Method of establishing relationships between sets of label switched paths and virtual networks

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10812340-B2
Application number	US-201816223879-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 18, 2018
Priority date	Jan 11, 2016
Publication date	Oct 20, 2020
Grant date	Oct 20, 2020

Abstract

A method for establishing end-to-end tunnels extending across multiple domains using a network element. The method includes receiving a request from a customer controller to implement a virtual network (VN) created by the customer controller, wherein the VN identifies the end-to-end tunnels extending across the multiple domains, mapping the VN to available resources based on network constraints in response to the request, and transmitting, after the VN has been mapped, a message to a network controller managing one of the domains that includes a network path used to form a portion of one of the end-to-end tunnels, wherein the message includes an association object having a Type-Length-Value (TLV) field containing a virtual network identifier binding the network path to the VN.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of establishing an end-to-end tunnel extending across multiple domains using a network element, comprising:
associating a virtual network (VN) with available resources based on network constraints, wherein the VN is associated with the end-to-end tunnel extending across the multiple domains; and
transmitting a message to a network controller managing one domain of the multiple domains, wherein:
the domain includes a network path forming a portion of the end-to-end tunnel, and
the message includes an association object having a Type-Length-Value (TLV) field containing a virtual network identifier binding the network path to the VN, and
the message conforms to a Path Computational Element Protocol (PCEP).

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein before the associating the VN with available resources based on network constraints, further comprising:
receiving a request from a customer controller to implement the VN.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the virtual network identifier is one of a VN name and a tunnel identification (ID).

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the network constraints comprise at least one of quality of service (QoS) and bandwidth.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the message is a PClnitiate message.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising receiving, from the network controllers, a report message indicating a status of the network paths managed by the network controllers.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising sending, to the network controllers, an update message which indicates any changes made to the VN by a customer controller.

8. A method of establishing an end-to-end tunnel extending across multiple domains implemented by a network controller managing a domain, comprising:
receiving a message from a network element, wherein:
the domain includes a network path forming a portion of the end-to-end tunnel,
the message includes an association object having a Type-Length-Value (TLV) field containing a virtual network identifier binding the network path to an virtual network (VN), and
the message conforms to to Path Computational Element Protocol (PCEP); and

instructing a device managing the domain to establish the network path used to form the portion of the end-to-end tunnel.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising receiving an indication from the device that the network path has been established.

10. The method of claim 8 , further comprising receiving a second message from the network element, wherein the second message includes the association object having the TLV field containing the virtual network identifier binding a second network path used to form another portion of the end-to-end tunnels to the VN.

11. A network element configured to establish an end-to-end tunnel extending across multiple domains, comprising:
a processor configured to associate a virtual network (VN) with available resources based on network constraints, wherein the VN is associated with the end-to-end tunnel; and
a transmitter coupled to the processor and configured to transmit a message to a network controller managing one domain of the multiple domains, wherein:
the domain includes a network path forming a portion of the end-to-end tunnel, and
the message includes an association object having a Type-Length-Value (TLV) field containing a virtual network identifier binding the network path to the VN, and the message conforms to a Path Computational Element Protocol (PCEP).

12. The network element of claim 11 , wherein further comprising:
a receiver coupled to the processor, and configured to receive, before the processor associates the VN with available resources based on network constraints, a request from a customer controller to implement the VN.

13. The network element of claim 11 , wherein the network element is a Multi Domain Service Coordinator (MDSC) and the network controller is a Provider Network Controller (PNC).

14. The network element of claim 11 , wherein the message is a PClnitiate Message.

15. The network element of claim 11 , wherein the network element is Parent Path Computational Element (P-PCE) and the network controller is a Child PCE.

16. The network element of claim 11 , wherein the network element is a Software Defined Network (SDN) controller.

17. The network element of claim 11 , wherein the association object is a Virtual Network Association Group (VNAG) object.

18. A network controller configured to establish an end-to-end tunnel extending across multiple domains, wherein the network controller manages one domain of the multiple domains, comprising:
a receiver configure to receive a message from a network element,
wherein:
the domain includes a network path forming a portion of the end-to-end tunnel,
the message includes an association object having a Type-Length-Value (TLV) field containing a virtual network identifier binding the network path to an virtul network (VN), and
the message conforms to to Path Computational Element Protocol (PCEP); and

a processor coupled to the receiver, and configured to instruct a device managing the domain to establish the network path forming the portion of the end-to-end tunnel.

19. The network controller of claim 18 , wherein the network element is a Multi Domain Service Coordinator (MDSC) and the network controller is a Provider Network Controller (PNC).

20. The network controller of claim 18 , wherein the message is a PClnitiate Message.

21. The network controller of claim 18 , wherein the network element is Parent Path Computational Element (P-PCE) and the network controller is a Child PCE.

22. The network controller of claim 18 , wherein the association object is a Virtual Network Association Group (VNAG) object.

Assignees

• Futurewei Technologies Inc

Inventors

• Lee Young
• Dhody Dhruv

Classifications

• H04L41/40 Primary

  using virtualisation of network functions or resources, e.g. SDN or NFV entities · CPC title

• H04L45/04

  Interdomain routing, e.g. hierarchical routing · CPC title

• H04L41/5077

  wherein the managed service relates to simple transport services, i.e. providing only network infrastructure · CPC title

• H04L41/5051

  Service on demand, e.g. definition and deployment of services in real time · CPC title

• H04L12/4633

  Interconnection of networks using encapsulation techniques, e.g. tunneling · CPC title