SYSTEM FOR PACKETCABLE VERSION MANAGEMENT
A system for managing PacketCable versions.
1 . A cable aggregator for a cable network, comprising:
(a) said cable aggregator determining a first set of protocol versions that a set of associated remote MACPHY devices support for communication with at least one of a policy server and an application server;
(b) said cable aggregator determining a second set of protocol versions that said at least one of said policy server and said application server support for communication with said set of associated remote MACPHY devices;
(c) said cable aggregator determining (1) respective one of said first set of protocol versions for said set of associated remote MACPHY devices to be associated with (2) one of said second set of protocol versions for said at least one of said policy server and said application server.
2 . The cable aggregator of claim 1 wherein each of said set of associated remote MACPHY devices are subtended to said at least one of said policy server and said application server.
3 . The cable aggregator of claim 1 wherein said cable aggregator presents an interface to said at least one of said policy server and said application server as a CMTS.
4 . The cable aggregator of claim 1 wherein said cable aggregator presents an interface to respective ones of said set of associated remote MACPHY devices as said at least one of said policy server and said application server.
5 . The cable aggregator of claim 1 wherein said cable aggregator presents only a single interface to each of said set of associated remote MACPHY devices.
6 . The cable aggregator of claim 1 wherein said cable aggregator presents a Common Open Policy Service interface to said at least one of said policy server and said application server.
7 . The cable aggregator of claim 1 wherein said cable aggregator presents a plurality of Common Open Policy Service interfaces to one of said policy servers.
8 . The cable aggregator of claim 1 wherein said cable aggregator presents a plurality of Common Open Policy Service interfaces to one of said policy servers, where each of said plurality of Common Open Policy Service interfaces is associated with a different protocol version.
9 . The cable aggregator of claim 1 wherein said policy server acts as a policy decision point.
10 . The cable aggregator of claim 9 wherein said cable aggregator acts as a policy enforcement point with respect to said policy server.
11 . The cable aggregator of claim 1 wherein said cable aggregator determines a highest common protocol version for said set of associated remote MACPHY devices.
12 . The cable aggregator of claim 11 wherein said cable aggregator determines the highest unconnected protocol version for said set of associated remote MACPHY devices.
13 . The cable aggregator of claim 12 wherein said cable aggregator determines the next-highest unconnected protocol version for said set of associated remote MACPHY devices.