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AssigneeAlcatel
InventorsMichaël Andries Thomas Beck, Eric Frans Elisa Borghs, Paul Henri Marie Cautereels, Hans Maurice Felix Corneel Dequeker, Tim Gyselings
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An access node (1) that is preferably a Flow-Aware Ethernet DSLAM configured to transmit Ethernet data frames between subscribers (2) and an aggregation network (3). The access node comprises a first memory (4) for storing classification rules and a second memory (6) for storing flow rules. These rules are applied by a classification agent (5) and by a service agent (7) to information extracted from incoming data frames in order to infer flow awareness information of outgoing frames corresponding to these incoming data frame. In this way, the subscriber access network evolves to a multi-service architecture by replacing ATM with Ethernet for cost reasons. The concept of “flow awareness” is applied to the present access node. With respect to known tunnel-based Ethernet DSLAMs, the present access node removes all dependency on correct encapsulation or labeling at the customer side and at the service provider side.
An access node (1) configured to transmit Ethernet data frames between a plurality of subscribers (2) and an aggregation network (3),
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.
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Traffic characterised by specific attributes, e.g. priority or QoS: relying on flow classification, e.g. using integrated services [IntServ]
Traffic control in data switching networks: flow control; Congestion control
Traffic characterised by specific attributes, e.g. priority or QoS: for supporting different services, e.g. a differentiated services [DiffServ]…
Digital communication
About 1 year 4 months of term left · ends 25 Feb 2028 (estimated)
The present invention relates to an access node adapted to transmit Ethernet data frames between a plurality of subscribers and an aggregation network.
Such an access node is generally known in the art. It is for instance a well-known Digital Subscriber Line Access Multiplexer DSLAM.
Subscriber access networks comprising an access node are evolving to a multi-service architecture, while trying to replace Asynchronous Transfer Mode ATM with Ethernet for cost reasons. To support a multi-service architecture, ATM-like features must be added to Ethernet, such as “flow awareness”. This is the ability to treat traffic differently depending on the subscriber to whom it belongs, and the type of service it represents.
The single FIGURE is an illustration of a flow-aware Ethernet access node.
The access node 1 shown in the FIGURE is able to transmit Ethernet data frames between subscribers 2 and an aggregation network 3. It is preferably an Ethernet Digital Subscriber Line Access Multiplexer DSLAM provided with Asynchronous Transfer Mode ATM-like features that allows it to support a multi-service architecture. One of these ATM-like features is for instance “flow awareness”, which is the ability to treat traffic differently depending on the subscriber to whom it belongs and the type of service it represents.
To achieve this, the access node 1, which will thus preferably be a Flow-Aware Ethernet DSLAM, comprises a first memory 4 storing classification rules applicable to the Ethernet data frames, and a classification agent 5 applying these rules onto source information extracted from incoming data frames. The aim of the classification agent 5 is to infer flow awareness information of outgoing frames corresponding to incoming data frames. The memory 4 is coupled to the classification agent 5 that is itself coupled to both the subscribers 2 and the aggregation network 3.
In a preferred embodiment, the classification agent 5 of the access node 1 applies the classification rules of the memory 4 only onto source information extracted from one or more first incoming data frames of a flow, also called pilot frames. This source information is inspected in detail, based on the set of the formal classification rules, in order to make a global policing, classification, and forwarding decision for the entire flow. The classification agent 5 further calculates frame signatures from source information extracted from the following data frame of the same flow. Recognized by their signature to belong to the same flow, these later frames are treated according to the decision established for the pilot frames. This concept is called “stateful flow awareness”.