Method and apparatus for dynamically shifting between routing and switching packets in a transmission network

A method for transmitting packets between an upstream node and a downstream node in a network, said downstream node being downstream from said upstream node, said method comprising the steps of:

• establishing default virtual channels between said upstream node and said downstream node;
• receiving a packet at said downstream node;
• performing a flow classification at said downstream node on said packet to determine whether said packet belongs to a specified flow that should be redirected in the upstream node;
• selecting a free label at said downstream node;
• informing said upstream node that future packets belonging to said specified flow should be sent with said selected free label attached;
• and
• wherein said network comprises a local area computer network, and wherein said informing step is performed by IFMP software that enables communication between said upstream and downstream nodes.

A method for transmitting packets between an upstream node and a downstream node in a network, said downstream node being downstream from said upstream node, said method comprising the steps of:

• establishing default virtual channels between said upstream node and said downstream node;
• receiving a packet at said downstream node;
• performing a flow classification at said downstream node on said packet to determine whether said packet belongs to a specified flow that should be redirected in the upstream node;
• selecting a free label at said downstream node;
• informing said upstream node that future packets belonging to said specified flow should be sent with said selected free label attached;
• wherein said flow classification performing step includes looking at a flow identifier of the packet to determine whether said packet belongs to a specified flow that should be redirected in the upstream node, said flow identifier comprising specified header fields from the packet;
• and
• sending said future packets belonging to the specified flow with said specified header fields removed to provide security.

A method for switching a flow at a first node, said first node having a downstream link to a second node and an upstream link to a third node, said method comprising the steps of:

• performing a flow classification at said first node on a first packet to determine whether said first packet belongs to a specified flow that should be redirected in the third node;
• selecting a first free label at said first node;
• informing said third node that future packets belonging to said specified flow should be sent with said selected first free label attached;
• performing a flow classification at said second node on a second packet to determine whether said second packet belongs to said specified flow that should be redirected in the third node;
• selecting a second free label at said second node;
• informing said first node that future packets belonging to said specified flow should be sent with said selected second free label attached;
• and
• selectively switching said specified flow from said upstream link by said first node to said downstream link;
• and
• wherein said specified flow from said upstream link may be sent by said first node to said downstream link.

A method for switching a flow at a first node, said first node having a downstream link to a second node and an upstream link to a third node, said method comprising the steps of:

• performing a flow classification at said first node on a first packet to determine whether said first packet belongs to a specified flow that should be redirected in the third node;
• selecting a first free label at said first node;
• informing said third node that future packets belonging to said specified flow should be sent with said selected first free label attached;
• performing a flow classification at said second node on a second packet to determine whether said second packet belongs to said specified flow that should be redirected in the third node;
• selecting a second free label at said second node;
• informing said first node that future packets belonging to said specified flow should be sent with said selected second free label attached,
• wherein said specified flow from said upstream link may be switched by said first node to said downstream link, said second packet is said first packet, and said informing steps are performed by IFMP software that enables communication between said nodes.

A computer program product that enables dynamic shifting between routing and switching in a network having an upstream node and a downstream node downstream from said upstream node, said computer program product comprising:

• computer readable code that performs a flow classification on a packet at said downstream node to determine whether said packet belongs to a specified flow that should be redirected in said upstream node;
• computer readable code that selects, at said downstream node, a first free label on said upstream node;
• computer readable code that informs said upstream node that future packets belonging to said specified flow should be sent with said selected first free label attached;
• and
• a tangible medium that stores the computer readable codes.

A method for transmitting packets between an upstream node and a downstream node in a network comprising the steps of:

• receiving a packet from said upstream node at said downstream node;
• performing a flow classification, at said downstream node, on said packet;
• selectively assigning, at said downstream node, a free label on said upstream node;
• sending a message to said upstream node indicating said free label;
• and
• selectively including said free label in future packets from said upstream node.

A method for forwarding packets from a first node to a second node in a network comprising the steps of:

• receiving a first packet from said first node;
• performing a flow classification on said first packet;
• selectively assigning a free label to a flow associated with said first packet;
• sending a message to said first node indicating said free label;
• and
• forwarding future packets from said flow using a channel indicated by said free label.

A method for switching a flow at a first node comprising the steps of:

• receiving a first packet of said flow from an upstream node;
• performing a flow classification on said first packet;
• selecting a first free label on said upstream node;
• sending a message to said upstream node indicating said first free label;
• receiving a message from a downstream node indicating a second free label;
• and
• selectively switching future packets of said flow from said upstream node to said downstream node based on said first and second free labels.

A computer program product for transmitting packets between an upstream node and a downstream node in a network comprising:

• code for receiving a packet from said upstream node at said downstream node;
• code for performing a flow classification, at said downstream node, on said packet;
• code for selectively assigning, at said downstream node, a free label on said upstream node;
• code for sending a message to said upstream node indicating said free label;
• and
• code for selectively including said free label in future packets from said upstream node.

A computer program product for forwarding packets from a first node to a second node in a network comprising:

• code for receiving a first packet from said first node;
• code for performing a flow classification on said first packet;
• code for selectively assigning a free label to a flow associated with said first packet;
• code for sending a message to said first node indicating said free label;
• and
• code for forwarding future packets from said flow using a channel indicated by said free label.

A computer program product for switching a flow at a first node comprising:

• code for receiving a first packet of said flow from an upstream node;
• code for performing a flow classification on said first packet;
• code for selecting a first free label on said upstream node;
• code for sending a message to said upstream node indicating said first free label;
• code for receiving a message from a downstream node indicating a second free label;
• and
• code for selectively switching future packets of said flow from said upstream node to said downstream node based on said first and second free labels.