Abstract: A first switch at a first edge of an MPLS network establishes a VPLS pseudo-wire over a plurality of label switched paths (LSPs) of the MPLS network that couple the first switch to a second switch at a second edge of the MPLS network. The first switch further load balances data to be transmitted across the VPLS pseudo-wire over the plurality of LSPs. The first switch accomplishes this by maintaining at a first table an indication that the VPLS pseudo-wire traffic is to be transmitted over the plurality of LSPs and further identifying in the first table a pointer to a second table maintaining a plurality of LSP entries corresponding to the respective plurality of LSPs. The first switch then identifies at the second table a pointer to a third table maintaining a plurality of entries, wherein each of the plurality of entries identifies a next hop index.

Abstract: Address management methods and apparatus are provided for a node serving as peer group leader for a peer group of nodes in one level of the hierarchy of a PNNI hierarchical network, whereby the peer group leader represents the peer group to one or more neighboring nodes in the next level up of the hierarchy. The peer group leader has a memory (2) for storing peer group topology data (4), comprising address data which is supplied to the peer group leader from nodes in the peer group and represents addresses for access by the network, and peer group leader topology data (5), comprising address data which is supplied to said neighboring nodes by the peer group leader and represents addresses accessible via the peer group.

Abstract: When Internet Protocol (IP) packets or Layer-2 MAC Protocol packets are encapsulated in a MultiProtocol Label Switching (MPLS) packet, one or more labels are assigned to identify the routers of the MPLS network through which the packet has passed. From this information, the underlying protocol (e.g., IP, MAC) can be inferred. In one embodiment, the value assigned to the one or more labels is selected to identify the underlying protocol. In one embodiment, IP packets have label values in a first range and MAC packets have label values in a second range. When the MPLS-encapsulated packets are switched within a load sharing environment, the ranges of the label values indicate the underlying protocol of the packet being switched. Knowing the underlying protocol enables a hash function to be selected that will both preserve packet ordering and effectively load share traffic received from a higher-speed source link across multiple lower-speed links.

Abstract: When Internet Protocol (IP) packets or Layer-2 MAC Protocol packets are encapsulated in a MultiProtocol Label Switching (MPLS) packet, one or more labels are assigned to identify the routers of the MPLS network through which the packet has passed. From this information, the underlying protocol (e.g., IP, MAC) can be inferred. In one embodiment, the value assigned to the one or more labels is selected to identify the underlying protocol. In one embodiment, IP packets have label values in a first range and MAC packets have label values in a second range. When the MPLS-encapsulated packets are switched within a load sharing environment, the ranges of the label values indicate the underlying protocol of the packet being switched. Knowing the underlying protocol enables a hash function to be selected that will both preserve packet ordering and effectively load share traffic received from a higher-speed source link across multiple lower-speed links.