Patent ID: 8018949

Claim:
A network device for supporting transport of an information flow to a plurality of core networks, the device comprising: a first pseudowire endpoint configured to receive the information flow from one or more customer networks; a second pseudowire endpoint in communication with a service edge providing an access point to a service provider network including one of the core networks; a switching module configured to receive the information from the first pseudowire endpoint, said switching module being configured to interconnect the first pseudowire endpoint and the second pseudowire endpoint for transport of a portion of the information flow from the first pseudowire endpoint to the one core network via the second pseudowire endpoint and via the service edge; and a framer coupled to the switching module and configured to convert another portion of the information flow from the first pseudowire endpoint into a traffic flow that is native to another one of the core networks of the service provider network, wherein said switching module is configured to interconnect the first pseudowire endpoint and the framer for transport of the another portion of the information flow from the first pseudowire endpoint to the another one of the core networks via the framer and via the service edge while bypassing the second pseudowire endpoint.