Method to protect RPR networks of extended topology, in particular RPR ring-to-ring and meshed backbone networks, and relating RPR network
AssigneeAlcatel
InventorsMichele Fontana, Pietro Grandi, Italo Busi
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Abstract
A method for protecting RPR networks of extended topology, in particular RPR Ring-to-Ring and Meshed Backbone networks having a number of RPR rings interconnected according to one or more hierarchical tree structures, in which the protection is carried out at two levels: Intra-Ring Protection, reacting to failures on a single RPR ring; Inter-Ring Protection, reacting to failures that occur between two different RPR rings by using at least two RPR Gateways at the interface between two RPR rings.
Claims11
Method for protecting a RPR packet network of extended topology, in particular RPR Ring-to-Ring and Meshed Backbone networks, said network having a number of RPR rings interconnected according to one or more hierarchical tree structures, whereby packet communication between different RPR rings in the network is taking place according to said hierarchical tree structure, each RPR ring being composed of a pair of counter-rotating rings and comprising one or more RPR Nodes interconnected by links, the RPR rings being interconnected by RPR Gateways,
- wherein the method comprises the steps of:
- Intra-Ring Protection, by reacting to both link and node failures on a single RPR ring, so as if a node or a link failure occurs, packets going towards and from the failure direction are routed back to go in the opposite direction on the other ring of the pair;
- Inter-Ring Protection, by reacting to failures occurring between two different RPR rings, by using at least two RPR gateways at the interface between two RPR rings.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.