Patent ID: 9112869
Filing Date: 2015-08-18
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A non-transitory processor-readable medium carrying instructions for execution by at least one processor of an access network element to provide access to a network service instance hosted in a home network domain to a customer site in a foreign network domain, the access network element being configured for connection to the customer site in the foreign domain, the instructions comprising instructions executable by the at least one processor: to receive from the customer site in the foreign network domain a request to access the network service instance; to request authentication of the customer site from the home network domain; in response to receiving authentication of the customer site from the home network domain, to initiate establishment of an attachment virtual circuit between the customer site in the foreign network domain and an access gateway of the foreign network domain, the attachment virtual circuit being associated with a service instance identifier and extending over a trunk from the access gateway of the foreign network domain through a border gateway of the foreign network domain to a boundary of the foreign network domain for connection to a border gateway of the home network domain at the boundary of the foreign network domain, the extended attachment virtual circuit being identified within the trunk by the service instance identifier; to receive foreign-domain-bound traffic tagged with the service instance identifier on the extended attachment virtual circuit; to forward the received foreign-domain-bound traffic on the extended attachment virtual circuit through the foreign network domain to the customer site based, at least in part, on the service instance identifier; to receive traffic from the customer site; to tag the traffic received from the customer site with the service instance identifier; and to forward the tagged traffic on the extended attachment virtual circuit through the foreign network domain toward the border gateway of the home network domain.