Virtual private network publish-subscribe multicast service
Publish-subscribe XML multicast service within a VPN service is described. A backbone such as an IP/MPLS backbone connects multiple subscriber sites using VPN technology and VPN edge routers. XML publish-subscribe modules are addressable within the VPN and form an overlay network between the edge routers participating in the VPN. The XML publish-subscribe modules may perform either topic-based multicast or content-based multicast services. The multicast service is self-managed.
1. A method of delivering multicast services between multiple subscribers within a virtual private network (VPN) comprising:
connecting a VPN Provider Edge (PE) router to a publish-subscribe module within the VPN;
maintaining VPN traffic isolation over the VPN PE router connection using unique network identifiers;
associating an independent virtual eXtensible Markup Language (XML) Router (VXMLR) entity on the publish-subscribe module with each VPN;
making the VXMLR reachable from respective customer sites by assigning it one or more Internet Protocol (IP) addresses and host names;
running an XML routing protocol to discover the VXMLR, populate the VXMLR forwarding table with routing entries (Queries), and detecting failures and handling them; and
offering XML document forwarding, replication, filtering, transformation, and Quality of Service (QoS) QoS marking as per queries within a VXMLR Virtual Publish Subscribe Network (VPSN) Query Table.
2. The method as defined in claim 1 , wherein the VPN is implemented over an Internet Protocol/Multi Protocol Label Switching (IP/MPLS) backbone.
3. The method as defined in claim 1 , wherein a XML publish-subscribe service is a topic based multicast for predefined multicast channels.
4. The method as defined in claim 1 , wherein a XML publish-subscribe service is a content based multicast for dynamic channels.
5. The method as defined in claim 1 , wherein a XML publish-subscribe service for multicast capability is self managed.
6. The method as defined in claim 5 , wherein the XML publish-subscribe service offers automatic creation and destruction of many to many channels for group communications.
7. A system for delivering multicast services between multiple subscriber sites over a Virtual Private Network (VPN) comprising:
a network interface having logical port capabilities for connecting to multiple VPN networks and keeping VPN traffic isolated;
multiple virtual XML Router (VXMLR) entities, each VXMLR being associated with the VPN it serves and being capable of processing layer 3, layer 4, layer 5, layer 6, and layer 7;
an independent Virtual Publish-Subscribe Network (VPSN) Query Table populated by each VXMLR;
and a XML Routing Protocol Engine for execution of an XML routing protocol to discover the VXMLR, populate the VXMLR forwarding table with routing entries (Queries), and detecting failures and handling them.
8. The system as defined in claim 7 , wherein the VPN is implemented over an IP/MPLS backbone.
9. The system as defined in claim 7 , wherein XML publish-subscribe modules are integrated with associated edge routers.
10. The system as defined in claim 7 , wherein XML publish-subscribe modules are attached to associated edge routers using Virtual Local Area Network (VLAN) ports and Ethernet technology.
11. The system as defined in claim 7 , wherein XML publish-subscribe modules present standardized layer 5 interfaces to customer equipment at customer sites over attachment circuits.
12. The system as defined in claim 7 , wherein XML publish-subscribe modules allow subscribers to save on bandwidth by eliminating a need for subscribers' servers to replicate messages for multiple sites.
13. The system as defined in claim 7 , wherein publish-subscribe modules provide an infinite number of multicast channels that are easily configured.
14. The system as defined in claim 7 , wherein each VXMLR has independent processing, memory, and bandwidth resources.
15. The system as defined in claim 14 , wherein each VXMLR forwards, replicates, filters, and transforms published XML documents according to queries within the VPSN Query Table.
16. The system as defined in claim 14 , wherein layer 3 is processed with IP.
17. The system as defined in claim 14 , wherein layer 4 is processed with a Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) and a User Datagram Protocol (UDP) with Transport Layer Security (TLS).
18. The system as defined in claim 14 , wherein layer 5 is processed with one of a HyperText Transfer Protocol (HTTP), a Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP), a File Transfer Protocol (FTP), and an eXtensible Messaging and Presence Protocol (XMPP).
19. The system as defined in claim 14 , wherein layer 6 is processed with one of a Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP), a Java Message Service (JMS), an Atom Publishing Protocol, Really Simple Syndication (RSS), and XML.
20. The system as defined in claim 14 , wherein layer 6 is processed with XML.