Patent ID: 9300579
Filing Date: 2016-03-29
CPC Classification: H04L

Claim Text:
1. A method, comprising: receiving, by a first provider edge packet switching device in a provider network, a client packet from a client edge packet switching device in a client network; determining, by the first provider edge packet switching device, particular metadata provider network signaling information to communicate infrastructure information associated with the client packet to a second provider packet switching device in the provider network, with said particular metadata provider network signaling information for use by at least the second provider packet switching device in processing the client packet, with said particular metadata provider network signaling information including a specific application to apply to the client, packet, contextual information specifying a profile or user name, or instrumentation information for measuring packet loss or latency; and adding, by the first provider edge packet switching device, to the client packet a metadata component structure including a metadata channel header and a metadata channel, with the metadata channel comprising said particular metadata provider network signaling information, and with the metadata component structure being placed between and external to the header and payload of the client packet; sending, from the first provider edge packet switching device to the second provider packet switching device through the provider network, the client packet after said adding operation; receiving, by the second provider packet switching device, the client packet including the metadata component structure including the metadata channel with said particular metadata provider network signaling information; processing, by the second provider packet switching device, the client packet based on said particular metadata provider network signaling information; and sending, by the second provider packet switching device, the client packet from the provider network, directly or through another one or more provider packet switching devices in the provider network, wherein the metadata component structure including the metadata channel with said particular metadata provider network signaling information is removed from the client packet by a provider packet switching device of the provider network prior to the client packet exiting the provider network.