Spanning tree protocol traffic in a transparent LAN
AssigneeCorrigent Systems Ltd.
InventorYoav Kotser
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method for controlling a system of label-switched tunnels through a communication network, the method including pushing a signaling label onto a signaling frame at a first node in the network, and sending the signaling frame through the label-switched tunnels to one or more recipient nodes in the network. The signaling label is popped off the signaling frame at the one or more recipient nodes, which responsive to the signaling label, process the signaling frame so as to eliminate loops formed by the label-switched tunnels.
Claims19
A method for communication, comprising:
- defining a topology of a transparent local area network service (TLS), comprising a system of label-switched tunnels between label-switched routers (LSRs) through a communication network, the TLS having at least first and second endpoints to which first and second user equipment is connected so that the TLS acts as a virtual bridge between the first and second user equipment;
- transmitting control frames among the LSRs in the TLS via the label-switched tunnels, each control frame comprising a control traffic label and a bridge protocol data unit (BPDU) in accordance with a spanning tree protocol (STP), the control traffic label indicating to the LSRs that the STP is to be executed by the LSRs without transmission of the BPDU to the user equipment;
- and
- upon receiving the control frames at the LSRs, processing the BPDU, responsively to the control traffic label, so as to remove loops in the topology of the TLS irrespective of the user equipment.
A communication device for operation as one of a plurality of label-switched routers (LSRs) in a transparent local area network service (TLS), which includes a system of label-switched tunnels between the label-switched routers (LSRs) through a communication network, the TLS having at least first and second endpoints to which first and second user equipment is connected so that the TLS acts as a virtual bridge between the first and second user equipment, the device comprising:
- one or more ports, adapted to send and receive traffic via the label-switched tunnels;
- and
- a traffic processor which is coupled to the one or more ports, and is adapted to transmit control frames to the LSRs in the TLS via the label-switched tunnels, each control frame comprising a control traffic label and a bridge protocol data unit (BPDU) in accordance with a spanning tree protocol (STP), the control traffic label indicating to the LSRs that the STP is to be executed by the LSRs without transmission of the BPDU to the user equipment, wherein the traffic processor is further adapted, upon receiving the control frames, to process the BPDU, responsively to the control traffic label, so as to remove loops in a topology of the TLS irrespective of the user equipment.
The device according to 16, wherein the information in the control frames that identifies the TLS is added to the control traffic label.
A communication network, comprising a plurality of label-switched routers (LSRs) arranged to define a transparent local area network service (TLS), which comprises a system of label-switched tunnels between the label-switched routers (LSRs) through the communication network, the TLS having at least first and second endpoints to which first and second user equipment is connected so that the TLS acts as a virtual bridge between the first and second user equipment,
- wherein each of the LSRs comprises:
- one or more ports, adapted to send and receive traffic via the label-switched tunnels;
- and
- a traffic processor which is coupled to the one or more ports, and is adapted to transmit control frames to the LSRs in the TLS via the label-switched tunnels, each control frame comprising a control traffic label and a bridge protocol data unit (BPDU) in accordance with a spanning tree protocol (STP), the control traffic label indicating to the LSRs that the STP is to be executed by the LSRs without transmission of the BPDU to the user equipment, wherein the traffic processor is further adapted, upon receiving the control frames, to process the BPDU, responsively to the control traffic label, so as to remove loops in a topology of the TLS irrespective of the user equipment.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.