Communication system, communication apparatus, control apparatus, network device, communication method, control method, and program

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016173370-A1
Application number	US-201414909024-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 25, 2014
Priority date	Jul 30, 2013
Publication date	Jun 16, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A technique capable of changing communication services that can be provided by a communication system is provided. A communication system according to the present invention includes: first means that is capable of executing a network function for providing a communication service; and second means that adds a label corresponding to a network address that is assigned to a group of network functions, to a packet belonging to the group, and sends the packet to the network function which performs packet forwarding within the group based on the label.

First claim

1 . A communication system comprising:
a first unit that is configured to execute a network function for providing a communication service; and a second unit that is configured to add a label corresponding to a network address that is assigned to a group of network functions, to a packet belonging to the group, and to send the packet to the network function, wherein packet forwarding within the group is performed based on the label.

2 . The communication system according to claim 1 , wherein the second unit is configured to add the label corresponding to the network address to the packet, wherein the network address is assigned to the group in response to formation of the group.

3 . The communication system according to claim 1 , wherein the second unit is configured to add the label corresponding to the network address, which is assigned to the group formed of a plurality of types of the network functions.

4 . The communication system according to claim 1 , wherein the second unit is configured to:
add the label corresponding to the network address that is assigned to the group formed of the network functions, to the packet, and send the packet to the network function which performs: referring to a table including information indicating a forward destination corresponding to the label; and forwarding the packet to the forward destination corresponding to the label.

5 . The communication system according to claim 1 , wherein the first unit is configured to execute the network functions, in which a forward destination corresponding to the label can be changed in response to a change in the network functions forming the group.

6 . The communication system according to claim 1 , wherein the first unite is configured to execute the network functions, in which a forward destination corresponding to the label can be changed in response to a change in a connection structure of a plurality of the network functions.

7 . The communication system according to claim 1 , wherein the second unit is configured to delete the label added to the packet.

8 . The communication system according to claim 1 , wherein the second unit is configured to add a virtual network label for identifying a virtual network that is assigned to a communication passing through the group, to the packet belonging to the group.

9 . A communication apparatus comprising:
a first unit that is configured to add a label corresponding to a network address that is assigned to a group of network functions for providing communication services, to a packet belonging to the group; and a second unit that is configured to send the packet with the label added thereto to the network function, wherein packet forwarding within the group is performed based on the label.

10 . The communication apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the first unit is configured to add the label corresponding to the network address to the packet, wherein the network address is assigned to the group in response to formation of the group.

11 . The communication apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the first unit is configured to add the label corresponding to the network address, which is assigned to the group formed of a plurality of types of the network functions.

12 . The communication apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein
the first unit is configured to add the label corresponding to the network address that is assigned to the group formed of the network functions to the packet, and the second unit is configured to send the packet with the label added thereto to the network function which performs: referring to a table including information indicating a forward destination corresponding to the label; and forwarding the packet to the forward destination corresponding to the label.

13 . The communication apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the second unit is configured to send the packet with the label added thereto to the network functions, in which a forward destination corresponding to the label has changed in response to a change in the network functions forming the group.

14 . The communication apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the second unit is configured to send the packet with the label added thereto to one of the network functions, in which a forward destination corresponding to the label has changed in response to a change in a connection structure of a plurality of the network functions.

15 . The communication apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the first unit is configured to delete the label added to the packet.

16 . The communication apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the first unit is configured to add a virtual network label for identifying a virtual network that is assigned to a communication passing through the group, to the packet belonging to the group.

17 . A control apparatus comprising:
a first unit that is configured to instruct a communication apparatus to add a label corresponding to a network address that is assigned to a group of network functions for providing communication services, to a packet belonging to the group; and a second unit that is configured to instruct at least one network function in the group to perform packet forwarding within the group based on the label.

18 . The control apparatus according to claim 17 , wherein the first unit is configured to instruct the communication apparatus to add the label corresponding to the network address to the packet, wherein the network address is assigned to the group in response to formation of the group.

19 . The control apparatus according to claim 17 , wherein the first unit is configured to instruct the communication apparatus to add the label corresponding to the network address, which is assigned to the group formed of a plurality of types of the network functions.

20 . The control apparatus according to claim 17 , wherein the first unit is configured to instruct the communication apparatus to add the label corresponding to the network address that is assigned to the group formed of the network functions to the packet, and
the second unit is configured to instruct the network function to refer to a table including information indicating a forward destination corresponding to the label and to forward the packet to the forward destination corresponding to the label.

21 . The control apparatus according to claim 17 , wherein the second unit is configured to instructs the network function to change a forward destination corresponding to the label in response to a change in the network functions forming the group.

22 . The control apparatus according to claim 17 , wherein the second meas unit is configured to instructs the network functions to change a forward destination corresponding to the label in response to a change in a connection structure of a plurality of the network functions.

23 . The control apparatus according to claim 17 , wherein the first unit is configured to instruct the communication apparatus to delete the label added to the packet.

24 . The control apparatus according to claim 17 , wherein the first unit is configured to instruct the communication apparatus to add a virtual network label for identifying a virtual network that is assigned to a communication passing through the group, to the packet belonging to the group.

25 . A network device comprising:
a first unit that is configured to perform communication processing to b

Assignees

• Nec Corp

Inventors

• Chiba Yasunobu
• Sugyou Kazushi

Classifications

• H04L45/50 Primary

  using label swapping, e.g. multi-protocol label switch [MPLS] · CPC title

• H04L61/35

  involving non-standard use of addresses for implementing network functionalities, e.g. coding subscription information within the address or functional addressing, i.e. assigning an address to a function · CPC title

• H04L12/185

  with management of multicast group membership · CPC title

• H04L12/6418 Primary

  Hybrid transport · CPC title

• H04L45/64

  using an overlay routing layer · CPC title