Patent ID: 7606235
Filing Date: 2009-10-20
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A method for transporting data from a layer two (L2) connection coupling an L2 network to an Multi-protocol Label Switching (MPLS) network, the method comprising: monitoring network characteristics of a set of label switched paths (LSPs) within the MPLS network; generating statistical data for the set of LSPs based on the monitored network characteristics; receiving, at an ingress device of the MPLS network, a request to transport data associated with the L2 connection from the L2 network to the MPLS network, wherein the request specifies constraint information for one or more characteristics of the L2 connection from the L2 network to the MPLS network, and wherein the request is received from a network device positioned within the L2 network; selecting one of the set of LSPs of the MPLS network based on the constraint information for the L2 connection from the L2 network to the MPLS network by performing route resolution within the ingress device of the MPLS network to identify one or more forwarding next hops for the selected LSP based on the constraint information for the L2 connection, wherein the constraint information is selected from a bandwidth, a color, an end-to-end delay, a jitter, a security requirement, and a classification of traffic for the L2 connection, and wherein performing route resolution comprises comparing the constraint information for the L2 connection to the statistical data for the set of LSPs through the MPLS network; issuing a call admission message from the ingress device to the network device positioned within the L2 network in response to the request, wherein the call admission message includes an L2 connection identifier associated with the selected LSP; after issuing the call admission message, receiving with the ingress device data from the L2 connection, wherein the data includes the L2 identifier included within the call admission message; and forwarding, with the ingress device, the data received from the L2 connection through the MPLS network via the selected LSP by identifying one of the one or more forwarding next hops for the LSP from the set of LSPs based on the comparison, and forwarding network traffic from the L2 connection in accordance with the identified forwarding next hop.