Communications network
AssigneeNortel Networks Limited
InventorRoy Harold Mauger
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The invention provides a plurality of core nodes establishing a multi-service transport network, and service nodes each coupled to a core node for providing access to the transport network. A network management system is arranged to define and manage one or more virtual public/private networks within the communications network. Groups of core nodes are configured as abstract nodes within which any available path may be selected to achieve a requested connection. End to end label switched paths are established via the management system by specifying a series of abstract nodes.
Claims22
A communications multi-service network comprising:
- a plurality of nodes interconnected via a plurality of quality of service capable tunnels and incorporating a frame-mode MPLS architecture in which IP services are run directly over a frame-based core part of said multi-service network and legacy services are run over ATM adaptations and emulated ATM services on said core part of the network, the multi-service network further comprising one or more virtual switches for switching data traffic, each virtual switch comprising managed switching resources from a number of said interconnected nodes.
A frame-mode switching communications network comprising:
- a plurality of core nodes establishing a multi-service transport network;
- a plurality of service nodes each coupled to a core node to provide access to the transport network;
- and a network management system arranged to define and manage one or more virtual public/private networks within said communications network, wherein groups of said core nodes are configured as abstract nodes within which any available path can be selected to achieve a requested connection, wherein an end to end label switched path is established via the management system by specifying a number of abstract nodes between two specified service nodes.
A method of operating a communications multi-service network comprising:
- interconnecting a plurality of nodes via a plurality of quality of service capable tunnels such that said nodes incorporate a frame-mode MPLS architecture using ATM for low or medium capacity access and core transport of legacy services on a frame based core part of said multi-service network;
- and using frame mode for corporate user access and for other core transport on said frame based core part of said multi-service network;
- the method further comprising using one or more virtual switches to switch data traffic, each virtual switch comprising managed switching resources from a number of said interconnected nodes.
A method of operating a frame-mode switching communications multi-service network comprising a plurality of core nodes establishing a multi-service transport network, including a plurality of service nodes each coupled to a core node in which access to the transport is provided, and having a network management system arranged to define and manage one or more virtual public/private networks within said communications network, the method comprising:
- configuring groups of said core nodes as abstract nodes within which any available path can be selected to achieve a requested connection, and wherein an end to end label switched path is established via the management system by specifying a number of abstract nodes between two specified service nodes.
A communications network comprising:
- a plurality of core nodes establishing a transport network;
- a plurality of service nodes each coupled to a core node to provide access to the transport network;
- and a network management system arranged to define and manage one or more virtual public/private networks within said communications network, wherein groups of said core nodes are configured as abstract nodes within which any available path can be selected to achieve a requested connection, and wherein an end to end label switched path is established via the management system by specifying a number of abstract nodes between two specified service nodes;
- wherein a virtual public/private network (VPN) is defined with multiple stages of first level constraint-based routed label switched paths;
- wherein each abstract node is defined by an IP address prefix, and all core nodes which include that prefix in their IP address are part of that abstract node;
- the communications network incorporates a super-ordinate management function arranged to control creation, modification and deletion of virtual switches;
- and
- wherein said super-ordinate manager is adapted for defining virtual private/public networks (VPN) and for placing traffic trunks to realise those VPNs.
A method of operating a communications multi-service network comprising a plurality of core nodes establishing a multi-service transport network, including a plurality of service nodes each coupled to a core node in which access to the transport is provided, and having a network management system arranged to define and manage one or more virtual public/private networks within said communications network, the method comprising:
- configuring groups of said core nodes as abstract nodes within which any available path can be selected to achieve a requested connection;
- establishing an end to end label switched path via the management system by specifying a number of abstract nodes between two specified service nodes;
- specifying each path by identifying first and second service nodes and one or more abstract nodes therebetween;
- defining a virtual public/private network (VPN) with multiple stages of first level constraint-based routed label switched paths;
- defining each abstract node by an IP address prefix, and including all core nodes which include that prefix in their IP address as part of that abstract node;
- the method including creation, modification and deletion of virtual switches via a super-ordinate management function;
- and
- wherein said super-ordinate manager is adapted for defining said virtual private/public networks (VPN) and for placing traffic trunks to realise those VPNs.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.