Patent ID: 7821949

Claim:
A method for providing a data communications channel within a communication network having a plurality of network elements accommodating a forwarding-plane flow of Ethernet protocol data units between at least two end users, at least some of the network elements being associated with different maintenance domains, the method comprising: generating, by a maintenance entity at a first network element of the plurality of network elements, an Ethernet protocol data unit having a symbol signifying that the Ethernet protocol data unit includes a message related to a data communications channel; identifying within the Ethernet protocol data unit a maintenance entity level associated with a termination maintenance entity that is to process the Ethernet protocol data unit; forwarding the Ethernet protocol data unit along the forwarding plane; processing the Ethernet protocol data unit by the termination maintenance entity at a second network element of the plurality of network elements in response to the symbol and the maintenance entity level identified in the Ethernet protocol data unit, the data communications channel being established between the maintenance entities at the first and second network elements by the processing of the Ethernet protocol data unit.