Patent ID: 8611363
Filing Date: 2013-12-17
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A method of providing multiple services over a single physical port of a packet forwarding device, the method comprising: receiving a request for a new logical port, wherein the request includes the physical port over which the new logical port is to be provided, data rate limits associated with the logical port, and whether the new logical port is to be MPLS label based or VLAD ID based; provisioning and establishing the new logical port by specifying a customer, a service, and a quality of service for the new logical port; providing a set of logical ports, wherein the set of logical ports includes the new logical port, wherein each logical port of the set of logical ports includes one of a plurality of interfaces of a physical port; providing a lookup table associating a set of logical port identifiers with the set of logical ports, wherein each logical port of the set of logical port is associated with one of a plurality of services; receiving at least a first and a second incoming packet at the single physical port, wherein the first incoming packet includes a first logical port identifier and the second incoming packet includes a second logical port identifier, wherein the second logical port identifier is different from the first logical port identifier; assigning a first logical port of the set of logical ports to the first incoming packet using the lookup table and assigning a second logical port of the set of logical ports to the second incoming packet using the lookup table, wherein the first logical port is associated with a first service and the second logical port is associated with a second service of a different type from the first service; and forwarding the first incoming packet from the packet forwarding device in accordance with the first service and forwarding the second incoming packet from the packet forwarding device in accordance with the second service.