Abstract: The invention includes a method and apparatus for distributing flooding labels within a Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) infrastructure supporting Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) Media Access Control (MAC) Virtual Private Networking (VPN).

Abstract: A customer Quality-of-Service (QoS) transport capability is depicted and described herein. The customer QoS transport capability enables transparent transport of customer QoS information via a Provider Backbone Bridging (PBB) network. The customer QoS transport capability enables customer QoS information that would normally be terminated at a point of ingress to a PBB network to be transported via the PBB network transparently and recovered at a point of egress from the PBB network.

Abstract: Various exemplary embodiments relate to an operational group in a network element of a communication network, where the operational group is associated with monitored objects and monitoring client objects such that the status of the operational group is a function of the operational status of the monitored objects or services. Monitoring client objects can monitor the status of the operational group such that the status of each of the monitoring client objects reflects the status of the operational group.

Abstract: Described are methods and communications network for carrying pseudowires over packet-switched network. A communication network includes a packet-switched network (PSN), a first provider edge (PE) device in communication with a second PE device through the PSN, and a pseudowire (PW) established between the PE devices for emulating a service across the PSN. The PW has a Virtual Circuit Connection Verification (VCCV) control channel that carries an Ethernet Operations, Administration, and Maintenance (OAM) message. In some embodiments, various data plane encapsulation formats enable a PW to emulate an Ethernet or a non-Ethernet service over an Ethernet PSN. Each encapsulation format includes an Ethernet tunnel header and a PW header that encapsulates an Ethernet or non-Ethernet payload.

Abstract: A Multiple Registration Protocol (MRP) advertisement control capability is provided. A method includes receiving an MRP advertisement at a device configured as an interface between a core domain and a local domain and determining handling of the MRP advertisement at the device using at least one MRP policy stored on the device. The core domain may be a Provider Backbone Bridging (PBB) network or other suitable core network. The local domain may be one of a PBB network, a Provider Bridging Network (PBN), a Metropolitan Area Network (MAN), and the like. In one case, when the MRP advertisement is associated with a local service of the local domain, the MRP policy indicates that the MRP advertisement is not to be forwarded via the core domain.

Abstract: Described are methods and communications network for carrying pseudowires over packet-switched network. A communication network includes a packet-switched network (PSN), a first provider edge (PE) device in communication with a second PE device through the PSN, and a pseudowire (PW) established between the PE devices for emulating a service across the PSN. The PW has a Virtual Circuit Connection Verification (VCCV) control channel that carries an Ethernet Operations, Administration, and Maintenance (OAM) message. In some embodiments, various data plane encapsulation formats enable a PW to emulate an Ethernet or a non-Ethernet service over an Ethernet PSN. Each encapsulation format includes an Ethernet tunnel header and a PW header that encapsulates an Ethernet or non-Ethernet payload.

Abstract: The present invention provides a technique for automatically establishing a virtual circuit from one edge device to another through a core network. The virtual circuit may comprise one or more pseudowire segments. These pseudowire segments extend between adjacent edge and core devices within the core network. Pseudowire segments through the core network are automatically stitched together as a setup message is forwarded from a first edge device to a second edge device through the core network. A virtual circuit is established in one direction, and packets are forwarded in an opposite direction. With the present invention, a virtual circuit comprising any number of pseudowire segments, as well as two attachment circuits, may be established in an automatic and efficient manner upon being initiated by the first edge device.

Abstract: Described are methods and communications network for carrying pseudowires over packet-switched network. A communication network includes a packet-switched network (PSN), a first provider edge (PE) device in communication with a second PE device through the PSN, and a pseudowire (PW) established between the PE devices for emulating a service across the PSN. The PW has a Virtual Circuit Connection Verification (VCCV) control channel that carries an Ethernet Operations, Administration, and Maintenance (OAM) message. In some embodiments, various data plane encapsulation formats enable a PW to emulate an Ethernet or a non-Ethernet service over an Ethernet PSN. Each encapsulation format includes an Ethernet tunnel header and a PW header that encapsulates an Ethernet or non-Ethernet payload.

Abstract: The invention includes a method and apparatus for distributing flooding labels within a Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) infrastructure supporting Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) Media Access Control (MAC) Virtual Private Networking (VPN).

Abstract: The present invention provides a technique for automatically establishing a virtual circuit from one edge device to another through a core network. The virtual circuit may comprise one or more pseudowire segments. These pseudowire segments extend between adjacent edge and core devices within the core network. Pseudowire segments through the core network are automatically stitched together as a setup message is forwarded from a first edge device to a second edge device through the core network. A virtual circuit is established in one direction, and packets are forwarded in an opposite direction. With the present invention, a virtual circuit comprising any number of pseudowire segments, as well as two attachment circuits, may be established in an automatic and efficient manner upon being initiated by the first edge device.

Abstract: The invention includes a method and apparatus for distributing flooding labels within a Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) infrastructure supporting Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) Media Access Control (MAC) Virtual Private Networking (VPN).

