Method and system for reserving resources on an MPLS path

A method for dynamically modifying resources for a label switched path in a network:

• (a) identifying a connection, wherein the connection includes one or more flows of packets that has an associated resource requirement;
• (b) determining resources for the one or more flows of packets associated with the connection;
• (c) establishing the label switched path, wherein a first label is associated with the label switched path and the packets of the one or more flows of packets associated with the connection;
• (d) reserving resources along the label switched path for the one or more flows of packets associated with the connection by sending a first message that contains the first label along the label switched path that reserve the resources;
• (e) forwarding the one or more flows of packets associated with the connection along the label switched path;
• (f) determining whether a change of the resources requirement has occurred;
• and
• (g) when a change of the resource requirement has occurred, modifying the resources reserved along the label switched path by sending a second message that contains the first label, wherein the second massage alters the resources reserved while avoiding establishing a new label switched path, whereby processing is minimized.

A router for forwarding packets to a final destination over an Multi-Protocol Label Switching (MPLS) network, comprising:

• (a) a transceiver for receiving and transmitting each packet of one or more flows of packets from a source to a destination;
• (b) a labeler for labeling each packet with a label according to a forwarding equivalence class (FEC) that corresponds to the label, wherein the forwarding equivalence class (FEC) is based on a kind of data included with each packet;
• (c) a pathmaker for assisting in establishing a label switched path along which each packet is forwarded between an ingress router and an egress router of the enhanced Multi-Protocol Label Switching (MPLS) network, wherein the label switched path corresponds to the label of each packet;
• (d) a reserver for assisting in reserving resources along the label switched path, wherein the reserver further assists in dynamically modifying resources reserved along the label switched path while avoiding establishing a new label switched path;
• and
• (e) a scheduler that forwards each received packet along the label switched path towards the egress router, wherein the egress router removes the label and forwards each packet.

A method for reserving resources for at least one flow of packets on an MPLS based path in a network:

• (a) means for identifying at least one flow of packets from a connection to a destination, wherein at least one flow of packets is associated with a required resource for forwarding each packet in at least one flow towards the destination over the network;
• (b) means for employing a first type of message to establish an LSP in the network for at least one flow from the connection towards the destination;
• wherein the LSP is established from an ingress router to an egress router in the network;
• (c) means for employing a second type of message to reserve the required resource at each router along the LSP for at least one flow of packets from the connection;
• and
• (d) when a new resource is required for at least one flow of packets from the connection, employing means for using the second type of message to reserve the newly required resource at each router that employs an enhanced MPLS (EMPLS) protocol and is disposed along the existing LSP, wherein a new path is established by the first type of message for that portion of the existing LSP that includes a router that employs an MPLS protocol, instead of a router that employs the EMPLS protocol.