Method and apparatus for forwarding MPLS data packet

A first segment routing (SR) router, comprising:

• a receiver configured to cooperate with a processor to receive a multiprotocol label switching (MPLS) data packet;
• the processor configured to encapsulate the MPLS data packet into an IP tunnel when a next-hop router is a non-SR router, wherein the first SR router has an MPLS forwarding capability, the non-SR router does not have an MPLS forwarding capability;
• a transmitter configured to cooperate with the processor to send an encapsulated MPLS data packet to the next-hop router to enable the encapsulated MPLS data packet to be forwarded to a second SR router.

A non-transitory computer readable medium, comprising processor-executable instructions which when executed by a processor of a first segment routing (SR) router in an SR network, causes the first SR router to implement the following method for forwarding a multiprotocol label switching (MPLS) data packet, the method comprising:

• receiving the MPLS data packet, wherein the first SR router has an MPLS forwarding capability;
• encapsulating the MPLS data packet into an IP tunnel when a next-hop router is a non-SR router, wherein the non-SR router does not have an MPLS forwarding capability, and
• sending an encapsulated MPLS data packet to the next-hop router to enable the encapsulated MPLS data packet to be forwarded to a second SR router.