Opaque profile identifiers for path computation element protocol

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9838299-B2
Application number	US-201414309425-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 19, 2014
Priority date	Mar 3, 2014
Publication date	Dec 5, 2017
Grant date	Dec 5, 2017

Abstract

Methods and systems are disclosed for enabling centralized path definition and policy with distributed path setup, and centralized path setup control with distributed path utilization constraints. In one example, a path computation client (PCC) requests, utilizing opaque PCE profile identifiers, path computation from a path computation element (PCE). The PCE profile identifier corresponds to path computation constraints, stored local to PCE, and are unknown to the PCC. Advantageously, the PCE profile identifiers allow the PCC to initiate path computation requests based on information local the PCC while leveraging centralized computation by the PCE. In another example, a PCE requests, utilizing opaque PCC profile identifiers, that a PCC initiate a path. The PCC profile identifier corresponds to path usage constraints, stored local to PCC, and are unknown to the PCE. Advantageously, the PCC identifiers allow the PCE to marshal path initiation while leveraging distributed resources to enforce compliance with usage parameters.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
storing, in a memory accessible by a path computation client (PCC), an ordered list comprising a profile identifier and at least one attribute associated with the profile identifier, wherein the profile identifier and each of the at least one attribute is provided in a particular order in the ordered list;
receiving a path computation element communication protocol (PCEP) message, from a path computation element (PCE), comprising at least one profile identifier and at least one argument value associated with each of the at least one profile identifier;
based on determining that the at least one profile identifier in the PCEP message comprises the profile identifier: processing the PCEP message to identify the at least one argument value based on the particular order of each of the at least one attribute in the ordered list, wherein each of the at least one argument value is input into one of the at least one attribute that occupies a corresponding location in the particular order; and
initiating, by the PCC, a path based on the at least one argument value being input into one of the at least one attribute that occupies the corresponding location in the particular order, wherein the path is initiated using numerical values of the at least one attribute taken from the at least one argument value from the PCEP message.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the PCEP message is a PCEP path initiate message comprising the at least one profile identifier and the at least one argument value associated with each of the at least one profile identifier, and the at least one argument value is encoded in a portion of the PCEP path initiate message used for extended profile identifiers.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the processing the PCEP message to identify the at least one argument value based on the particular order in the ordered list comprises:
determining that the at least one profile identifier and the at least one argument value is provided, in the PCEP message, in an order that corresponds to the particular order of the profile identifier and the at least one attribute; and
identifying the at least one argument value based on a location of the at least one attribute in the particular order.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the particular order corresponds to a hierarchical relationship between the profile identifier and the at least one attribute.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the hierarchical relationship between the profile identifier and the at least one attribute comprises the profile identifier being a parent node of a plurality of nodes in a tree data structure and the at least one attribute being a child node of the plurality of nodes in the tree data structure.

6. A method comprising:
generating, by a path computation element (PCE), a path computation element communication protocol (PCEP) message comprising at least one profile identifier and at least one argument value associated with each of the at least one profile identifier, wherein the at least one profile identifier and each of the at least one argument value is provided in an order in the PCEP message; and
transmitting the PCEP message to a path computation client (PCC), wherein the PCEP message causes the PCC to initiate a path based on determining that the order in the PCEP message corresponds to a particular order of a profile identifier and of each of the at least one attribute associated with the profile identifier stored on the PCC, wherein the PCC is configured to input each of the at least one argument value into one of the at least one attribute that occupies a corresponding location in the particular order, and wherein the PCC initiates the path using numerical values of the at least one attribute taken from the at least one argument value from the PCEP message.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the PCEP message is a PCEP path initiate message comprising the at least one profile identifier and the at least one argument value associated with each of the at least one profile identifier, and the at least one argument value is encoded in a portion of the PCEP path initiate message used for extended profile identifiers.

8. The method of claim 6 , wherein the PCC being configured to input the each of the at least one argument value into one of the at least one attribute that occupies the corresponding location in the particular order comprises the PCC being configured to:
determine that the at least one profile identifier and the at least one argument value is provided, in the PCEP message, in an order that corresponds to the particular order of the profile identifier and the at least one attribute; and
identify the at least one argument value based on a location of the at least one attribute in the particular order.

9. The method of claim 6 , wherein the particular order corresponds to a hierarchical relationship between the profile identifier and the at least one attribute.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the hierarchical relationship between the profile identifier and the at least one attribute comprises the profile identifier being a parent node of a plurality of nodes in a tree data structure and the at least one attribute being a child node of the plurality of nodes in the tree data structure.

11. A system comprising:
a path computation client (PCC) comprising a memory storing an ordered list comprising at least one profile identifier and at least one attribute associated with the at least one profile identifier, wherein the at least one profile identifier and each of the at least one attribute are provided in a particular order in the ordered list;
a path computation element (PCE) comprising a memory storing a profile identifier and at least one argument value associated with the profile identifier;
a communication media operatively coupled to and enabling communication between the PCC and the PCE;
wherein the PCE transmits a path computation element communication protocol (PCEP) message, to the PCC via the communication media, comprising the profile identifier and the at least one argument value associated with the profile identifier; and
wherein the PCC processes the PCEP message to identify the at least one argument value based on the particular order of each of the at least one attribute in the ordered list and initiates a path based on the at least one argument value being input into one of the at least one attribute that occupies the corresponding location in the particular order; and
wherein the PCC initiates the path using numerical values of the at least one attribute taken from the at least one argument value from the PCEP message.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the PCEP processes the PCEP message to identify the at least one argument value based on the particular order in the ordered list by:
determining that the at least one profile identifier and the at least one argument value is provided, in the PCEP message, in an order that corresponds to the particular order of the profile identifier and the at least one attribute; and
identifying the at least one attribute based on a location of the at least one attribute in the particular order.

13. The system of claim 11 , wherein the particular order corresponds to a hierarchical relationship between the profile identifier and the at least one attribute.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the hierarchical relationship between the profile identifier and the at least one attribute comprises the profile identifier being a parent node of a plurality of nodes in a tree data structure and the at least one attribute being a child node of the

Assignees

• Cisco Tech Inc

Inventors

• Alvarez Santiago
• Sivabalan Muthurajah

Classifications

• H04L47/724

  at intermediate nodes, e.g. resource reservation protocol [RSVP] · CPC title

• H04L43/062

  related to network traffic · CPC title

• H04L41/0803

  Configuration setting · CPC title

• H04L45/123 Primary

  Evaluation of link metrics (techniques for monitoring network metrics H04L43/08) · CPC title

• H04L45/30

  Routing of multiclass traffic · CPC title