Patent ID: 7724732
Filing Date: 2010-05-25
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A method of routing traffic from a plurality of virtual private networks (VPNs) over a layer 3 backbone network, the method comprising: receiving a packet at a local customer edge router, the packet being associated with a particular VPN of the plurality of VPNs; performing a packet lookup to determine a remote customer edge router towards which to route the packet; encrypting, at the local customer edge router, the packet with encryption parameters associated uniquely with the particular VPN; pushing a label on the packet, at the local customer edge router, to identify it as belonging to the particular VPN; establishing a dynamic tunnel between the local customer edge router and the remote customer edge router across the layer 3 backbone network; after pushing the label on the packet, encapsulating, at the local customer edge router, the labeled packet within a tunneling packet, the tunneling packet having a layer 3 destination address corresponding to a layer 3 destination address of the remote customer edge router; and forwarding the tunneling packet across the dynamic tunnel from the local customer edge router towards the remote customer edge router; wherein encrypting the packet with encryption parameters associated uniquely with the particular VPN includes: