Method and apparatus for forwarding packets

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9326052-B2
Application number	US-201113151643-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 2, 2011
Priority date	Oct 3, 1997
Publication date	Apr 26, 2016
Grant date	Apr 26, 2016

Abstract

A forwarder for use within an internetworking system operating over an ATM backbone is provided. The physical internetworking devices within the system are shared to provide the internetworking functions while servicing two or more distinct and isolated user networks. This is accomplished by logically partitioning the devices into distinct sub-elements which provide all or part of the internetworking functions. These sub-elements are uniquely allocated to independent realms which are then assigned to specific user networks.

First claim

We claim:

1. An edge forwarder for use in a packet forwarding system in a communications network providing internetworking services to a plurality of distinct and isolated user networks, comprising:
terminations to a plurality of interfaces, each interface being particular to one of the user networks;
a processor; and
a memory storing instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the edge forwarder to:
receive a plurality of forwarding rules from at least one route server;
forward packets received on said interfaces, forwarding each packet according to an appropriate forwarding rule selected from the plurality of forwarding rules based on the interface from which the packet is received and a destination address in the received packet; and
send multicast join requests and multicast leave requests to the at least one route server, each of which computes corresponding forwarding rules distributed to the edge forwarder.

2. A method executed by an edge forwarder used in a packet forwarding system in a communications network providing internetworking services to a plurality of distinct and isolated user networks, comprising:
receive a plurality of forwarding rules from at least one route server;
receiving a packet on one of a plurality of interfaces, each of the interfaces being particular to one of the user networks;
forwarding the packet according to an appropriate forwarding rule selected from the plurality of forwarding rules based on the interface from which the packet is received and a destination address in the received packet; and
sending multicast join requests and multicast leave requests to the at least one route server, each of which computes corresponding forwarding rules distributed to the edge forwarder.

Assignees

• Duncan Ian H
• Young Ken
• Hall Grant
• Watt James
• Alcatel Lucent

Inventors

• Duncan Ian H
• Young Ken
• Hall Grant
• Watt James

Classifications

• H04L2012/5667

  IP over ATM · CPC title

• H04L2012/5617

  Virtual LANs; Emulation of LANs · CPC title

• H04L2012/5631

  Resource management and allocation · CPC title

• H04Q11/0478 Primary

  Provisions for broadband connections · CPC title

• H04L2012/5618

  Bridges, gateways [GW] or interworking units [IWU] · CPC title