Signaling extension for a label switched path over a composite link

A network component comprising:

• a receiver unit configured to receive a signal indicating an aggregated label switched path (LSP) associated with a composite link that comprises a plurality of component links, and a plurality of identifiers for a plurality of data flows of the aggregated LSP that are associated with the component links;
• a logic unit configured to map each of the identifiers to one corresponding link of the component links;
• and
• a transmitter unit configured to forward the data flows on the corresponding component links and send the corresponding identifiers in a plurality of inner labels below a top LSP label in the data flow's packets,
• wherein the transmitter is further configured to send a second signal indicating a plurality of candidate links from the component links for a bidirectional LSP, and wherein the receiver is further configured to receive a return message indicating a selected link from the candidate links, and
• wherein the identifiers identify the data flows to which a plurality of data packets within the aggregated LSP belong.

A network component comprising:

• a receiver unit configured to receive a signal indicating an aggregated label switched path (LSP) associated with a composite link that comprises a plurality of component links, and a plurality of identifiers for a plurality of data flows of the aggregated LSP that are associated with the component links;
• a logic unit configured to map each of the identifiers to one corresponding link of the component links;
• and
• a transmitter unit configured to forward the data flows on the corresponding component links and send the corresponding identifiers in a plurality of inner labels below a top LSP label in the data flow's packets,
• wherein the receiver unit is further configured to receive a second signal indicating a plurality of LSP performance metrics for the component links, and
• wherein the identifiers identify the data flows to which a plurality of data packets within the aggregated LSP belong.

A method implemented by a network component comprising:

• receiving using a receiver message comprising a Type-Length-Value (TLV) that indicates that a label switched path (LSP) established on a composite link with a peer end point is an aggregated LSP;
• receiving in the TLV a plurality of inner labels that correspond to a plurality of data flows of the aggregated LSP;
• removing the TLV from the message if the message is received on a non-composite link;
• and
• treating the aggregated LSP as a non-aggregated LSP.

A method implemented by a network component comprising:

• receiving using a receiver message comprising a Type-Length-Value (TLV) that indicates that a label switched path (LSP) established on a composite link with a peer end point is an aggregated LSP;
• receiving in the TLV a plurality of inner labels that correspond to a plurality of data flows of the aggregated LSP;
• receiving a Resource Reservation Protocol (RSVP) PATH message comprising one or more TLVs that indicate a plurality of candidate component links of the composite link for establishing a bidirectional LSP;
• maintaining a list of the indicated candidate component links;
• removing the TLVs from the RSVP PATH message;
• and
• forwarding the RSVP PATH to a next hop.

A method implemented by a network component comprising:

• receiving using a receiver message comprising a Type-Length-Value (TLV) that indicates that a label switched path (LSP) established on a composite link with a peer end point is an aggregated LSP;
• receiving in the TLV a plurality of inner labels that correspond to a plurality of data flows of the aggregated LSP;
• receiving a Label Distribution Protocol (LDP) label mapping message comprising one or more TLVs that indicate a plurality of candidate component links of the composite link for establishing a bidirectional LSP;
• selecting one of the candidate component links;
• adding a TLV that indicates the selected candidate component link in a second LDP label mapping message;
• and
• returning the second LDP label mapping message.