Patent ID: 9118602
Filing Date: 2015-08-25
Classification: H04L,Y02D

Abstract:
1. A method for assigning and utilizing an Ethernet physical data port in an Ethernet Link Aggregation Group (LAG) in a Multi-Protocol Label Switching (MPLS) network, the method comprising the steps of: assigning, by a first MPLS/LAG switch, a single physical tunnel port of a LAG to a network tunnel, wherein the single physical tunnel port of the LAG meets a bandwidth requirement of the network tunnel, and wherein said single physical tunnel port of the LAG has a port serial number; dedicating a sub-set of bits in a data packet label prepared by the first MPLS/LAG switch to encode said port serial number of said single physical tunnel port of the LAG into the data packet label; sending, by said first MPLS/LAG switch, the data packet label, in which said port serial number of said single physical tunnel port is encoded, to a preceding node; receiving from the preceding node, by said first MPLS/LAG switch, a data packet comprising said data packet label, in which said port serial number of said single physical tunnel port is encoded; and sending said data packet from said first MPLS/LAG switch to a second MSPLS/LAG switch via said single physical tunnel port having the port serial number encoded in the data packet label.