PROVISIONING NETWORK DEVICES IN ETHERNET-BASED ACCESS NETWORKS

摘要

In general, techniques are described for provisioning network devices in an Ethernet-based access network. For example, an access node located in an Ethernet-based access network positioned intermediate to a back office network and a customer network may implement the techniques. The access node comprises a control unit that discovers a demarcation point device that terminates the access network of the service provider network at the customer network. The control unit of the access node implements an Ethernet protocol to provide layer two network connectivity between the service provider network and the customer network, authenticates the demarcation point device based on a unique identifier assigned to the demarcation point device and, after successfully authenticating the demarcation point device, provisions the demarcation point device.

主权项

1. A method comprising:
receiving, with a demarcation point device, a layer three (L3) address for use in communicating within a service provider network, wherein the L3 address is unique within the service provider network, wherein the demarcation point device terminates an access network of the service provider network at a customer network and transfers data between a first physical communication medium used within the access network to communicate the data and a second physical communication medium used within the customer network to communicate the data, and wherein the access network implements an Ethernet protocol to provide layer two (L2) network connectivity between the service provider network and the customer network; requesting authentication with the demarcation point device directly from a provisioning system of the service provider network using L3 communications that include the L3 address; upon being successfully authenticated in response to the authentication request, requesting configuration data with the demarcation point device directly from the provisioning system, wherein the configuration data includes first data to configure the demarcation point device and second data to configure an access node of the access network that is positioned between the demarcation point device and the provisioning system; provisioning one or more interfaces of the demarcation point device using the first data to provide one or more services to the customer network; and transmitting to the access node the second data for configuring the access node.