Virtual path aggregation
AssigneeAlcatel Canada Inc.
InventorsJoey Chow, Jason Sterne, Denny Lee
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Apparatus and method for implementing virtual path aggregation (VPA) of underlying virtual connections at a switching node of a connection based communications network. A multi-service traffic shaping module (MTSM) at the switch implements algorithms to aggregate the VC and VP connections onto the aggregate VP by representing an aggregate VP as a plurality of circular linked lists or loops and assigning each VC connection to a link or element in the circular linked lists according to traffic descriptors. Weighting factors are used as between loops to dynamically select the next loop to service. Once this loop is chosen, the next VC to be serviced is identified by examining the circular linked list structure.
Claims16
In a communications system having a combination of:
- virtual circuit (VC) connections, virtual path (VP) connections, and aggregate virtual path (AVP) connections, said AVP connections having underlying VC and/or VP connections, said AVP connections represented as a circular linked list in which each one of said VC connections and VP connections is represented as an element of said circular link list based on a traffic descriptor, a method of arbitrating connection service comprising:
- selecting as between said VC connections, VP connections and AVP connections according to a first arbitration algorithm;
- and upon selection of one of said AVP connections choosing an underlying VC connection or VP connection within said AVP connection in accordance with a second arbitration algorithm which utilizes a weighted arbitration scheme to determine which of said circular linked lists to service.
A method of arbitrating between underlying virtual circuits in an aggregate virtual path of a communications system comprising the steps of:
- assigning each underlying virtual circuit to one of a plurality of circular linked lists;
- each of said underlying virtual circuits representing an element in said circular linked list;
- and arbitrating between the linked lists in accordance with system traffic descriptors wherein said step of arbitrating is performed by an arbitration algorithm which analyzes a new virtual circuit connection in accordance with the traffic descriptors and determines whether said new virtual connection belongs to said one of said circular linked lists.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.