Patent ID: 7568047
Filing Date: 2009-07-28
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A method for adaptive service label management in a MultiProtocol Label Switching (MPLS) network, the method comprising the computer implemented steps of: adaptively allocating first MPLS service labels of a first MPLS service label type to a first class of traffic, the first MPLS service label type being selected from a set of defined plurality of MPLS service label types; and adaptively allocating second MPLS service labels of a second MPLS service label type to a second class of traffic, the second MPLS service label type being different from the first MPLS service label type and selected from the set of defined plurality of MPLS service label types; wherein the MPLS service labels are assigned by network elements maintaining VPN routing and forwarding (VRF) tables which exchange routing information associated with MPLS-based VPN tunnels using border gateway protocol (BGP), and wherein each MPLS service label is configured to be prepended to a packet as an inner label in an MPLS label stack to specify how VPN traffic should be handled at a tunnel endpoint.