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US 2003/0126289 A1Published application
Method and apparatus for representing label switched paths
AssigneeRedback Networks Inc.
InventorsRahul Aggarwal, Ravi Chandra
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for representing a label switched path. In one embodiment, a computer implemented method comprises representing a label switched path (LSP) with a data structure, the data structure indicating a virtual ingress and an identifier to distinguish the LSP from other LSPs represented with the same virtual ingress.
Claims58
A computer implemented method comprising:
- representing a label switched path (LSP) with a data structure, the data structure indicating a virtual ingress and an identifier to distinguish the LSP from other LSPs represented with the same virtual ingress.
A method for a network element comprising:
- maintaining for network layer switched routes interface structures each storing a set of network layer information;
- distributing each of the interface structures to a set of one or more of a plurality of routing protocol modules;
- maintaining a routing information base responsive to the plurality of routing protocol modules;
- distributing forwarding information bases to each of a plurality of line cards;
- maintaining for each label switched path (LSP) a forwarding data structure that is separate from the interface structures and that does not include the set of network layer information;
- and
- distributing different ones of the forwarding data structures to different ones of the plurality of line cards apart from distribution to the plurality of routing protocol modules and the routing information base.
4 more elements
A method for a network element comprising:
- establishing a first and second label switched paths respectively involving packets traveling through a first and second line cards;
- and
- storing in said first line card information regarding said first label switched path but not said second label switched path;
- and
- storing in said second line card information regarding said second label switched path but not said first label switched path.
2 more elements
A network element comprising:
- a plurality of line cards;
- a control card having stored therein,
- a plurality of interface structures having stored therein network layer information;
- a plurality of routing protocol modules coupled to one or more of the plurality of interface structures;
- a routing information base coupled to said plurality of routing protocol modules;
- a plurality of forwarding data structures each having stored therein information to determine forwarding of packets from an ingress one of said plurality of line cards to an egress one of said plurality of line cards, wherein a set of one or more of said plurality of forwarding data structures include data indicating that they represent a label switched path;
- a first of said plurality of line cards having stored therein,
- a label forwarding information base generated from at least certain of said plurality of forwarding data structures indicating that they represent label switched paths;
- and
- a network layer forwarding information base generated from said routing information base.
7 more elements
A network element comprising:
- a set of one or more control cards to host a label manager;
- a machine-readable medium coupled with the set of control cards, the machine-readable medium having a data structure for a label switched path (LSP), the data structure having a first field for a first value to indicate a virtual slot, a virtual port, and a first identifier, a second field for a second value to indicate an egress slot and encapsulation information, to distribute the first value and the second value to one of a set of label forwarding information bases (LFIBs), and to distribute the second value to one of a set of one or more line cards;
- the set of one or more line cards coupled with the set of control cards, the set of line cards to receive and to forward traffic.
A system comprising:
- a first network element having a set of instructions causing the first network element to represent a label switched path (LSP) with a forwarding data structure that includes a slot identifier indicating virtual slot, a port identifier indicating a virtual port, and a flow identifier, to maintain a data structure that indicates the forwarding structure and forwarding information for the LSP, and to transmit a set of traffic along the LSP with the forwarding information;
- and
- a second network element coupled with the first network element, the second network element to receive the set of traffic.
A machine-readable medium having a data structure comprising:
- a first field to indicate a virtual ingress;
- a second field to indicate a set of one or more physical egress resources, a set of encapsulation information;
- and
- a third field to indicate an identifier for a label switched path (LSP).
1 more element
A machine-readable medium having a data structure comprising:
- a first field to indicate label switched path (LSP) with a virtual slot, a virtual port, and an identifier;
- a second field to indicate a value that is associated with encapsulation information and a physical slot.
A machine-readable medium having a label forwarding information base (LFIB) comprising:
- a set of one or more entries, each of the set of entries having
- a first field to indicate an index value corresponding to an ingress label for a label switched path;
- and
- a second field to indicate a virtual slot, a virtual port and an identifier.
1 more element
The machine-readable medium of claim 40 wherein each of the set of entries has a third field to indicate a physical slot.
A machine-readable medium that provides instructions, which when executed by a set of one or more processors, cause said set of processors to perform operations comprising:
- representing a label switched path (LSP) with a data structure that indicates a virtual slot, a virtual port, and a value that identifies the LSP for the indicated virtual slot and virtual port, path, the path indicating a first slot identifier that identifies a virtual slot, and a path identifier.
A machine-readable medium that provides instructions, which when executed by a set of one or more processors, cause said set of processors to perform operations comprising:
- maintaining a first data structure that represents a label switched path (LSP), the first data structure indicating a virtual ingress into a network element and an identifier to distinguish LSPs represented with the virtual ingress;
- and
- maintaining a second data structure that indicates the first data structure, an egress from the network element for LSP, and encapsulation information.
A machine-readable medium that provides instructions, which when executed by a set of one or more processors, cause said set of processors to perform operations comprising:
- maintaining in a control plane a first data structure that represents a label switched path (LSP), the first data structure indicating a virtual port, a virtual slot, and an identifier to distinguish LSPs of the virtual port and the virtual slot;
- maintaining in the control plane a second data structure indicating the first data structure, a slot, encapsulation information, and an index for the slot and the encapsulation information;
- distributing the first data structure, the index, and the egress to certain of a set of one or more label forwarding information bases (LFIBS) in a data plane;
- distributing the index and the encapsulation information to certain of a set of data structures within the data plane.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.