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 system, method and apparatus of failover indication of a Multicast Virtual Private Networking (MVPN) P-Tunnel at a leaf provider equipment (PE) router. Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) Bidirectional Forwarding Detection (BFD) attributes may be adapted to associate a BFD discriminator with a P-Tunnel terminated at the Leaf PE router such that BFD session status may be used to indicate a tunnel failure condition.

Abstract: A multicast replicating network node (203) according to the present invention reports to a traffic scheduling network node (205) information (231) indicative for the bandwidth consumed by multicast services or indicative for the bandwidth available for unicast services on a line coupled to the multicast replicating network node (203). The traffic scheduling network node (205) this way stays aware of the multicast bandwidth occupancy on different subscriber lines and access node uplinks without serious impact on its processing requirements.

Abstract: Associating hosts with subscriber and service based requirements is disclosed. An identifier is extracted from a DHCP or other network address lease communication associated with a subscriber host. The identifier is used to associate the subscriber host with a requirement that is subscriber based, service based, or both subscriber and service based. The subscriber host is included in a set of one or more subscriber hosts associated with the subscriber, the service, or both, as applicable to the requirement, and the requirement is required to be enforced collectively to the one or more subscriber hosts comprising the set.

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: Various exemplary embodiments relate to a method and related network node including one or more of the following: receiving, at the node, a network update message; determining whether the network update message should be propagated to other nodes; if the network update message should be propagated to other nodes, forwarding the network update message to at least one other node; and if the network update message should not be propagated to other nodes, refraining from forwarding the network update message to any other node. Various further embodiments relate to a method and related network node including one or more of the following: determining a first time period for the network update message; setting the first time period as a delay time; waiting for the delay time; and after the delay time has elapsed, computing new routing information based on the network update message.

Abstract: Various exemplary embodiments relate to a method and related network node including one or more of the following: receiving, at the node, a network state update message; updating a first portion of a first set of routing information based on the network state update message; after updating the first portion of the first set of routing information, beginning an update of a second set of routing information; and after beginning the update of the second set of routing information, updating a second portion of the first set. In various alternative embodiments, the step of updating the first portion includes one or more of the following: determining at least one other node within the network for which routing information should be used to update the second set of routing information; and updating routing information associated with the at least one other node in the first set of routing information.

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: Verifying subscriber host connectivity is disclosed. In some embodiments, a unicast address resolution protocol (ARP) request is sent to a subscriber host, and based at least in part on whether a response to the request is received from the subscriber host, it is determined whether the subscriber host remains connected to a network.

Abstract: A technique for configuring a pseudowire involves extending the functionality of the Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP). In an embodiment, pseudowire configuration information is embedded into DHCP messages that are communicated between a customer edge (CE) device and a provider edge (PE) device and used to configure a pseudowire between the two devices. The pseudowire configuration information may include an indication of the pseudowire capabilities of the CE device, the types of pseudowires desired by the CE device, the types of pseudowire encapsulations supported by the CE device, the types of pseudowires that are to be configured, the pseudowire encapsulations that are to be used, and pseudowire labels. Pseudowire configuration information can be embedded into the options field of a DHCP message using a new option, using multiple new options, or by overloading an existing option.

Abstract: A technique for configuring a pseudowire involves extending the functionality of the Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP). In an embodiment, pseudowire configuration information is embedded into DHCP messages that are communicated between a customer edge (CE) device and a provider edge (PE) device and used to configure a pseudowire between the two devices. The pseudowire configuration information may include an indication of the pseudowire capabilities of the CE device, the types of pseudowires desired by the CE device, the types of pseudowire encapsulations supported by the CE device, the types of pseudowires that are to be configured, the pseudowire encapsulations that are to be used, and pseudowire labels. Pseudowire configuration information can be embedded into the options field of a DHCP message using a new option, using multiple new options, or by overloading an existing option.

Abstract: A multicast replicating network node (203) according to the present invention reports to a traffic scheduling network node (205) information (231) indicative for the bandwidth consumed by multicast services or indicative for the bandwidth available for unicast services on a line coupled to the multicast replicating network node (203). The traffic scheduling network node (205) this way stays aware of the multicast bandwidth occupancy on different subscriber lines and access node uplinks without serious impact on its processing requirements.

Abstract: A telecommunication router (TLK, RTS) connected to a termination link (TL) and comprising a packet classifier (CL) receiving packets of data from the link and classifying them according to their type and an associated priority, a plurality of queues (P0-P3) storing the packets received from the classifier, and a processor (PROC) handling the packets stored in the queues. Each queue is associated to a predetermined priority and the classifier forwards each packet to the queue corresponding to its priority. The processor retrieves the packets from the queues according to predetermined priority rules. The packets are treated based on the current load of the processor and, owing to the buffering in the queues, the processing power is used as much as possible and a maximum of packets is processed as a function of the available processing power.