Lightweight control-plane signaling for aggregation devices in a network

1. A method, comprising:

receiving, by an access device comprising a processor, a first message from an aggregation device, wherein the first message identifies a set of available labels;

selecting, by the access device, a label of the set of available labels for a flow; and

initiating, by the access device, sending of a second message to the aggregation device, wherein the second message comprises at least a first field identifying the label, a second field comprising information associated with a quality of service for the flow, and a third field identifying a status of a device associated with the access device.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising receiving a third message from the aggregation device, wherein the third message identifies an updated set of available labels that is based on the label selected by the access device.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the receiving the first message comprises receiving the first message that further identifies a set of unavailable labels that are in use for one or more other flows.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

initiating, by the access device, sending of a third message to the aggregation device indicating a release of the label; and

receiving, by the access device, a fourth message from the aggregation device, wherein the fourth message acknowledges the release of the label.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the receiving the fourth message comprises receiving an updated set of available labels that includes the label.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising reinitiating, by the access device, the sending in response to a determination that a third message identifying an updated set of available labels has not been received from the aggregation device within a defined time period after the initiating.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising initiating, by the access device, sending of a third message to the aggregation device, wherein the third message requests transmission of the first message.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising initiating, by the access device, sending of a third message to the aggregation device, wherein the third message indicates a failure of the flow and comprises at least a fourth field identifying the flow and a fifth field identifying a status of the device associated with the flow.

9. A system, comprising:

a receiver configured to receive, from an aggregation device, a first message identifying a set of available labels;

a processor configured to select a label from the set of available labels for a flow; and

a transmitter configured to send, to the aggregation device, a second message comprising at least a first field containing an identification of the label, a second field that specifies information associated with a quality of service for the flow, and a third field that identifies a status of a device associated with the flow.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the label comprises information associated with at least one of multiprotocol label switching or a virtual local area network device.

11. The system of claim 9 , wherein the transmitter is further configured to send the second message over at least one of a synchronous optical network/synchronous digital hierarchy cross-connect, an asynchronous transfer mode/frame relay circuit, or an Ethernet connection.

12. The system of claim 9 , wherein the receiver is further configured to receive, from the aggregation device, a third message identifying a modified set of available labels that omits the label selected by the processor.

13. The system of claim 9 , wherein the first message further identifies a set of unavailable labels that are reserved for one or more other flows.

14. The system of claim 9 , wherein

the transmitter is further configured to send, to the aggregation device, a third message requesting that the label be disassociated from the flow, and

the receiver is further configured to receive, from the aggregation device, a fourth message acknowledging disassociation of the label from the flow.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the fourth message identifies an updated set of available labels that includes the label.

16. The system of claim 9 , wherein the transmitter is further configured to send, to the aggregation device, a third message requesting identification of the set of available labels.

17. The system of claim 9 , wherein the transmitter is further configured to send, to the aggregation device, a third message identifying a failure of the flow, wherein the third message comprises at least a fourth field that identifies the flow and a fifth field that reports a status of the device associated with the flow.

18. A computer-readable storage device having stored thereon executable instructions that, in response to execution, cause an access device comprising a processing device to perform operations, comprising:

receiving a first message that identifies a set of labels made available for use by an aggregation device;

selecting a label of the set of labels for a flow; and

initiating sending of a second message comprising at least a first field identifying at least the label, a second field comprising at least information associated with a quality of service for the flow, and a third field identifying at least a status of a device associated with the access device.

19. The computer-readable storage device of claim 18 , wherein the operations further comprise receiving a third message identifying an updated set of labels made available for use by the aggregation device, wherein the updated set of labels omits the label identified by the first field.

20. The computer-readable storage device of claim 18 , wherein the operations further comprise:

initiating sending of a third message requesting a release of the label from the flow; and

receiving a fourth message acknowledging the release of the label by the aggregation device.