Patent · US Active

Providing VPLS-like service over native ATM networks

US7733869B2 · kind B2 · utility

4Cited by
15References
13Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateDec 10, 2003
Grant dateJun 8, 2010
Priority date
Expiry dateMar 27, 2027

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH04L2012/5618
  • WIPO fieldDigital communication
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A method and apparatus for emulating VPLS within an ATM network. Provider Edge devices are configured for VPLS connections. For each pair of provider edge devices supporting the same VPLS ID, one device establishes a virtual circuit between the pair. Thus, a full mesh of virtual circuits is established between provider edge devices, and a VPLS-like service can be offered to users without having to implement MPLS. Establishing the virtual circuits within a PNNI hierarchy maybe facilitated by each provider edge device propagating through the hierarchy an information group containing an association between the ATM address of the device and a VPLS ID, so that each provider edge device learns all ATM addresses to be associated with each VPLS ID. The method of advertising ATM addresses can be applied to other services requiring a number of interconnections between provider edge devices, such as Virtual Private Networks.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.