Communications network and a method in a communications network

摘要

End-to-end communication in a communications network is controlled by determining, based on monitoring of traffic in the communications network, the number of paths, or links, needed between the first and the at least second network element. If it is determined, based on the traffic load, that not all available paths are needed:—Selecting at least one path that should not be used to carry traffic,—Rerouting any traffic using the selected at least one path to at least one alternative path, and—Placing any network elements or links not carrying traffic after the rerouting in standby mode in which the power consumption of the elements is reduced, to reduce the power consumption in the network.

主权项

1. A method of controlling end-to-end communication in a communications network providing at least a first or path or link and a second path or link between a first and a second network element, wherein each of the first path or link and the second path or link includes at least one further network element, the method comprising the following steps being performed by a control node:
monitoring traffic in the communications network, determining, based on the traffic in the communications network, the number of paths or links needed between the first and second network element, and in response to determining, based on the traffic load, that not all available paths or links are needed: (a) selecting at least one path or link, (b) rerouting any traffic that uses the selected at least one path or link to at least one alternative path or link, and (c) ordering any network elements not carrying traffic after the rerouting to go into a standby mode in which the power consumption in the elements is reduced, wherein the monitoring comprises monitoring incoming packets based on at least one of the following fields: source and destination IP address, source and destination port, layer 3 protocol type, Ethernet headers, including data regarding virtual network services, Type-of-service byte, input physical and logical interface, Multi-Protocol Label Switching (MPLS)/Generalized MPLS (GMPLS)/MPLS Transport Profile Label Switched Path (MPLS-TP LSP) end points, and Layer 2 protocol type and, identifying, based on the monitored information, packets belonging to the same flow, and steering such packets to the same path or link.