Patent ID: 6094437
Filing Date: 2000-07-25
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
A system for establishing connections between a plurality of access concentrators connected to respective ones of a like plurality of Network Access Servers (NASs) and a plurality of network servers connected to a plurality of Service Providers (SPs) in a network using a point-to-point tunneling protocol, comprising a tunneling merger and management service having a plurality of tunneling merger and management edge devices, each said access concentrator being connected to a tunneling merger and management edge device and each said network servers being connected to a tunneling merger and management edge device, the tunneling merger and management service abstracting the point-to-point tunneling protocol to become an access protocol so that direct connections are not required between access concentrators and network servers by simulating to an access concentrator a connection to a network server and simulating to a network server a connection to an access concentrator.