Patent ID: 7817553
Filing Date: 2010-10-19
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A system having an aggregation device and a Cable Modem Termination System (CMTS), the system comprising: CMTS circuitry located on the CMTS, the CMTS circuitry configured to: analyze a communication received over an upstream communication path that extends from the CMTS to an originating cable modem to identify a service identifier (SID) associated with the received upstream communication; compare the identified SID to a table mapping SIDs to Virtual Local Area Network (VLAN) tags; attach one of the VLAN tags from the table to the communication according to the comparison; forward the communication having the attached VLAN tag over a network to the aggregation device; and aggregation device circuitry located on the aggregation device, the aggregation device circuitry configured to: receive the forwarded communication and identify the VLAN tag attached thereto; select a particular tunnel from a plurality of tunnels extending from the aggregation device to a plurality of CMTSs according to the identified VLAN tag; and send the communication over the selected one of the tunnels.