METHODS FOR USING A TRANSLATION/INSTRUCTION SYSTEM TO REDIRECT A MULTIPROTOCOL LABEL SWITCHING (MPLS) PACKET
A multiprotocol label switching (MPLS) packet is processed by receiving an MPLS packet that has first header information including at least a first MPLS label at a first MPLS network node. A translation system is operated to obtain second header information that includes at least a second MPLS label. The MPLS packet is modified with the second header information. The MPLS packet is routed to a second MPLS network node based on the second header information.
1 . A method of processing a multiprotocol label switching (MPLS) packet, comprising:
receiving an MPLS packet having first header information comprising at least a first MPLS label at a first MPLS network node;
operating a translation system to obtain second header information comprising at least a second MPLS label, the translation system being independent of MPLS lookup tables used to define label switched paths;
modifying the MPLS packet with the second header information; and
routing the MPLS packet to a second MPLS network node based on the second header information.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first and second MPLS network nodes are in the same MPLS network.
3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first and second MPLS network nodes are in different MPLS networks.
4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first MPLS network node is a destination for a plurality of MPLS labels.
5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the translation system comprises a domain name system (DNS) and/or an address resolution protocol (ARP) database.
6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first MPLS network node is associated with a first inter-exchange carrier (IEC) network and the second MPLS network node is associated with a second inter-exchange carrier (IEC) network.
7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first header information comprises a plurality of MPLS labels.
8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first header information comprises a layer two and/or layer three header.
9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the second header information comprises a plurality of MPLS labels.
10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the second header information comprises a layer two and/or layer three header.
11 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first header information comprises a layer two and/or a layer three header.
12 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the second header information comprises a layer two and/or a layer three header.
13 . The method of claim 1 , wherein modifying the MPLS packet with the second header information comprises replacing the first header information with the second header information.
14 . The method of claim 1 , wherein modifying the MPLS packet with the second header information comprises pushing the second header information on to the first header information.
15 . The method of claim 1 , wherein operating the translation system comprises:
evaluating at least one routing criterion; and
obtaining the second header information based on the evaluation of the at least one routing criterion.
16 . The method of claim 1 , wherein operating the translation system comprises operating the translation system to obtain second header information comprising at least the second MPLS label responsive to the first header information.
17 . The method of claim 1 , wherein operating the translation system comprises operating the translation system to obtain second header information comprising at least the second MPLS label and operating instructions for the first MPLS node, the method further comprising:
operating the first MPLS node based on the operating instructions.
18 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the translation system is external to the first and second MPLS network nodes.
19 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining if a subsequent MPLS packet contains at least a portion of the first header information;
modifying the subsequent MPLS packet with the second header information; and
routing the subsequent MPLS packet to the second MPLS network node based on the second header information.
20 . A method of processing a multiprotocol label switching (MPLS) packet, comprising:
receiving an MPLS packet having first header information comprising at least a first MPLS label at a first MPLS network node;
obtaining operating instructions from an instruction system for the first MPLS network node responsive to the first header information, the instruction system being independent of MPLS lookup tables used to define label switched paths; and
operating the first MPLS network node based on the operating instructions.
21 . The method of claim 20 , wherein the instruction system is external to the first MPLS network node.