Techniques for customer self-provisioning of edge nodes for a virtual private network

A method for configuring a network interface on an intermediate network node at an edge of a provider network to support a virtual private network, comprising the steps of:

• receiving data that indicates a subscription server on a provider network of a service provider,
• configuring a first attachment circuit on a particular edge node of a plurality of attachment circuits for connection to customer equipment outside the provider network on a plurality of edge nodes at an edge of the provider network to exchange data packets for a particular protocol with the subscription server;
• receiving on the first attachment circuit a data packet that uses the particular protocol and includes at least a portion of customer input data that indicates, for a particular virtual private network over the provider network, a topology for a plurality of customer equipment devices outside the provider network to be joined on a particular virtual private network;
• forwarding the data packet to the subscription server;
• receiving configuration data based on the customer input data;
• and
• configuring a second attachment circuit on the particular edge node to join the particular virtual private network without human intervention based on the configuration data,
• wherein:
• the provider network is a packet-switched network;
• and
• the particular virtual private network is a link layer virtual private network.

An apparatus for configuring a network interface on an intermediate network node at an edge of a provider network to support a virtual private network, comprising:

• means for receiving customer input data that indicates, for a particular virtual private network over a provider network of a service provider, a topology for a plurality of customer equipment devices outside the provider network to be joined on the particular virtual private network;
• means for determining, based on the customer input data, configuration data for configuring a particular interface of a particular edge node among a plurality of interfaces that connect the plurality of customer equipment devices to a plurality of edge nodes at an edge of the provider network for the particular virtual private network;
• and
• means for causing the particular edge node to configure the particular interface based on the configuration data without human intervention,
• wherein:
• the provider network is a packet-switched network;
• and
• the particular virtual private network is a link layer virtual private network.

An apparatus for configuring a network interface on an intermediate network node at an edge of a provider network to support a virtual private network, comprising:

• means for receiving data that indicates a subscription server on a provider network of a service provider,
• means for configuring a first attachment circuit on a particular edge node of a plurality of attachment circuits for connection to customer equipment outside the provider network on a plurality of edge nodes at an edge of the provider network to exchange data packets for a particular protocol with the subscription server;
• means for receiving on the first attachment circuit a data packet that uses the particular protocol and includes at least a portion of customer input data that indicates, for a particular virtual private network over the provider network, a topology for a plurality of customer equipment devices outside the provider network to be joined on a particular virtual private network;
• means for forwarding the data packet to the subscription server;
• means for receiving configuration data based on the customer input data;
• and
• means for configuring a second attachment circuit on the particular edge node to join the particular virtual private network without human intervention based on the configuration data,
• wherein:
• the provider network is a packet-switched network;
• and
• the particular virtual private network is a link layer virtual private network.

An apparatus for configuring a network interface on an intermediate network node at an edge of a provider network to support a virtual private network, comprising:

• a network interface that is coupled to a provider network for communicating therewith a data packet;
• one or more processors;
• a computer-readable medium;
• and
• one or more sequences of instructions stored in the computer-readable medium, which, when executed by the one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to carry out the step of:
• receiving customer input data that indicates, for a particular virtual private network over a provider network of a service provider, a topology for a plurality of customer equipment devices outside the provider network to be joined on the particular virtual private network;
• based on the customer input data, determining configuration data for configuring a particular interface of a particular edge node among a plurality of interfaces that connect the plurality of customer equipment devices to a plurality of edge nodes at an edge of the provider network for the particular virtual private network;
• and
• causing the particular edge node to configure the particular interface based on the configuration data without human intervention,
• wherein:
• the provider network is a packet-switched network;
• and
• the particular virtual private network is a link layer virtual private network.

An apparatus for configuring a network interface on an intermediate network node at an edge of a provider network to support a virtual private network, comprising:

• a provider network interface that is coupled to a provider network for communicating therewith a data packet;
• a customer network interface for coupling to customer premises equipment outside the provider network for communicating therewith a data packet;
• one or more processors;
• a computer-readable medium;
• and
• one or more sequences of instructions stored in the computer-readable medium, which, when executed by the one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to carry out the step of;
• receiving data that indicates a subscription server on a provider network of a service provider,
• configuring a first attachment circuit on the customer network interface to exchange data packets for a particular protocol with the subscription server;
• receiving on the first attachment circuit a data packet that uses the particular protocol and includes at least a portion of customer input data that indicates, for a particular virtual private network over the provider network, a topology for a plurality of customer equipment devices outside the provider network to be joined on a particular virtual private network;
• forwarding the data packet to the subscription server;
• receiving configuration data based on the customer input data;
• and
• configuring a second attachment circuit for coupling to customer premises equipment to join the particular virtual private network without human intervention based on the configuration data,
• wherein:
• the provider network is a packet-switched network;
• and
• the particular virtual private network is a link layer virtual private network.