Patent ID: 7362774

Claim:
Label distribution method for distributing a label between a first Multiprotocol Label Switching network element (PE 1 ) and a second peering Multiprotocol Label Switching network element (PE 2 ) in a Multiprotocol Label Switching network (MPLSN), said label identifying a context of a single flow of data-packets, forwarded from said first Multiprotocol Label Switching network elements (PE 1 ) towards said second peering Multiprotocol Label Switching network element (PE 2 ), said method comprising: causing said first Multiprotocol Label Switching network element (PE 1 ) to add an unused label to a first data-packet (DP 1 ), of said single flow before forwarding said single flow; said unused label not yet associated with or used for identifying a context of said single flow; causing said second Multiprotocol Label Switching network element (PE 2 ), to determine a context of said single flow of data-packets by applying a predetermined algorithm if a label in said first packet of said single flow is said unused label; and causing said second Multiprotocol Label Switching network element (PE 2 ) to couple said unused label and said context, determined by applying said predetermined algorithm.