PBB-TE and VPLS Integration for Carrier-Class Ethernet Traffic Engineering
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current telecommunications systems, such as Provider Backbone Bridge Traffic Engineering (PBB-TE), face inefficiencies in transmitting point-to-multipoint and broadcast data, lack support for unknown unicast traffic, and do not offer fine-grained traffic engineering or dual homing capabilities, leading to scalability and reliability issues.
Innovation Solution
The integration of Provider Backbone Bridge Traffic Engineering (PBB-TE) with Virtual Private LAN Service (VPLS) enables point-to-point and point-to-multipoint services by provisioning user-facing and network-facing provider edge nodes to support Ethernet carrier-class traffic engineering and emulated LAN services across wide or metropolitan area networks, allowing for deterministic paths, MAC address hiding, and dual homing capabilities through intermediate tunnel termination and appropriate signaling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If Ethernet broadcasting is used for network communications, then all nodes can receive data transmissions, but the protocol becomes inefficient for supporting targeted communications
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the network into virtual LANs (VLANs) using VLAN tags in Ethernet frames. This allows the network to be divided into multiple broadcast domains, so broadcasts are confined to specific VLANs rather than flooding the entire network. The segmentation enables efficient targeted communications while maintaining the simplicity of broadcast-based Ethernet.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces VLAN tags as an intermediary mechanism between the simple Ethernet broadcast protocol and the need for targeted communications. These tags act as mediators that enable switches to intelligently forward frames based on VLAN membership, providing efficient routing without requiring changes to the underlying Ethernet protocol.
2Reliability
If Provider Backbone Bridge Traffic Engineering (PBB-TE) is used for traffic engineering, then carrier-class traffic control is achieved, but point-to-multipoint and broadcast data transmission becomes inefficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges PBB-TE with VLAN technology to create a hybrid solution. The PBB-TE backbone provides carrier-class reliability and traffic engineering, while VLAN tags enable efficient point-to-multipoint and broadcast communications. This combination allows simultaneous support for both unicast traffic engineering and efficient multipoint transmissions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent makes the network infrastructure universal by enabling it to handle multiple types of traffic (unicast, multipoint, broadcast) through a single integrated mechanism. The combination of PBB-TE and VLAN tags provides multi-functionality, allowing the same network infrastructure to support diverse communication patterns efficiently.
3Ease of manufacture
If traditional Ethernet protocols are used, then simple implementation is maintained, but fine-grained traffic engineering and dual homing capabilities are lacking
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the traffic engineering functionality from the core Ethernet protocol into separate VLAN tag fields. This allows the basic Ethernet protocol to remain simple while adding sophisticated traffic engineering capabilities through the optional VLAN tagging mechanism. The extraction enables fine-grained control without complicating the fundamental protocol.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces dynamic traffic engineering capabilities through VLAN tags that can be configured and modified without changing the underlying Ethernet infrastructure. This dynamic approach allows flexible traffic engineering and dual homing capabilities while maintaining the simplicity of standard Ethernet implementation.
4Adaptability or versatility
If broadcasting protocol is used for network communications, then all nodes receive data, but the protocol efficiency deteriorates due to unnecessary transmissions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the network into multiple VLANs, creating separate broadcast domains. This segmentation ensures that broadcast traffic is confined to the relevant VLAN rather than being transmitted across the entire network. Switches use VLAN tags to efficiently deliver broadcasts only to nodes within the appropriate VLAN, reducing unnecessary transmissions and energy waste.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and apparatuses are disclosed for interworking a first protocol, e.g., Provider Backbone Bridge Traffic Engineering (PBB-TE), that provides Ethernet carrier-class traffic engineering, with a second protocol, e.g., Virtual Private LAN Service, that emulates local area network (LAN) service. Unicast, multicast, and broadcast transmissions are enabled across an Ethernet aggregation network and an MPLS core network. Dual homing protection and end-to-end traffic engineering with adjustable granularity are also provided. These capabilities are not available with traditional PBB-TE networks or with an interworking between PBB and VPLS that has been previously proposed. Embodiments of the invention terminate a PBB-TE tunnel at a user-facing provider edge (UPE) node and attach instance service identifiers (ISIDs) to different virtual switching instances (VSI)s. As a result, inexpensive Ethernet-only aggregation networks can be designed to interoperate with VPLS with increased reliability and control, benefiting service providers and end users.