Patent ID: 7978701

Claim:
A method of sending an information package from a first data network to at least one second data network through a communications network, said communications network comprising access points, MPLS switches, paths defined from a first plurality of access points to an Ethernet switch, including MPLS switching capabilities, via at least one of said MPLS switches, and paths defined from said Ethernet switch, including MPLS switching capabilities, to a second plurality of access points via at least one of said MPLS switches, said method comprising: sending said information package from said first data network to a specific access point of the first plurality of access points, wherein said communications network comprises a SDH network and a SONET network; receiving said information package at said specific access point and adding a header to said information package, wherein said header comprises an MPLS label; sending said information package with said header from said specific access point to said Ethernet switch, including MPLS switching capabilities, via one of said paths defined from each of the first plurality of access points to said Ethernet switch, including MPLS switching capabilities, via at least one of said MPLS switches; said Ethernet switch, including MPLS switching capabilities, switching said information package, with said header, to at least one of said paths defined from said Ethernet switch, including MPLS switching capabilities, to each of the second plurality of access points via at least one of said MPLS switches; receiving said information package, with said header, at least one further specific access point of the second plurality of access points corresponding to said at least one second data network; removing said header from said information package; and sending said information package from said at least one further specific access point to said at least one second data network.