Patent ID: 8125925
Filing Date: 2012-02-28
Classification: H04L,H04M,H04Q

Abstract:
1. In a network having a data plane carrying subscriber traffic flows within end-to-end connections and a control plane for managing resources of the data plane using respective control plane connections associated with each end-to-end connection, each end-to-end connection utilizing a respective set of two or more nodes, a method for changing a span of control of the control plane from an initial span of control comprising an initial control plane connection managing data plane resources of a first subset of the respective set of nodes utilized by a given end-to-end connection, said method comprising: creating a new control plane connection for managing data plane resources of a second subset of the respective set of nodes utilized by the given end-to-end connection, wherein the data plane resources being managed by the new control plane connection differs from those being managed by the initial control plane connection, and wherein a new span of control of the control plane comprises the new control plane connection; applying resource sharing for any data plane resources that are managed by both the initial control plane connection and the new control plane connection; terminating the initial control plane connection; and transferring control of any shared data plane resources to the new control plane connection without disrupting the subscriber traffic flow within the given end-to-end connection.