System and method for controlling communication
A system and method are provided for providing access communications between customer locations and a core network service edge. Access flows are handled as carrier-tagged flows through a packet switched network comprising network elements that interpret and manipulate carrier tag values associated with traffic-bearing data frames. In accordance with a preferred embodiment, a discard eligibility indication may be provided with the data frames.
1. A method comprising:
encapsulating, by a processor, a first message according to an encapsulation structure that includes discard eligibility indicator information and flow information;
determining a first data rate of the first message and a second data rate of a second message; and
determining whether the first data rate and the second data rate satisfy a combined data rate threshold based on the discard eligibility indicator information.
2. A method of claim 1 , wherein the encapsulation structure includes a carrier tag value specifying the flow information.
3. A method of claim 2 , wherein the discard eligibility indicator information is either specified in a discard eligibility indicator field, the carrier tag value, a tunnel label, a service emulation instance mapping identifier, or a pseudowire label.
4. A method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving the first message from a customer premise equipment.
5. A method of claim 1 , further comprising:
forwarding the encapsulated message to a service edge based on the carrier tag value.
6. A method of claim 1 , wherein the second data rate is determined via measurement.
7. A method of claim 1 , wherein the combined data rate threshold corresponds to either a physical port, a logical port, a customer, a flow, or messages conforming to a particular protocol.
8. An apparatus comprising:
a processor configured to encapsulate a first message according to an encapsulation structure that includes discard eligibility indicator information and flow information,
wherein the processor is further configured to determine a first data rate of the first message and a second data rate of a second message, and to determine whether the first data rate and the second data rate satisfy a combined data rate threshold based on the discard eligibility indicator information.
9. An apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the encapsulation structure includes a carrier tag value specifying the flow information.
10. An apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the discard eligibility indicator information is either specified in a discard eligibility indicator field, the carrier tag value, a tunnel label, a service emulation instance mapping identifier, or a pseudowire label.
11. An apparatus of claim 8 , further comprising:
a network interface configured to receive the first message from a customer premise equipment.
12. An apparatus of claim 8 , further comprising:
a network interface configured to forward the encapsulated message to a service edge based on the carrier tag value.
13. An apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the second data rate is determined via measurement.
14. An apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the combined data rate threshold corresponds to either a physical port, a logical port, a customer, a flow, or messages conforming to a particular protocol.