Patent ID: 7944924
Filing Date: 2011-05-17
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A method, comprising: a network ingress processor parsing an Multi-Protocol Label Switching (MPLS) label stack of a received MPLS packet to determine if an existing MPLS label of the MPLS label stack of the received MPLS packet needs to be replaced with an Implicit Null label; the network ingress processor removing the existing MPLS label and checking to determine if there is any other MPLS label in the MPLS label stack, wherein said removing and checking are performed in response to the network ingress processor determining that replacement of the existing MPLS label with the Implicit Null label is required; the network ingress processor providing the received MPLS packet with an internal header including a pre-configured Internet Protocol (IP) flow identifier and thereafter sending said received MPLS packet to a network egress processor in response to the network ingress processor determining that there is no other MPLS label in the MPLS label stack; a flow selecting portion of the network egress processor selecting routing parameters for said received MPLS packet in response to the network egress processor receiving said received MPLS packet and recognizing the pre-configured IP flow identifier; and the network egress processor providing said received MPLS packet with an updated Layer 2 header configured dependent upon at least one physical network parameter related to network infrastructure over which said received MPLS packet is transmitted from the network egress processor.