Adding network services to MPLS network
AssigneeHuawei Technologies Co., Ltd.
InventorsHaoyu Song, Zhenbin Li, Tianran Zhou, James N. Guichard, Stewart Frederick Bryant, Andrew G. Malis
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Described herein are methods and devices (e.g., routers) that add network services to a multiprotocol label switching (MPLS) network. A method can include a network device of the MPLS network receiving a packet, the network device of the MPLS network modifying the packet by adding multiple MPLS extension headers, wherein each of the multiple MPLS extension headers added to the packet is used to support a different one of multiple network services for the MPLS network, and the network device of the MPLS network forwarding the packet as modified to another network device of the MPLS network.
Claims26
A method for modifying a packet to enable multiple network services to be implemented by a multiprotocol label switching (MPLS) network, the method comprising:
- a network device of the MPLS network receiving a packet;
- the network device of the MPLS network modifying the packet by adding multiple MPLS extension headers, wherein each of the multiple MPLS extension headers added to the packet is used to implement a different one of the multiple network services for the MPLS network including at least one of Network Service Header (NSH), In-situ Operations, Administration, and Maintenance (IOAM), and network programming service;
- and
- the network device of the MPLS network forwarding the packet as modified to another network device of the MPLS network.
A network device comprising:
- a network interface configured to receive and forward packets over a multiprotocol label switching (MPLS) network;
- a memory comprising instructions;
- and
- one or more processors in communication with the memory and with the network interface, wherein the one or more processors execute the instructions to:
- modify a packet received via the network interface by adding multiple MPLS extension headers, wherein each of the multiple MPLS extension headers added to the packet implements a different one of multiple network services for the MPLS network including at least one of Network Service Header (NSH), In-situ Operations, Administration, and Maintenance (IOAM), and network programming service;
- and
- forward the packet as modified to another network device of the MPLS network.
A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing computer instructions that when executed by one or more processors of a network device of a multiprotocol label switching (MPLS) network cause the network device to perform the steps of:
- modifying a packet received by the network device by adding multiple MPLS extension headers, wherein each of the multiple MPLS extension headers added to the packet is used to implement a different one of multiple network services for the MPLS network including at least one of Network Service Header (NSH), In-situ Operations, Administration, and Maintenance (IOAM), and network programming service;
- and
- forwarding the packet as modified to another network device of the MPLS network.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.