Patent ID: 8976797
Filing Date: 2015-03-10
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A method comprising: receiving, at one of a plurality of network elements, communication data comprising a first carrier tag having a first handling classification field and a first handling classification value included in the first handling classification field; determining per-hop behavior based on the first handling classification value; determining whether one of the plurality of network elements is in a first position relative to a service edge; responsive to a determination that the one of the plurality of network elements is in the first position, forwarding the communication data to the service edge; responsive to a determination that the one of the plurality of network elements is not in the first position, determining whether the per-hop behavior resulted in a second carrier tag comprising a second handling classification field being added to the communication data; responsive to a determination that a second carrier tag has not been added, processing the communication data in accordance with the first handling classification value to forward the communication data to a next network element; and responsive to a determination that a second carrier tag has been added, populating the second handling classification field and setting a second handling classification value based on the first handling classification value prior to forwarding the communication data comprising the second handling classification field to the next network element.