Method and system for maximizing network capacity utilization in multiprotocol label switched networks by moving label switched paths

1. A method for adding a new path and converting an existing path into an updated path, the new path, the existing path, and the updated path traversing links from a source node toward a terminal node in a network, the method comprising:

transmitting a forward entity from the source node along forward links through the network from the source node toward the terminal node to determine links for the new path;

when the forward entity encounters a node having insufficient capacity on a forward link exiting the node, the forward link sending data downstream toward the terminal node, determining whether the existing path has at least one reverse link entering the node, wherein the at least one reverse link has at least one Label Switched Path (LSP) coming into the node, the at least one LSP sending data front the source node to the terminal node;

when the existing path has at least one reverse link entering the node, transmitting the forward entity backward along the at least one reverse link toward the source node until the forward entity encounters a node having sufficient capacity on a forward link exiting the node;

transmitting the forward entity on the forward link having sufficient capacity to the terminal node;

determining whether the existing path can be moved from the forward link having insufficient capacity to include the forward link having sufficient capacity;

when the existing path can be moved, moving LSP corresponding to the existing path from the at least one reverse link to create an updated path for the existing path, the updated path using the forward link having sufficient capacity, thereby converting the forward link having insufficient capacity into a forward link having newly available capacity for use by the new path; and

creating the new path including the forward link having newly available capacity.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

transmitting a respective reverse entity from the terminal node to the source node over the links of each of the new and the updated paths to establish each of the new and the updated paths.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:

using the reverse entity to label the respective links of each of the new and the updated paths.

4. The method of claim 3 ,

wherein the network is a multiprotocol label switching (“MPLS”) network, and

the nodes are routers.

5. The method of claim 4 ,

wherein the forward and reverse entities are forward and reverse messages, respectively.

6. The method of claim 5 ,

wherein the forward and reverse messages are resource reservation protocol (“RSVP”) path (“PATH”) and reservation request (“RESV”) messages, respectively.

7. The method of claim 5 , further comprising:

implementing the forward and the reverse messages with a static agent running on each of the nodes.

8. The method of claim 5 , further comprising:

implementing the forward and the reverse messages with a static agent running on a central network management system (“NMS”).

9. The method of claim 4 ,

wherein the forward and reverse entities are forward and reverse mobile agents, respectively.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

using an augmenting path algorithm to determine the links for the new and the updated paths.

11. A system that adds a new path and converts an existing path into an updated path, the new path, the existing path, and the updated path traversing links from a source node toward a terminal node in a network, the system comprising:

a processor coupled to the wireless network; and

a program executed by the processor, the program including:

a module that transmits a forward entity from the source node along forward links through the network from the source node toward the terminal node to determine links for the new path; and,

a module that, when the forward entity encounters a node having insufficient capacity on a forward link exiting the node, the forward link sending data downstream from the source node toward the terminal node:

determines whether the existing path has at least one reverse link entering the node wherein the at least one reverse link has at least one Label Switched Path (LSP) coming into the node, the at least one LSP sending data from the source node to the terminal node;

after identifying the at least one reverse link,

transmits the forward entity backward along the reverse link toward the source node until the forward entity encounters a node having sufficient capacity on a forward link existing the node;

transmits the forward entity on the forward link having sufficient capacity to the terminal node;

determines whether the existing path can be moved from the forward link having insufficient capacity to the forward link having sufficient capacity;

when the existing path can be moved, moves a LSP corresponding to the existing path from the at least one reverse link to create an updated path for the existing path, the updated path using the forward link having sufficient capacity, thereby converting the forward link having insufficient capacity into a forward link having newly available capacity for use by the new path, and

creates the new path using the forward link having newly available capacity.

12. The system of claim 11 , further comprising:

a module that transmits a respective reverse entity from the terminal node to the source node over the links of each of the new and the updated paths to establish each of the new and the updated paths.

13. The system of claim 12 ,

wherein the reverse entity labels the respective links of each of the new and the updated paths.

14. The system of claim 13 ,

wherein the network is a multiprotocol label switching (“MPLS”) network, and the nodes are routers.

15. The system of claim 14 ,

wherein the forward and reverse entities are forward and reverse messages, respectively.

16. The system of claim 15 ,

wherein the forward and reverse messages are resource reservation protocol (“RSVP”) path (“PATH”) and reservation request (“RESV”) messages, respectively.

17. The system of claim 15 ,

wherein the forward and reverse messages are implemented by a static agent running on each of the nodes.

18. The system of claim 15 ,

wherein the forward and reverse messages are implemented by a static agent running on a central network management system (“NMS”).

19. The system of claim 14 ,

wherein the forward and reverse entities are forward and reverse mobile agents, respectively.

20. The system of claim 11 ,

wherein an augmenting path algorithm is used to determine the links for the new and the updated paths.