Abstract: A technique for operating a network involves controlling the black-holing of traffic by selectively redirecting unicast traffic destined for a dual-homed customer equipment (CE) device from a first provider backbone bridge (PBB) provider edge (PE) device to a second PBB PE device in response to a service failure. Unicast traffic is selectively redirected from the first PBB PE device to the second PBB PE device for a time interval that is long enough to enable the customer source MAC address (CMAC)-to-backbone MAC address (BMAC) association of the second PBB PE device to be learned by other PBB PE devices.

Abstract: An Ethernet protection and loadsharing capability is provided. The Ethernet protection and loadsharing capability enables co-existence of both protection and loadsharing for an Ethernet tunnel, having a plurality of associated Ethernet paths, between first and second Ethernet switches. The first Ethernet switch receives configuration information associated with the Ethernet tunnel between the first and second Ethernet switches, and processes the configuration information for causing the first Ethernet switch to associate the Ethernet paths of the Ethernet tunnel with an Ethernet tunnel endpoint object associated with an Ethernet tunnel. The first Ethernet switch, upon receiving traffic intended for the second Ethernet switch, propagates the traffic from the first Ethernet switch toward the second Ethernet switch via at least a subset of the Ethernet paths of the Ethernet tunnel using protection and/or loadsharing.

Abstract: A generalized multi-homing capability is depicted and described herein. The generalized multi-homing capability supports use of a generalized multi-homed site object and associated generalized multi-homed site identifier for Virtual Private LAN Services (VPLS). For example, a generalized multi-homed site object may be generated using a multi-homed site object by associating an Ethernet endpoint object and a pseudowire endpoint object with the multi-homed site object. For example, a generalized multi-homed site object may be generated using a multi-homed site object by associating an Ethernet endpoint object with the multi-homed site object and associating one or more Ethernet-related objects with the Ethernet endpoint object. The generalized multi-homed site object is configured to support multiple types of endpoints, thereby enabling multi-homing to be supported for various types of devices in various types of networks (e.g.

Abstract: Described are methods and communications network for carrying pseudowires over packet-switched network. A communication network includes a packet-switched network (PSN), a first provider edge (PE) device in communication with a second PE device through the PSN, and a pseudowire (PW) established between the PE devices for emulating a service across the PSN. The PW has a Virtual Circuit Connection Verification (VCCV) control channel that carries an Ethernet Operations, Administration, and Maintenance (OAM) message. In some embodiments, various data plane encapsulation formats enable a PW to emulate an Ethernet or a non-Ethernet service over an Ethernet PSN. Each encapsulation format includes an Ethernet tunnel header and a PW header that encapsulates an Ethernet or non-Ethernet payload.

Abstract: Various exemplary embodiments relate to an operational group in a network element of a communication network, where the operational group is associated with monitored objects and monitoring client objects such that the status of the operational group is a function of the operational status of the monitored objects or services. Monitoring client objects can monitor the status of the operational group such that the status of each of the monitoring client objects reflects the status of the operational group.

Abstract: Described are methods and communications network for carrying pseudowires over packet-switched network. A communication network includes a packet-switched network (PSN), a first provider edge (PE) device in communication with a second PE device through the PSN, and a pseudowire (PW) established between the PE devices for emulating a service across the PSN. The PW has a Virtual Circuit Connection Verification (VCCV) control channel that carries an Ethernet Operations, Administration, and Maintenance (OAM) message. In some embodiments, various data plane encapsulation formats enable a PW to emulate an Ethernet or a non-Ethernet service over an Ethernet PSN. Each encapsulation format includes an Ethernet tunnel header and a PW header that encapsulates an Ethernet or non-Ethernet payload.

Abstract: Described are methods and communications network for carrying pseudowires over packet-switched network. A communication network includes a packet-switched network (PSN), a first provider edge (PE) device in communication with a second PE device through the PSN, and a pseudowire (PW) established between the PE devices for emulating a service across the PSN. The PW has a Virtual Circuit Connection Verification (VCCV) control channel that carries an Ethernet Operations, Administration, and Maintenance (OAM) message. In some embodiments, various data plane encapsulation formats enable a PW to emulate an Ethernet or a non-Ethernet service over an Ethernet PSN. Each encapsulation format includes an Ethernet tunnel header and a PW header that encapsulates an Ethernet or non-Ethernet payload.

Abstract: A generalized multi-homing capability is depicted and described herein. The generalized multi-homing capability supports use of a generalized multi-homed site object and associated generalized multi-homed site identifier for Virtual Private LAN Services (VPLS). For example, a generalized multi-homed site object may be generated using a multi-homed site object by associating an Ethernet endpoint object and a pseudowire endpoint object with the multi-homed site object. For example, a generalized multi-homed site object may be generated using a multi-homed site object by associating an Ethernet endpoint object with the multi-homed site object and associating one or more Ethernet-related objects with the Ethernet endpoint object. The generalized multi-homed site object is configured to support multiple types of endpoints, thereby enabling multi-homing to be supported for various types of devices in various types of networks (e.g.

Abstract: A customer Quality-of-Service (QoS) transport capability is depicted and described herein. The customer QoS transport capability enables transparent transport of customer QoS information via a Provider Backbone Bridging (PBB) network. The customer QoS transport capability enables customer QoS information that would normally be terminated at a point of ingress to a PBB network to be transported via the PBB network transparently and recovered at a point of egress from the PBB network.