Abstract: The invention discloses providing access bearer related information in a packet data network comprising network entities including an access processor for processing access requests, a service processor for processing service requests, and at least one service entity for providing services. An access bearer identification is obtained for a data packet to be transmitted between two of the network entities. The access bearer identification indicates the access bearer that the data packet is associated with. The access bearer identification is combined with the data packet. The combined access bearer identification and data packet is transmitted. The received access bearer identification is extracted. The invention allows providing additional identification information about the PDP context of a data packet while the data packet is being redirected between service entities, access processors, and service processors independent from each other.

Abstract: A router and routing protocol redundancy are disclosed to reduce service outage or degradation for a network device and thus to increase service availability on a network due to software and hardware failures of the network device. A network device such as router includes a redundancy platform having an active controller system and a standby controller system. A routing protocol state change is received or generated by the active controller system. The received or generated routing protocol state change is replicated to the standby controller system. By replicating the routing protocol state change, the standby controller system can maintain the routing protocol sessions for the network device if a failure occurs in the active controller system. Furthermore, the routing protocol states are maintained in realtime to handle the dynamic changes created by routing protocols.

Abstract: The invention discloses providing access bearer related information in a packet data network comprising network entities including an access processor for processing access requests, a service processor for processing service requests, and at least one service entity for providing services. An access bearer identification is obtained for a data packet to be transmitted between two of the network entities. The access bearer identification indicates the access bearer that the data packet is associated with. The access bearer identification is combined with the data packet. The combined access bearer identification and data packet is transmitted. The received access bearer identification is extracted. The invention allows providing additional identification information about the PDP context of a data packet while the data packet is being redirected between service entities, access processors, and service processors independent from each other.

Abstract: The invention discloses a system, a method and a device for service switching. According to the invention, the terminal device accesses multiple services via one service access point. A service switching entity is arranged to a common network element and has further access to service providers and other service access entities. The service access entity dynamically exchanges service access information with other service access entities. After resolving the access to the desired service, the service access entity dynamically exchanges the state of the service providers. Based on the exchanged information, the service access entity applies a routing algorithm that determines the route to the desired service.

Abstract: A method, system, network nodes and computer programs for processing a packet data flow in a packet data network is disclosed. In the invention a conventional <rule, action> pair is broken into a two-step process. The new processing follows, for example, <rule, optional-action, future-action-tag> out-of-box-processing <future-action-tag, egress-action> semantics. An important point is that both the “optional-action” and “egress-action” are decided on the basis of the original rule. The execution of “egress-action” in only delayed till transformed packets are received back at the service-aware network element. Due to the two-step process, the invention allows a creation of IP services even with a third party out-of-box services that completely transform the packets.

Abstract: A router and routing protocol redundancy are disclosed to reduce service outage or degradation for a network device and thus to increase service availability on a network due to software and hardware failures of the network device. A network device such as router includes a redundancy platform having an active controller system and a standby controller system. A routing protocol state change is received or generated by the active controller system. The received or generated routing protocol state change is replicated to the standby controller system. By replicating the routing protocol state change, the standby controller system can maintain the routing protocol sessions for the network device if a failure occurs in the active controller system. Furthermore, the routing protocol states are maintained in realtime to handle the dynamic changes created by routing protocols.

Abstract: A router and routing protocol redundancy are disclosed to reduce service outage or degradation for a network device and thus to increase service availability on a network due to software and hardware failures of the network device. A network device such as router includes a redundancy platform having an active controller system and a standby controller system. A routing protocol state change is received or generated by the active controller system. The received or generated routing protocol state change is replicated to the standby controller system. By replicating the routing protocol state change, the standby controller system can maintain the routing protocol sessions for the network device if a failure occurs in the active controller system. Furthermore, the routing protocol states are maintained in realtime to handle the dynamic changes created by routing protocols.

Abstract: A method and a system for managing a TCAM table are disclosed. A new route is inserted into the TCAM table at an available location using an index. The new route is added into a Patricia tree organized by a mask length associated with the new route. Routes having common prefixes with the new route are searched for in Patricia trees organized by longer mask lengths and in Patricia trees organized by shorter mask lengths to locate a chain for the new route. The chain for the new route groups routes having common prefixes. The routes in the chain are sequenced in an order of longer prefix first such that a route at a top of the chain has a longest prefix. A swap of routes in the chain is performed to accommodate the new route and to maintain the longer prefix first order.

Abstract: A method and a system for managing a TCAM table are disclosed. A new route is inserted into the TCAM table at an available location using an index. The new route is added into a Patricia tree organized by a mask length associated with the new route. Routes having common prefixes with the new route are searched for in Patricia trees organized by longer mask lengths and in Patricia trees organized by shorter mask lengths to locate a chain for the new route. The chain for the new route groups routes having common prefixes. The routes in the chain are sequenced in an order of longer prefix first such that a route at a top of the chain has a longest prefix. A swap of routes in the chain is performed to accommodate the new route and to maintain the longer prefix first order.