Patent ID: 8045492

Claim:
A network edge device comprising: a first communication network interface adapted to support packet communications via attachment circuits; a second communication network interface adapted to support packet communications via pseudowire segments in a core network; and a control system associated with the first and second communication network interfaces and adapted to: receive provisioning information for establishing a virtual circuit with a remote edge device, the provisioning information identifying destination information associated with the remote edge device; identify a next hop toward the remote edge device through the core network based on the destination information; create a first setup message comprising a source address associated with the network edge device and the destination information; and send the first setup message to the next hop to initiate automatic establishment of the virtual circuit; and wherein the next hop is associated with a first pseudowire segment between the network edge device and the next hop, the first communication network interface supports a local attachment circuit, and the control system is further adapted to associate the first pseudowire segment with the local attachment circuit such that packets arriving over the first pseudowire segment are forwarded over the local attachment circuit to facilitate part of the virtual circuit.