing technique or two lookups may be used alone or in combination in mapping the ingress flow to the egress flow identifier to reduce CAM memory usage.

Abstract: A method of transmitting data and service information associated with said data, including an addressing step during which a set of service information D(Si) that is intended to be stored is referenced by means of an address AD. The address AD includes a session identifier Si, a session being defined as a string of successive activations of different communications means. Service information D(Si) is marked unequivocally by means of an identifier Si that is invariant throughout the session concerned. Thus no element external to that session can reach or degrade the service information, and its permanence is guaranteed until the end of the session.

Abstract: A method of discovering overlapping cells in a telecommunications network comprising a plurality of base stations, wherein steps carried out by an individual base station comprise determining sets of terminals in ranges of its associated cells and sending a message with information about said sets of terminals to other base stations. The method also includes receiving messages from said other base stations with information about sets of terminals in ranges of their associated cells. The individual base station calculates intersection of its own set of terminals with those received from said other base stations and classifies cells as overlapping if the corresponding intersection is equal or above a predefined level.

Abstract: In order to transmit Ethernet transmission protocol-based data packets between at least one mobile communication unit and a communication system via generic route encapsulation tunneling established between a home agent unit and a foreign agent unit, at least one GRE key provided for establishing generic route encapsulation tunneling is linked to the media access control address assigned to the mobile communication unit.

Abstract: A pipeline structure having a plurality of pipelines with varying data rates is used for transmitting data between different layers in a network device. Important data is transmitted by a faster pipeline, while less important data is transmitted by a slower pipeline. The size of each pipeline may be dynamically adjusted according the transmission status of each pipeline for improving the overall data efficiency.

Abstract: The invention is directed toward techniques for Multi-Protocol Label Switching (MPLS) upstream label assignment for the Resource Reservation Protocol with Traffic Engineering (RSVP-TE). The techniques include extensions to the RSVP-TE that enable distribution of upstream assigned labels in Path messages from an upstream router to two or more downstream routers of tunnel established over a network. The tunnel may comprise a RSVP-TE P2MP Label Switched Path (LSP) or an Internet Protocol (IP) multicast tunnel. The techniques also include extensions to the RSVP-TE that enable a router to advertise upstream label assignment capability to neighboring routers in the network. The MPLS upstream label assignment using RSVP-TE described herein enables a branch router to avoid traffic replication on a Local Area Network (LAN) for RSVP-TE P2MP LSPs.

Abstract: Provided is a reception apparatus for outputting service information in an appropriate area at a suitable time so that the service information distributed has consumer attraction and a communication system in which the reception apparatus is used.

Abstract: Aspects of a method and system for best-M CQI feedback together with PMI feedback may include generating a plurality of feedback messages, which may be communicated from a mobile station to a base station, wherein at least one of the generated plurality of feedback messages may be associated with each corresponding selected one of a plurality of Channel Quality Indicator (CQI) reporting units. The at least one of the generated feedback messages may comprise CQI information and Pre-coding Matrix Index (PMI) information, which may both be associated with the selected one of the plurality of CQI reporting units. At least one other of the generated plurality of feedback messages may comprise an aggregate CQI information, which is based on one or more of the plurality of CQI reporting units.

Abstract: An ad-hoc network approach for addressing ad-hoc network address assignment, name resolution, and service discovery in ad-hoc networks. The size of the ad-hoc network may be limited to a selected number of ad-hoc network stations. A first portion of the ad-hoc network address assigned to stations joining the ad-hoc network may be fixed and a second portion of the ad-hoc network address may be selected dynamically, as each new station joins the ad-hoc network. A station may generate an information element that may be included in ad-hoc network messages. An exemplary information element may include a last byte of the ad-hoc network address associated with the transmitting station, a 4-byte timestamp field which indicates a number of milliseconds since the station claimed the network address, a user-friendly name to identify the station, a universally unique identifier (UUID) for each service offered by the transmitting station, and a network-address-in-use bitmap.

