Abstract: A system and method of automatically configuring a Service Instance Identifier (I-SID) in a Generalized Multiprotocol Label Switching (GMPLS) controlled network. The method begins by identifying a specific I-SID for a specific service in the GMPLS controlled network. Next, the identified I-SID is automatically configured within a Backbone Edge Bridge (BEB) with a Resource Reservation Protocol-Traffic Engineering (RSVP-TE) extension. The automatic configuration may be implemented by several different embodiments. In one embodiment, the I-SID may be carried in a SESSION_ATTRIBUTE object. In another embodiment, the I-SID may be mapped to a Short Call ID field in a Session object. Alternatively, the I-SID may be carried in an Endpoint ID Type-Length-Value (TLV). The I-SID may also be carried in a new TLV in a LSP_ATTRIBUTES or CALL_ATTRIBUTES object.

Abstract: A method is performed by a network element implementing a controller of a split architecture network. The method requests that a subset of switches in the network report metrics for a data flow to provide a management module with information for executing a management function. A second method is performed by a network element implementing a switch. The switch reports metrics for a data flow to the controller, wherein the switch forwards a management packet with the data flow and collects the metrics for the data flow.

Abstract: A method is implemented by a network device to establish an explicit path in a network domain including a plurality of network devices including the network device. The explicit path defines a path for forwarding traffic across the network domain that is generated by a path computation element (PCE) in communication with the network domain. Operations, administration and management (OAM) is provided to support checking the establishment and correctness of the explicit path based on interior gateway protocols. The network device receives an explicit path descriptor (EPD) defining an explicit path configuration including configuration attributes for a maintenance endpoint (MEP) or maintenance intermediate point (MIP) where the EPD is generated and distributed by the PCE. The MEP or the MIP is established according to the EPD, the MEP or MIP to monitor the explicit path. A correctness test is performed to check correctness of the explicit path utilizing the MEP or MIP.

Abstract: A method is performed by a network element implementing a controller of a split architecture network. The method requests that a subset of switches in the network report metrics for a data flow to provide a management module with information for executing a management function. A second method is performed by a network element implementing a switch. The switch reports metrics for a data flow to the controller, wherein the switch forwards a management packet with the data flow and collects the metrics for the data flow.

Abstract: A method is performed by a network element implementing an OpenFlow controller. The method requests that a subset of OpenFlow switches in the network report metrics for an OpenFlow data flow to provide a management module with information for executing a management function. A second method is performed by a network element implementing an OpenFlow switch. The OpenFlow switch reports metrics for an OpenFlow data flow to the OpenFlow controller, wherein the OpenFlow switch forwards a management packet with the OpenFlow data flow and collects the metrics for the OpenFlow data flow.

Abstract: An example method transmits a path message to an egress node, via intermediate nodes, that configures OAM monitoring of an entire connection between an ingress node and the egress node and also configures OAM monitoring of at least one segment of the connection shorter than the entire connection by at least one intermediate node. The path message comprises a LSP attributes object and an ERO. The LSP object comprises technology-specific attributes defining descriptors for configuring the egress node in accordance with a communication protocol utilized for the connection; and technology-independent OAM parameters that, irrespective of the communication protocol, define an OAM type to be used by the egress node, and define desired monitoring actions for the egress node to perform. The ERO comprises a respective HOP Attributes sub-object for configuring each of the at least one intermediate nodes.

Abstract: A method is performed by a network element implementing an OpenFlow controller. The method requests that a subset of OpenFlow switches in the network report metrics for an OpenFlow data flow to provide a management module with information for executing a management function. A second method is performed by a network element implementing an OpenFlow switch. The OpenFlow switch reports metrics for an OpenFlow data flow to the OpenFlow controller, wherein the OpenFlow switch forwards a management packet with the OpenFlow data flow and collects the metrics for the OpenFlow data flow.

