Patent ID: 7855950
Filing Date: 2010-12-21
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A method of operation for a provider edge (PE) node of a Multi-protocol label switching (MPLS)/Internet Protocol (IP) core network, comprising: issuing a request to join a multicast tree structure, the request being issued in accordance with a protocol along a branch path of the multicast tree structure from the PE node to a source node of the MPLS/IP core network, the branch path passing through one or more intermediate provider (P) nodes of the MPLS/IP core network; and issuing a message used to build a unicast path as a single branch tree from the PE node to the source node in accordance with the protocol, the message containing a multicast tree identifier that provides information on the branch path, the information being utilized to align the unicast path with the branch path of the multicast tree structure over the MPLS/IP core network for a given Virtual Private LAN Service (VPLS) instance such that the unicast path passes through the one or more P nodes.