Patent ID: 8634292
Filing Date: 2014-01-21
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A method, comprising: computing a path for a sliced tunnel that extends from a head-end node in a computer network to a tail-end node in the computer network, the sliced tunnel furcated into a plurality of child tunnels at one or more fork nodes located downstream from the head-end node, each child tunnel carrying a portion of traffic for the sliced tunnel, and the child tunnels merged at one or more merge nodes located downstream from respective ones of the one or more fork nodes, the portions of traffic on the child tunnels aggregated at the merge nodes; sending a signaling message, by the head-end node, to establish the sliced tunnel along the computed path, the signaling message to include an indication of the one or more fork nodes where the sliced tunnel is furcated into child tunnels and the one or more merge nodes where child tunnels are merged; and forwarding traffic from the head-end node onto the sliced tunnel.