Abstract: A method implemented by a network element monitor OpenFlow data flows and enable operations, administration and management (OAM) functionality in OpenFlow. The method inserts OpenFlow OAM packets into an OpenFlow data flow to monitor the OpenFlow data flow, wherein inserted OpenFlow OAM packets have fate sharing with data packets in the OpenFlow data flow. The method comprises the steps of receiving by the network element the OpenFlow OAM packets from a source through a port of the network element, matching by an OpenFlow switch module using a matching structure of OpenFlow data packets received by the network element to identify the OpenFlow OAM packets, and forwarding the identified OpenFlow OAM packets to a flow table or group table of the OpenFlow switch module to aggregate the OpenFlow OAM packets with a corresponding OpenFlow data flow.

Abstract: A method performed by a network element implementing an OpenFlow controller, the OpenFlow controller including an operations, administration and management (OAM) module. The OAM module services an OAM function request in a network implementing OpenFlow. The method requests that a subset of OpenFlow switches in the network report metrics for an OpenFlow data flow to provide the OAM module with information for executing the requested OAM function.

Abstract: A method performed by a network element, for notifying a controller of a change to a packet forwarding configuration of the network element. The network element is separated from the controller by a communication channel. The method includes determining the change to the packet forwarding configuration of the network element. The packet forwarding configuration specifies how packets are to be forwarded by the network element. The method also includes actively notifying the controller of the change to the packet forwarding configuration by sending a message to the controller over the communication channel. The message, in addition to indicating the change, also indicates at least one detail about the packet forwarding configuration after the change.

Abstract: A system and method of automatically configuring a Service Instance Identifier (I-SID) in a Generalized Multiprotocol Label Switching (GMPLS) controlled network. The method begins by identifying a specific I-SID for a specific service in the GMPLS controlled network. Next, the identified I-SID is automatically configured within a Backbone Edge Bridge (BEB) with a Resource Reservation Protocol-Traffic Engineering (RSVP-TE) extension. The automatic configuration may be implemented by several different embodiments. In one embodiment, the I-SID may be carried in a SESSION_ATTRIBUTE object. In another embodiment, the I-SID may be mapped to a Short Call ID field in a Session object. Alternatively, the I-SID may be carried in an Endpoint ID Type-Length-Value (TLV). The I-SID may also be carried in a new TLV in a LSP_ATTRIBUTES or CALL_ATTRIBUTES object.

Abstract: A system and method of automatically configuring a Service Instance Identifier (I-SID) in a Generalized Multiprotocol Label Switching (GMPLS) controlled network. The method begins by identifying a specific I-SID for a specific service in the GMPLS controlled network. Next, the identified I-SID is automatically configured within a Backbone Edge Bridge (BEB) with a Resource Reservation Protocol-Traffic Engineering (RSVP-TE) extension. The automatic configuration may be implemented by several different embodiments. In one embodiment, the I-SID may be carried in a SESSION_ATTRIBUTE object. In another embodiment, the I-SID may be mapped to a Short Call ID field in a Session object. Alternatively, the I-SID may be carried in an Endpoint ID Type-Length-Value (TLV). The I-SID may also be carried in a new TLV in a LSP_ATTRIBUTES or CALL— ATTRIBUTES object.

Abstract: Extensions to a Multi-Protocol Label Switching (MPLS) frame forwarding procedure in an MPLS node are described. A context descriptor is defined for each frame received on a connection terminated at that node, and where this context descriptor is provided together with the frame to a corresponding function (e.g. Operations, Administration and Maintenance, OAM) if needed. The context descriptor is constructed based on key attributes characterizing the terminated connection, over which the frame is received, and addresses a particular function endpoint (Maintenance Endpoints (MEPs), Selector Bridge of a protection instance etc.) of a corresponding function (OAM, protection, etc.). In one embodiment, a Multi-Protocol Label Switching (MPLS) node is directed to check not only the first but also the second label, and not to drop the first label (and the label space if relevant) when the second label is the Generic Association Channel Label (GAL). In this way, the original context of the packet is kept (i.e.