Abstract: A communication apparatus having a communication function, which is capable of improving security while ensuring convenience in network communication using the ICMP Echo protocol. It is determined whether or not a source of a received packet is an apparatus lies in the same network as a network in which the communication apparatus is installed. According to the determination result, whether or not to respond to the received packet is judged based on one of a first judgment condition used in a case where the source lies in the same network as the network in which the communication apparatus is installed, and a second judgment condition used in a case where the source does not lie in the same network as the network in which the communication apparatus is installed. According to the judgment result, a response to the received packet is sent back.

Abstract: A wireless communication system includes a plurality of base stations, a mobile wireless communication device which makes wireless communication with the base stations, a terminal device, and a router through which the base stations make communication with an IP network. The terminal device transmits an address thereof to the mobile wireless communication device, before the mobile wireless communication device makes link with one of the base stations. The terminal device fabricates a frame addressed to an address of the router, and transmits the frame to the router, after the mobile wireless communication device has made link with one of the base stations. The router transmits an address thereof to the base stations, before the mobile wireless communication device makes link with one of the base stations.

Abstract: A method for linking between a first information communication device and a second information communication device in wireless communication. The method includes transmitting, by the first information communication device executing any one of a station function and an access point function of wireless communication, information for a connection to the second information communication device executing the other function and storing, by the second information communication device, received information. The method also includes requesting, by the first information communication device, the second information communication device to transmit the information and storing, by the first information communication device, the received information.

Abstract: An apparatus comprising an edge virtual bridging (EVB) bridge, and an EVB station coupled to the EVB bridge, wherein the EVB station is configured to send to the EVB bridge a virtual station interface (VSI) discovery and configuration protocol (VDP) request comprising a filter information (info) field without specifying a virtual local area network (VLAN) identifier (ID), and wherein the EVB bridge is configured to send a VLAN ID (VID) to the EVB station in a second filter info field in a VDP response to the VDP request.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the reduction of handoff delays for mobile telematics applications. In particular, the present invention provides a method employing GPS technology to define IP addresses in a mobile environment in order to reduce delays and transient data loss caused by handoff from one network to another.

Abstract: A method of aggregating a plurality of packet based communication channels is provided by the system. The communication channels connect two common endpoints, and aggregation devices are present at each point to implement an aggregation policy. The system provides a dynamic aggregation system where an aggregation policy is employed on a per packet flow basis. Packet flow can be classified by application type, so that an appropriate aggregation policy can be used for packets belonging to the flow. The selected aggregation policy is used for each flow within the aggregation devices at each endpoint.

Abstract: An apparatus comprising an edge virtual bridging (EVB) bridge, and an EVB station coupled to the EVB bridge, wherein the EVB station is configured to send to the EVB bridge a virtual station interface (VSI) discovery and configuration protocol (VDP) request comprising a filter information (info) field without specifying a virtual local area network (VLAN) identifier (ID), and wherein the EVB bridge is configured to send a VLAN ID (VID) to the EVB station in a second filter info field in a VDP response to the VDP request.

Abstract: A communication apparatus having a communication function, which is capable of improving security while ensuring convenience in network communication using the ICMP Echo protocol. It is determined whether or not a source of a received packet is an apparatus lies in the same network as a network in which the communication apparatus is installed. According to the determination result, whether or not to respond to the received packet is judged based on one of a first judgment condition used in a case where the source lies in the same network as the network in which the communication apparatus is installed, and a second judgment condition used in a case where the source does not lie in the same network as the network in which the communication apparatus is installed. According to the judgment result, a response to the received packet is sent back.

Abstract: A data transmission method is provided. The method is used to transmit multiple data packets, and includes the following steps. Multiple acquired data packets are mapped to different sessions according to data header information of the data packets, in which each session corresponds to one or more data packets. A data packet is encapsulated into a session message, in which the encapsulated session message includes a session identifier of the session corresponding to the one or more data packets. Multiple session messages belonging to the same session are transmitted to a next network node through at least two tunnels in link layer.

