Abstract: A digital subscriber link (DSL) network providing an interconnection to a virtual private network using multi-protocol label switching (MPLS) includes a DSL source, an L2TP access concentrator (LAC) to aggregate DSL source traffic, a broadband remote access server (B-RAS) to aggregate DSL Internet traffic as well as to function as a LAC for MPLS-destined sessions, an L2TP network server (LNS) to aggregate and authenticate Internet-bound DSL traffic and to switch sessions designated for MPLS-enabled locations, and an MPLS-enabled LNS to terminate the sessions and transmit the sessions to MPLS VPN customers.

Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for overlaying a hierarchical network on a full mesh network. A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a network element of a full mesh network (402) having a controller programmed to overlay (200, 400, 400) in part a hierarchical network on the full mesh network with an isolation protocol.

Abstract: A network management center (100) has a controller (102) coupled to an MPLS (Multi-protocol Label Switching) network (108) coupled to groups of customer network sites (104). The controller is programmed to provision (202) MPLS network elements to logically link the network management center with all customer network sites. Said elements are provisioned to restrict sharing of network information between groups of customer network sites. The controller is also programmed to monitor (206) customer network sites for faults therein.

Abstract: A communication network (100) has a plurality of cell-based routers (104), a plurality of frame-based routers (108), and a bidirectional cell and frame based switch (110) coupled to the cell-based routers, and frame-based routers. Each of the cell-based routers is programmed to reshape (204) traffic bandwidth to avoid packet losses at the frame-based routers, and route (206) cell-based traffic to the bidirectional cell and frame based switch according to the updated bandwidth.