Patent ID: 9628390
Date: 2017-04-18
CPC Classifications: H04L,H04N

Claim:
1. A computer implemented method for load balancing Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) channels in a layer 2 label switched network, wherein a first one of a plurality of network elements in the layer 2 label switched network is coupled with a second one of the plurality of network elements via a pseudowire over a plurality of member links of link aggregation group, wherein the first network element transmits IPTV packets of the IPTV channels over the plurality of member links to the second network element, and wherein the first network element does not base its forwarding decision to forward IPTV packets to the second network element based on layer 3 information of those packets, said method comprising: receiving at the first network element a plurality of IPTV packets originating from a single source node, wherein each of the received IPTV packets belongs to one of a plurality of IPTV channels; and for each IPTV packet received, the first network element performing the following,