Abstract: A Fiber Channel switch is provided for a relative addressing scheme for domain values to avoid losing portions of a Fiber Channel identifier. At a Fiber Channel switch, data is stored that assigns a relative domain field value to a run-time domain. The relative domain field value used for a Fiber Channel identifier is determined for devices connected to the switch based on the run-time domain of the devices and the virtual storage area network in which the devices are active. A Fiber Channel identifier is stored in a memory of the switch that comprises the relative domain field value determined for the device together with area and port values for the device. The relative domain value is either a reserved domain field value for an existing virtual storage area network or any of the regular domain field values for a new virtual storage area network.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for performing tunneling signaling over an IP tunneling path connected to an end-to-end path on an IP network are provided, in which an end-to-end signaling flow is received from a sender or a receiver on the end-to-end path, a tunnel signaling flow is generated corresponding to the received end-to-end signaling flow, and the generated tunnel signaling flow is transmitted through the IP tunneling path, the end-to-end signaling flow is forwarded between an entry node and an exit node of the IP tunneling path, and the forwarded end-to-end signaling flow is transmitted to at least any one node on the end-to-end path, wherein the forwarding is simultaneously performed with the transmitting of the tunnel signaling flow, and the transmitting of the end-to-end signaling flow is suspended until the transmitting of the tunnel signaling flow is completed.

Abstract: A plurality of public safety answering points (PSAPs) are accessible via a voice-over-packet (VoP) network. A wireless access point of the VoP network is provisioned with a PSAP identifier and/or access point identifier to facilitate the routing of emergency services calls from the wireless access point to the appropriate PSAP. When a mobile node transmits a message to originate a call, the wireless access point parses the message to determine whether the mobile node is requesting an emergency services call. If an emergency call is being requested, the wireless access point inserts the PSAP identifier and/or access point identifier with which it has been provisioned into the message and forwards the modified message to a proxy server. The proxy server receives the modified message and routes the call to the appropriate PSAP, based on the PSAP identifier and/or access point identifier contained therein.

Abstract: A network comprises at least one network device and a plurality of unconnected network ports, the apparatus comprising: a send component for sending an identification message to each network device; a receive component, responsive to the send component sending the identification message, for receiving at least one identification response from the network; an analyze component, responsive to the receive component receiving an identification response, for determining the plurality of unconnected network ports comprising a first network port; an identify component, responsive to the analyze component determining the plurality of unconnected network ports, for determining the first network port; and a send component, responsive to the identify component determining the first network port, operable for sending a first location message to the first network port.

Abstract: A method for operating a wireless mesh data network with multiple nodes, wherein data frames are transmitted from a source node via one or more intermediate nodes to a destination node, wherein the source node, the one or more intermediate nodes, and the destination node constitute network nodes of the data network, wherein during transmission of a data frame, at least some of the network nodes which receive the data frame, using a precursor list for the destination nodes which is assigned to the destination nodes of the data frame, check whether the network node sending the data frame is in the precursor list, and wherein in the case of a positive result, the data frame is transmitted to a further network node, and in the case of a negative result, the data frame is thrown out or processed by an error recovery routine.

Abstract: A first base station forms a cell group including a first cell and a second cell partly overlapping with the first cell. A second base station forms a cell group including a third cell and a fourth cell partly overlapping with the third cell. An allocator of a communication control apparatus specifies an identifier for wireless communication that differs from any of wireless communication identifiers already allocated to mobile devices existing within either the first or second cell forming the cell group, and allocates the specified wireless communication identifier to a mobile device existing in the cell group constituted by the first and second cells. A transmitter transmits the identifier allocated by the allocator to the mobile device via the first base station.

Abstract: An IP (Internet Protocol) session for a mobile node is carried out through the use of a virtual care-of address. A foreign agent sends an agent advertisement to the mobile node to allow the mobile node to choose from a list of IP addresses of the foreign agent. The foreign agent ties a virtual care-of address to a mobile node so that an intelligent and dynamic selection of tunnels to be used for the IP session can occur. Therefore, traffic for an IP session is not limited to transmission over the single particular tunnel that corresponds to an IP address initially selected by the mobile node. Rather, the virtual care-of address shifts the tunneling decision from the mobile node to the foreign agent. Supporting multiple tunnels between home agent and foreign agent allows resilience, redundancy, and service-level differentiation to mobile node traffic without involving the mobile node in the process.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a protocol accelerator module for a data transmission protocol level of a transceiver, particularly but not exclusively for rapid forwarding of data packets in wireless sensor networks using the time-division multiple access method according to the IEEE 802.15.4 standard. The invention also relates to a method of transceiver operation for rapid forwarding of data packets, likewise particularly, but not exclusively, in wireless sensor networks using the time-division multiple access method according to the IEEE 802.15.4 standard. The core of the invention is a reference table which stores references from identifiers of second transceivers to identifiers of third transceivers as well as references from specific messages to identifiers of third transceivers. A transceiver can check during reception of a data packet whether it is a data packet to be forwarded, and can take appropriate precautions for rapid sending of a data packet to be forwarded.

