Convergent network architecture and path information

摘要

Convergent network architecture and path information. Within a convergent network composed of different respective networks, each respective network may be controlled or managed internally and independently with respect to the other networks. For example, each respective network includes a forwarding and link metrics database and is managed by its own respective control entity (e.g., which may be any one of the given devices were nodes within that network). Generally speaking, each respective network may be modeled as an Ethernet bridge such that each respective bridge natively maintains its own forwarding and link metrics database. Such link metrics are specific to a given network and may cover one or both of prioritized Quality of Service (QoS) and parameterized QoS. Relays between neighboring bridges may effectively propagate and/or forward their respective databases, and update of any given database may be made asynchronously or based on a neighboring bridge query.

主权项

1. A communication device comprising:
a communication interface; and a processor, at least one of the communication interface or the processor configured to:
communicate with a first other communication device within a first communication network;communicate with a second other communication device within a second communication network that is different than the first communication network;employ an IEEE 1905.1 control protocol that is based on at least one version of an IEEE 1905.1 communication protocol to manage the first communication network independently from the second communication network and independently from any other communication device within the first communication network;manage the first communication network, including management of communications for at least one of the first other communication device or first at least one other communication device within the first communication network, independently from the second communication network and independently from any other communication device within the first communication network;maintain a first forwarding and link metrics database to model the first communication network as a first Ethernet bridge to the second other communication device;update the first forwarding and link metrics database based on information received from the second other communication device related to a second forwarding and link metrics database maintained by the second other communication device to model the second communication network as a second Ethernet bridge; andgenerate a frame for transmission to the second other communication device within the second communication network based on modeling of the second communication network as the second Ethernet bridge.