Virtual Converged Cable Access Platform

An apparatus for operating a virtualized Cable Modem Termination System (CMTS), comprising:

• one or more processors;
• and
• one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage mediums storing one or more sequences of instructions, which when executed, cause:
• said virtualized Cable Modem Termination System (CMTS) for providing high speed data services to one or more remote physical devices (RPDs),
• wherein said virtualized Cable Modem Termination System (CMTS) comprises:
• a core routing engine (CRE) performing packet switching and routing;
• and
• one or more physical or virtual core servers (CSs) that each perform CMTS functions for said one or more remote physical devices (RPDs),
• wherein Ethernet links are established between the core routing engine (CRE) and the one or more physical or virtual core servers (CSs), wherein one or more of:
• (a) a Virtual LAN (VLAN) and (b) a Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) Transport Stream tunnel are employed on said Ethernet links, and wherein the VLAN or the MPLS tunnel encapsulates traffic for IP hosts within a single CMTS cable bundle.

A method for operating a virtualized Cable Modem Termination System (CMTS), comprising:

• said virtualized Cable Modem Termination System (CMTS) for providing high speed data services to one or more remote physical devices (RPDs), wherein said virtualized Cable Modem Termination System (CMTS) comprises:
• a core routing engine (CRE) performing packet switching and routing;
• and
• one or more physical or virtual core servers (CSs) that each perform CMTS functions for said one or more remote physical devices (RPDs),
• wherein Ethernet links are established between the core routing engine (CRE) and the one or more physical or virtual core servers (CSs), wherein one or more of:
• (a) a Virtual LAN (VLAN) and (b) a Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) Transport Stream tunnel are employed on said Ethernet links, and wherein the VLAN or the MPLS tunnel encapsulates traffic for IP hosts within a single CMTS cable bundle.