Abstract: A technique for providing an asymmetric multipoint call between a plurality of network nodes (10, 12, 14, 16, 18) in a communication network supporting distributed call and connection management (DCM) features is provided, wherein a first call is established between a master node (10) and a first slave node (12) and a second call is established between the master node (10) and a second slave node (14). A method implementation of the technique comprises the steps of exchanging call management information for the asymmetric multipoint call between the master node (10) and the first slave node (12) based on the first call, exchanging call management information for the asymmetric multipoint call between the master node (10) and the second slave node (14) based on the second call, and excluding the first (12) and the second (14) slave node from directly exchanging call management information relating to the asymmetric management call between each other.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an ingress node (102, 700) and methods therein for Operation Administration arid Maintenance, OAM related to Resource Reservation Protocol-Traffic Engineering, RSVP-TE5 for obtaining attributes for timer values being assigned to a connection from the ingress node (102) via intermediate nodes (104, 106, 108, 110) to an egress node (112), during configuration of die connection. An interval of suitable tinier values for the intermediate nodes is specified. Configuration attributes are obtained for a timer value within an interval that is acceptable by the intermediate nodes and the egress node, based on the specified interval of suitable timer values. The obtained configuration attributes are applied during configuration of the connection from the ingress node via the intermediate nodes to the egress node, if the obtained configuration attributes are appropriate to the ingress node.

Abstract: A method to facilitate the broadcast of frames between a set of Edge Nodes of a transport network, where nodes of the transport network forward frames using labels added to the frames at ingress Edge Nodes. The method comprises, at each of said Edge nodes and at intermediate nodes in the paths between said Edge Nodes, installing an entry or entries into a forwarding table mapping frame labels to output forwarding ports such that said entries together form a single forwarding construct such that frames labelled by any of the Edge Nodes of said set are transmitted to all other Edge Nodes of the same set. Upon receipt of a frame at one of said Edge Nodes or intermediate nodes, the provided forwarding table is used to map the frame label of the frame to one or more forwarding ports. Frames are then sent via the identified forwarding port(s).

Abstract: A method performed by a network element implementing an OpenFlow controller, the OpenFlow controller including an OAM module. The OAM module services an OAM function request in a network implementing OpenFlow. The method requests that a subset of OpenFlow switches in the network report metrics for an OpenFlow data flow to provide the OAM module with information for executing the requested OAM function. The method includes receiving by an OAM module a request to execute the OAM function, generating a trigger monitoring message defining actions to be performed by an OpenFlow switch, wherein the actions are to provide the metrics for the OpenFlow data flow, receiving a plurality of monitor response messages, each including the metrics for the OpenFlow data flow, correlating the plurality of monitor response messages with the OAM function request, executing the requested OAM function, and returning a result of the requested OAM function.

Abstract: A method implemented by a network element monitor OpenFlow data flows and enable operations, administration and management (OAM) functionality in OpenFlow. The method inserts OpenFlow OAM packets into an OpenFlow data flow to monitor the OpenFlow data flow, wherein inserted OpenFlow OAM packets have fate sharing with data packets in the OpenFlow data flow. The method comprises the steps of receiving by the network element the OpenFlow OAM packets from a source through a port of the network element, matching by an OpenFlow switch module using a matching structure of OpenFlow data packets received by the network element to identify the OpenFlow OAM packets, and forwarding the identified OpenFlow OAM packets to a flow table or group table of the OpenFlow switch module to aggregate the OpenFlow OAM packets with a corresponding OpenFlow data flow.

Abstract: A Path Computation Client (24) of a node in a network sends a request message (52) to a Path Computation Element (28) of the network for computation of a path, and the Path Computation Element sends a response message (54) comprising information identifying a calculated path. The Path Computation Element also sends a request for feedback on a result of the attempt to set up the connection. The Path Computation Element attempts to set up a connection based on the calculated path, and reports (64) to the Path Computation Element the result of the attempt to set up the connection.

Abstract: A method and ingress node for configuring intermediate OAM monitoring entities to monitor the quality of segments of a communication connection between an ingress node and an egress node. The ingress node constructs an object that includes technology-independent OAM parameters, identities of the OAM monitoring entities to be configured, and technology-specific attributes, wherein the technology-independent OAM parameters define an OAM type and desired monitoring actions by each of the identified OAM monitoring entities, and the technology-specific attributes define descriptors for configuring the 0AM monitoring entities in accordance with a communication protocol utilized for the connection. The ingress node utilizes Generalized Mu Its- Protocol Label Switching, GMPLS, signaling to send the object to the OAM monitoring entities.