Patent ID: 7756125

Claim:
A method for transporting data in a Multi-protocol Label Switching (MPLS)/Internet Protocol (IP) network, comprising the steps of: receiving un-encapsulated data at an input to a first pseudo-wire (PW) function that is coupled, via a first edge router, with the MPLS/IP network wherein the PW function performing a PW encapsulation of the received un-encapsulated data; adding a Destination Router Label (DRL) to the PW encapsulated data, wherein the DRL is mapped to the network address of a second edge router; responsive to contents of the DRL, the first edge router removing the DRL and adding a Packet Switched Network (PSN) tunnel label identifying a PSN tunnel connected with the second edge router; and sending the PSN labeled, PW encapsulated data to the second edge router via the identified PSN tunnel connected with the second edge router through the MPLS/IP network.