Patent ID: 8085773

Claim:
A method, comprising: receiving configuration data identifying groups of packets; receiving, in a first multi-protocol labeled switching (MPLS) autonomous system border router (ASBR) located at an edge of a first autonomous network system managed by a first service provider, a multi-labeled MPLS packet containing a data packet and a plurality of stack entries including a low stack entry at a low level; determining whether the packet is identified in the configuration data, wherein if the packet is not identified in the groups then its associated EXP bits are not changed based on the configuration data, wherein the configuration data includes a policy map to be applied to the groups specified by a class, and wherein the policy map is used to forward particular multi-labeled packets on a serial interface; changing the data in said low stack entry of said multi-labeled MPLS packet to a desired value using the configuration data to set EXP bits of the low stack entry to the desired value in order for service levels to be determined at a second MPLS ASBR in a second autonomous network system, and wherein a top label of the packet is removed based on the configuration data, wherein said first service provider creates the configuration data to control service levels offered by said second autonomous network system in forwarding said multi-labeled MPLS packet; and forwarding said multi-labeled MPLS packet containing said desired value in said low stack entry to said second MPLS ASBR in said second autonomous network system.