Method for operating multi-domain provider ethernet networks

摘要

A method of enabling extension of a network service of a first domain to a remote customer site hosted by an Access Gateway (AG) in a Provider Ethernet domain. In the first domain, the remote customer site is represented as being hosted by a border gateway (BG) connected to the Provider Ethernet domain, such that subscriber packets associated with the network service are forwarded to or from the remote customer site via the BG. In the Provider Ethernet domain, a trunk connection is instantiated through the Provider Ethernet domain between the host AG and the BG. A trunk cross-connection function is installed in the host AG, for transferring subscriber packets associated with the network service between a respective attachment virtual circuit (AVC) through which the remote customer site is connected to the host AG and an extended AVC tunnelled through the trunk connection. A common service instance identifier (I-SID) is used to identify both the AVC between the host AG and the remote customer site and the extended AVC between the host AG and the BG.

主权项

1. A system for providing access to a network service instance hosted in a home network domain to customer site in a foreign network domain, the system comprising:
a border gateway in the foreign network domain having a packet transport link to the home network domain; an access gateway in the foreign network domain; and a packet trunk extending from the home network domain over the packet transport link through the border gateway in the foreign network domain to the access gateway in the foreign network domain; wherein the access gateway is configured:
to receive from the customer site in the foreign network domain a request to access the network service instance;to request authentication of the customer site from the home network domain; andin response to receiving authentication of the customer site from the home network domain, to establish an attachment virtual circuit between the customer site and the access gateway and to extend the attachment virtual circuit over the packet trunk, the extended attachment virtual circuit being identified within the packet trunk by a service instance identifier and being configured:
to forward, on the extended attachment virtual circuit through the foreign network domain to the customer site, packet traffic received from the home network domain tagged with the service instance identifier, the forwarding being based, at least in part, on the service instance identifier; andto tag with the service instance identifier and then forward, on the extended attachment virtual circuit through the foreign network domain to the home network domain, packet traffic received from the customer site.