# US 2019/0173784 A1 · Establishing virtual network routes in a computer network > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2019/0173784 A1 - Document ID: US20190173784A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/832,984 - Filed: 2017-12-06 - Published: 2019-06-06 - Earliest claimed: 2017-12-06 - Assignees: Futurewei Technologies, Inc. - Applicants: Futurewei Technologies, Inc. - Inventors: James Guichard; Young Lee - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190173784A1 ## CPC - H04L 45/74: Address processing for routing - H04L 45/302: Route determination based on requested QoS - H04L 45/64: using an overlay routing layer - H04L 49/70: {Virtual switches} - H04L 45/50: using label swapping, e.g. multi-protocol label switch [MPLS] - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) ## Abstract A computer-implemented method for establishing virtual network (VN) routes includes receiving, at a Software Defined Networking (SDN) controller and from a customer network, a first routing request. The first routing request includes a destination address for a VN and a first Quality of Service (QoS) indicator associated with a first service of the VN. The SDN controller determines a first VN route in a provider network based on the first QoS indicator and the destination address. The SDN controller associates a first VN label with the first VN route. The SDN controller transmits a first routing response to the customer network. The first routing response includes the first VN label. The SDN controller transmits the first VN label and first routing information indicating the first VN route to an edge router of the provider network. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A computer-implemented method for establishing virtual network (VN) routes, comprising: receiving, at a Software Defined Networking (SDN) controller and from a customer network, a first routing request, wherein the first routing request includes a destination address for a VN and a first Quality of Service (QoS) indicator associated with a first service of the VN; determining, by the SDN controller, a first VN route in a provider network based on the first QoS indicator and the destination address; associating, by the SDN controller, a first VN label with the first VN route; transmitting, from the SDN controller to the customer network, a first routing response, wherein the first routing response includes the first VN label; and transmitting, from the SDN controller to an edge router of the provider network, the first VN label and first routing information indicating the first VN route. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: receiving, at the SDN controller and from the customer network, a second routing request, wherein the second routing request includes the destination address for the VN and a second QoS indicator associated with a second service of the VN, wherein the second QoS indicator indicates a different QoS policy than the first QoS indicator; determining, by the SDN controller, a second VN route in the provider network based on the second QoS indicator and the destination address, wherein the second VN route is different than the first VN route; associating, by the SDN controller, a second VN label with the second VN route; transmitting, from the SDN controller to the customer network, a second routing response, wherein the second routing response includes the second VN label; and transmitting, from the SDN controller to the edge router of the provider network, the second VN label and second routing information indicating the second VN route. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: determining, by the SDN controller, that a traffic condition in the provider network has changed; in response to determining that the traffic condition in the provider network has changed, determining, by the SDN controller, a third VN route based on the first QoS indicator and the traffic condition; and transmitting, from the SDN controller to the edge router of the provider network, the first VN label and third routing information indicating the third VN route. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the first VN label and the first routing information are transmitted using a Path Computation Elements Protocol (PCEP) message. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, wherein the first routing information comprises a forwarding rule object indicating the first VN route. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the SDN controller comprises at least one of a Multi-Domain Service Coordinator (MSDC) or a Provisioning Network Controller (PNC). ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the provider network is a Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) network or a Segment Routing (SR) network and the first VN route is a Label Switched Path (LSP). ### Claim 8 A computer-implemented method for routing data packets according to different virtual network (VN) routes, comprising: receiving, at an edge router of a provider network and from a Software Defined Networking (SDN) controller, a first VN label and first routing information indicating a first VN route; receiving, at the edge router and from a customer network, a first data packet, wherein the first data packet includes a first meta data field, and the first meta data field indicates that the first data packet is associated with the first VN label; and routing the first data packet according to the first VN route. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, further comprising: receiving, at the edge router of the provider network and from the SDN controller, the first VN label and second routing information, wherein the second routing information indicating a second VN route that is different than the first VN route; receiving, at the edge router and from the customer network, a second data packet, wherein the second data packet includes a second meta data field, and the second meta data field indicates that the second data packet is associated with the first VN label; and routing the second data packet accordingly to the second VN route. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein the first meta data field is a Network Service Header (NSH). ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein routing the first data packet comprises: modifying the first data packet by removing the first meta data field and adding a Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) header, wherein the MPLS header indicates the first VN route; and routing the modified first data packet. ### Claim 12 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein the first VN label and the first routing information are received in a Path Computation Elements Protocol (PCEP) message. ### Claim 13 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein the first routing information comprises a forwarding rule object indicating the first VN route. ### Claim 14 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein the SDN controller is at least one of a Multi-Domain Service Coordinator (MSDC) or a Provisioning Network Controller (PNC). ### Claim 15 A Software Defined Networking (SDN) controller, comprising: a non-transitory memory storage comprising instructions; and one or more hardware processors in communication with the memory storage, wherein the one or more hardware processors execute the instructions to: receive, from a customer network, a first routing request, wherein the first routing request includes a destination address for a virtual network (VN) and a first Quality of Service (QoS) indicator associated with a first service of the VN; determine a first VN route in a provider network based on the first QoS indicator and the destination address; associate a first VN label with the first VN route; transmit, to the customer network, a first routing response, wherein the first routing response includes the first VN label; and transmit, from the SDN controller to an edge router of the provider network, the first VN label and first routing information indicating the first VN route. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The SDN controller of claim 15, wherein the one or more hardware processors further execute the instructions to: receive, from the customer network, a second routing request, wherein the second routing request includes the destination address for the VN and a second QoS indicator associated with a second service of the VN, wherein the second QoS indicator indicates a different QoS policy than the first QoS indicator; determine a second VN route in the provider network based on the second QoS indicator and the destination address, wherein the second VN route is different than the first VN route; associate a second VN label with the second VN route; transmit, to the customer network, a second routing response, wherein the second routing response includes the second VN label; and transmit, to the edge router of the provider network, the second VN label and second routing information indicating the second VN route. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The SDN controller of claim 15, wherein the one or more hardware processors further execute the instructions to: determine that a traffic condition in the provider network has changed; in response to determining that the traffic condition in the provider network has changed, determine a third VN route based on the first QoS indicator and the traffic condition; and transmit, to the edge router of the provider network, the first VN label and third routing information indicating the third VN route. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The SDN controller of claim 15, wherein the first VN label and the first routing information are transmitted using a Path Computation Elements Protocol (PCEP) message. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The SDN controller of claim 18, wherein the first routing information comprises a forwarding rule object indicating the first VN route. ### Claim 20 (depends on 15) The SDN controller of claim 15, wherein the SDN controller comprises at least one of a Multi-Domain Service Coordinator (MSDC) or a Provisioning Network Controller (PNC). ### Claim 21 A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing computer instructions for processing a data packet in a communication network, that when executed by one or more hardware processors, cause the one or more hardware processors of a router to perform operations comprising: receiving, at a Software Defined Networking (SDN) controller and from a customer network, a first routing request, wherein the first routing request includes a destination address for a VN and a first Quality of Service (QoS) indicator associated with a first service of the VN; determining, by the SDN controller, a first VN route in a provider network based on the first QoS indicator and the destination address; associating, by the SDN controller, a first VN label with the first VN route; transmitting, from the SDN controller to the customer network, a first routing response, wherein the first routing response includes the first VN label; and transmitting, from the SDN controller to an edge router of the provider network, the first VN label and first routing information indicating the first VN route. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 21, the operations further comprising: receiving, at the SDN controller and from the customer network, a second routing request, wherein the second routing request includes the destination address for the VN and a second QoS indicator associated with a second service of the VN, wherein the second QoS indicator indicates a different QoS policy than the first QoS indicator; determining, by the SDN controller, a second VN route in the provider network based on the second QoS indicator and the destination address, wherein the second VN route is different than the first VN route; associating, by the SDN controller, a second VN label with the second VN route; transmitting, from the SDN controller to the customer network, a second routing response, wherein the second routing response includes the second VN label; and transmitting, from the SDN controller to the edge router of the provider network, the second VN label and second routing information indicating the second VN route. ### Claim 23 (depends on 21) The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 21, the operations further comprising: determining, by the SDN controller, that a traffic condition in the provider network has changed; in response to determining that the traffic condition in the provider network has changed, determining, by the SDN controller, a third VN route based on the first QoS indicator and the traffic condition; and transmitting, from the SDN controller to the edge router of the provider network, the first VN label and third routing information indicating the third VN route. ### Claim 24 (depends on 21) The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 21, wherein the first VN label and the first routing information are transmitted using a Path Computation Elements Protocol (PCEP) message. ### Claim 25 (depends on 24) The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 24, wherein the first routing information comprises a forwarding rule object indicating the first VN route.