IP Library Granted Patent US 9,313,121
Granted Patent B2
US 9,313,121 · App. 14/180,103 · Granted Apr 12, 2016

Method and system for traffic engineered MPLS ethernet switch

Inventors: Gerard Leo Swinkels (Ottawa, CA); Nigel Lawrence Bragg (Cambridge, GB)
Assignee: Ciena Corporation
H04L45/50H04L49/351H04L49/602H04L45/66
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,313,121
App. No.
14/180,103
Granted
Apr 12, 2016
Kind
B2
Abstract

Embodiments of the disclosure are directed to implementing a router Media Access Control (MAC) Ethernet switch in a network. An embodiment receives, from a first Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) router, at least one data packet with a router MAC address identifying a second MPLS router; automatically learns the router MAC address identifying the second MPLS router; accesses information to determine the Internet Protocol (IP) address of the second MPLS router based on the learned router MAC address; and transmits the at least one data packet to the second MPLS router.

Claims (32)

1. A method implemented by a Media Access Control (MAC) Ethernet switch in a network, the method comprising:

receiving, from a first Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) router, a packet with a first IP address and a first MAC address identifying the first MPLS router as a source of the packet, and a second IP address and a second MAC address identifying a destination;

upon resolving a destination MAC address, forwarding the packet directly to a second MPLS router by a data path determined by the MAC address of the second router;

upon failing to resolve the destination MAC address, forwarding the packet to a plurality of Ethernet switches in the network using an out-of-band control associated with the Ethernet network, wherein each of the plurality of Ethernet switches transmits the packet to connectively coupled MPLS routers;

receiving, from a second MPLS router connectively coupled to a second Ethernet switch, a second packet containing a second IP address and a previously unresolved MAC address identifying the second MPLS router as a source of the second packet; and

forwarding, by the second Ethernet switch, the second packet to the plurality of Ethernet switches using the out-of-band control, wherein each of the plurality of Ethernet switches transmits the packet to connectively coupled MPLS routers.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising automatically attempting to configure transport capacity to the requested address the interface is attempting to connect to with a default amount of capacity.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising monitoring a data plane in the network for other messages to determine appropriate desired capacity.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising analyzing the at least one data packet to determine a request for additional capacity.

5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising reporting the analyzed request for additional capacity.

6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising automatically reconfiguring the network based on the reported request for additional capacity.

7. The method of claim 5 , wherein the Ethernet switch is distributed.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein a separate packet switch operation is implemented on at least one of the at least one data packet as a quality control measure.

9. A system for implementing a Media Access Control (MAC) Ethernet switch in a network, the system comprising:

a switch configured to

receive, from a first Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) router, a packet with a first IP address and a first MAC address identifying the first MPLS router as a source of the packet, and a second IP address and a second MAC address identifying a destination,

forward the packet directly to a second MPLS router by a data path determined by a destination MAC address of the second router upon resolving the MAC address,

forward the packet to a plurality of Ethernet switches in the network using an out-of-band control associated with the Ethernet network upon failing to resolve the destination MAC address, wherein each of the plurality of Ethernet switches transmit the packet to connectively coupled MPLS routers, and

receive, from a second MPLS router connectively coupled to a second Ethernet switch, a second packet containing a second IP address and a previously unresolved MAC address identifying the second MPLS router as a source of the second packet, wherein the second Ethernet switch is configured to forward the second packet to the plurality of Ethernet switches using the out-of-band control, wherein each of the plurality of Ethernet switches transmit the packet to connectively coupled MPLS routers.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the switch is configured to automatically attempt to configure transport capacity to the requested address the interface is attempting to connect to with a default amount of capacity.

11. The system of claim 9 , wherein the switch is configured to monitor a data plane in the network for other messages to determine appropriate desired capacity.

12. The system of claim 9 , wherein the switch is configured to analyze the at least one data packet to determine a request for additional capacity.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the switch is configured to report the analyzed request for additional capacity.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the switch is configured to automatically reconfigure the network based on the reported request for additional capacity.

15. The system of claim 9 , wherein the switch is distributed.

16. The system of claim 9 , wherein a separate packet switch operation is implemented on at least one of the at least one data packet as a quality control measure.

17. A non-transitory computer-readable medium with stored instructions for implementing a Media Access Control (MAC) Ethernet switch in a network wherein execution of the program logic is executed by one or more processors of a computer system, the medium comprising:

logic configured to receive, from a first Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) router, a packet with a first IP address and a first MAC address identifying the first MPLS router as a source of the packet, and a second IP address and a second MAC address identifying a destination;

logic configured to resolve the at least one destination MAC address; and logic configured to forward the packet directly to a second MPLS router by a data path determined by the MAC address of the second router upon resolving a destination MAC address;

logic configured to forward the packet to a plurality of Ethernet switches in the network using an out-of-band control associated with the Ethernet network upon failing to resolve the destination MAC address, wherein each of the plurality of Ethernet switches transmit the packet to connectively coupled MPLS routers;

logic configured to receive, from a second MPLS router connectively coupled to a second Ethernet switch, a second packet containing a second IP address and a previously unresolved MAC address identifying the second MPLS router as a source of the second packet; and

logic configured to forward, by the second Ethernet switch, the second packet to the plurality of Ethernet switches using the out-of-band control, wherein each of the plurality of Ethernet switches transmits the packet to connectively coupled MPLS routers.

Assignments (6)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 20, 2023
From: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.
To: CIENA CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 065630/0232 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Nov 8, 2019
From: CIENA CORPORATION
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 050969/0001 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Oct 30, 2019
From: DEUTSCHE BANK AG NEW YORK BRANCH
To: CIENA CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 050938/0389 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jul 16, 2014
From: CIENA CORPORATION
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 033347/0260 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jul 15, 2014
From: CIENA CORPORATION
To: DEUTSCHE BANK AG NEW YORK BRANCH
Reel/Frame 033329/0417 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 13, 2014
From: SWINKELS, GERARD LEO; BRAGG, NIGEL LAWRENCE
To: CIENA CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 032215/0094 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 61840790 · Jun 28, 2013
Related Publication 20150003448A1 · Jan 1, 2015