Abstract: Managing a plurality of communication devices in an access network by successively establishing a layer two point-to-point layer two connection from an access unit to each of the communication devices of the plurality of communication devices during a management phase and establishing a cross-connection for the layer two point-to-point connection to a permanent layer two connection between the access unit and a management server.

Abstract: Managing a plurality of communication devices in an access network by successively establishing a layer two point-to-point layer two connection from an access unit to each of the communication devices of the plurality of communication devices during a management phase and establishing a cross-connection for the layer two point-to-point connection to a permanent layer two connection between the access unit and a management server.

Abstract: Managing a plurality of Communication devices in an access network by successively establishing a temporary point-to-point layer two connection from a management server to each of the communication devices of the plurality of communication devices during a management phase.

Abstract: Method and apparatuses for directing multicast traffic in an Ethernet network include sending a multicast message upstream to a metro access node, performing IGMP snooping at the metro access node and assigning a multicast VLAN tag to the multicast message, performing IGMP snooping at an Ethernet switch disposed upstream to determine each port used for a corresponding multicast group address and multicast VLAN tag associated with the multicast group address, receiving the multicast message at an access server or edge router and sending the multicast message including the multicast group address and the multicast VLAN tag, downstream to a port based on that information, thereby avoiding duplication of the multicast message to another port other than the port associated with the multicast VLAN tag.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an access unit for coupling a plurality of subscribers to a data communication network, and comprising an auto-configuration control unit adapted to learn, from first auto-configuration data issued by an auto-configuration server and transiting through said access unit towards a particular subscriber coupled to said access unit, a particular network address as being dynamically assigned to said particular subscriber.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a Label distribution method for distributing a label between a first Multi-protocol Label Switching (MPLS) network element and a second peering MPLS network element in an MPLS network. The first MPLS network element adds an unused label to the first data-packet DP1 of the at least one data-packet of the single flow before forwarding the at least one data-packet of the single flow, the unused label not yet associated with or used for identifying a context of said single flow. The second MPLS network element subsequently determines a context for the unknown label retrieved from the data-packets, using a predetermined algorithm. The second MPLS element then couples the unused label and the context determined using the predetermined algorithm.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a Label distribution method for distributing a label between a first Multiprotocol Label Switching network element and a second peering Multiprotocol Label Switching network element in a Multiprotocol Label Switching network. Such a label identifies the context of datapackets of a single flow, these datapackets being forwarded from the first Multiprotocol Label Switching network elements towards the second peering Multiprotocol Label Switching network element. The first Multiprotocol Label Switching network element adds an unused label to the first datapacket DP1 of the at least one datapacket of the single flow before the step of forwarding the at least one datapacket of the single flow. The second Multiprotocol Label Switching network element, subsequently retrieves from at least the first datapacket of of said single flow a context from higher layer information included in at least a first Multiprotocol Label Switching data-packet.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a Label distribution method for distributing a label between a first Multiprotocol Label Switching network element and a second peering Multiprotocol Label Switching network element in a Multiprotocol Label Switching network. Such a label identifies the context of data-packets of a single flow these data-packets being forwarded from the first Multiprotocol Label Switching network elements towards the second peering Multiprotocol Label Switching network element. The first Multiprotocol Label Switching network element adds an unused label to the first data-packet DP1 of the at least one data-packet of the single flow before the step of forwarding the at least one data-packet of the single flow. The second Multiprotocol Label Switching network element, subsequently determines a context for the unknown label retrieved from the data-packets, using a pre-defined algorithm.

Abstract: Method and apparatuses for directing multicast traffic in an Ethernet network include sending a multicast message upstream to a metro access node, performing IGMP snooping at the metro access node and assigning a multicast VLAN tag to the multicast message, performing IGMP snooping at an Ethernet switch disposed upstream to determine each port used for a corresponding multicast group address and multicast VLAN tag associated with the multicast group address, receiving the multicast message at an access server or edge router and sending the multicast message including the multicast group address and the multicast VLAN tag, downstream to a port based on that information, thereby avoiding duplication of the multicast message to another port other than the port associated with the multicast VLAN tag.