Abstract: A technique is provided for a direct data transfer session, including for multimedia content, between mobile devices without the need for using a separate multimedia server to store multimedia content. Direct data transfer sessions between mobile devices are established by transmitting necessary address information through page-based messaging services that utilize the underlying digital mobile network databases and services to resolve the identification and location of the mobile devices.

Abstract: A base station includes a determining unit that determines whether a competition occurs between an identifier of a first service flow established with respect to a mobile station and an identifier of a second service flow which is requested to newly establish with respect to the mobile station; a changing unit that changes the identifier of the first service flow or the identifier of the second service flow, when the determining unit determines that the competition of the identifiers occurs; and an establishing unit that establishes the second service flow by using the identifier of the second service flow with the competition being eliminated against the first service flow through the change by the changing unit.

Abstract: Techniques are described for providing QoS guarantees when coupling layer two (L2) networks via an intermediate Multi-protocol Label Switching (MPLS) network. A network device, such as a router, receives a request to transport data from an L2 connection. The request specifies one of more characteristics of the L2 connection, such as bandwidth, color, end-to-end delay, jitter, a security requirement, or a classification of traffic for the L2 connection. The network device selects a label switched path (LSP) through the MPLS network based on the characteristics of the L2 connection, and forwards the data from the L2 connection via the selected LSP. In this manner, an LSP and, in particular, one or more forwarding next hops for the LSP, is selected that provides a “virtual” L2 connection, or pseudo-wire, that more closely emulates a direct L2 connection between the L2 networks.

Abstract: A Multicast Listener Discovery (MLD) protocol query and/or report snooping process is modified to appropriately map secondary PVLAN identifiers to corresponding primary PVLAN identifiers, thereby accommodating other system elements that are otherwise unaware of primary/secondary PVLAN distinctions. Special cases are also accommodated where reverse path forwarding (RPF) checks in support of multicast operation might otherwise fail due to primary/secondary PVLAN distinctions. Additional steps are taken to ensure that PVLAN information properly accounts for changes in configuration and/or location of various network hosts.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for sending messages from a first network device to a second network device is described. In one embodiment, the method comprises constructing a data packet, the data packet comprising a House Code field for identifying a house code relating to the first and second network devices, the house code for identifying an address common to the first network device and the second network device. The data packet further comprises a Long/Short field for indicating whether the data packet is a long data packet or a short data packet and a Command field comprising a command, the command for instructing the second network device to perform an action. The data packet further comprises a Data field comprising information for use by the second network device to execute the action associated with the command, and an Error Check field comprising error checking information. The data packet is then modulated and transmitting over one or more communication channels.

Abstract: Described are a network, computer program product, and method of distributing routing information for a virtual private network (VPN) application through a packet-switched network (PSN) having fully meshed provider edge (PE) routers through Provider Backbone Bridge (PBB) tunnels. A PE router is configured to participate in a VPN and to run a BGP (Border Gateway Protocol) as an auto-discovery process for finding one or more other PE routers participating in the VPN. The VPN is associated with a PBB tunnel. A service instance identifier (I-SID) is assigned to the VPN. The PE router advertises membership in the VPN by including the I-SID assigned to the VPN in a BGP message issued during the auto-discovery process.

Abstract: In a network device such as a network switch having a port coupled to a communications medium dedicated to a single virtual local area network and another port coupled to a communications medium shared among multiple virtual local area networks for transmitting data frames between the dedicated communications medium and the shared communications medium, a method of identifying the virtual network associated with each data frame received by the network switch when transmitting the data frames over the shared communications medium. The method comprises receiving data frames from the dedicated communications medium coupled to one port, and, with respect to each data frame so received, inserting a new type field and a virtual network identifier field. The contents of the new type field indicate the data frame comprises a virtual network identifier field.