Method of providing a virtual private network service through a shared network, and provider edge device for such network
US6789121B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 28, 2002 |
| Grant date | Sep 7, 2004 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 18, 2023 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04L12/4641
- WIPO fieldDigital communication
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A virtual private network (VPN) service is provided through a shared network infrastructure comprising a plurality of interconnected provider edge (PE) devices having customer edge (CE) interfaces. Some of the CE interfaces are allocated to a VPN supporting a plurality of virtual local area networks (VLANs) and are arranged for exchanging traffic data units with CE devices. Each traffic data unit includes a VLAN identifier. At least one virtual connection is established in the shared network infrastructure between two CE interfaces of different PE devices, allocated to said VPN, for forwarding traffic data units including a VLAN identifier. Said virtual connection (VC) has an identifier determined from said VLAN identifier and an identifier of said VPN.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.