Patent ID: 8127129
Filing Date: 2012-02-28
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A method for negotiating a security capability between a path computation client (PCC) and a path computation element (PCE) before the PCC sends a path computation request to the PCE, comprising: receiving, by the PCC, a packet carrying security policy capability information for path computation sent from the PCE; and acquiring, from the packet by the PCC, at least one of a security policy capability supported by the PCE and a security policy capability required by the PCE, and a security policy capability supported by both of the PCE and the PCC, wherein the packet carrying the security policy capability information is one of a path computation element discovery (PCED) packet and a path computation element communication protocol (PCEP) packet; when the packet is the PCED packet, the security policy capability information comprises at least one of information about whether to enable a security mechanism or not, information about whether to adopt a transmission control protocol (TCP) message digest5 (TCP MD5) signature option or not, information about whether to encrypt the packet between the PCC and the PCE by adopting an Internet protocol of security (IPSec) or not, and information about whether to require performing authentication between the PCC and the PCE or not; and when the packet is the PCEP packet, the security policy capability information comprises at least one of the information about whether to encrypt the packet between the PCC and the PCE by adopting the IPSec or not, and the information about whether to require performing authentication between the PCC and the PCE or not.