System and method for ethernet protection switching in a provider backbone bridging traffic engineering domain

Abstract

A method of providing protection switching includes exchanging data traffic between a backbone network and an external network using a first port of a first bridge that connects the backbone network to the external network. The data traffic is identified by a service instance identifier corresponding to a service instance supported by the first bridge. The method also includes filtering the data traffic based on service instance identifier values configured for the first port and transmitting data traffic having service instance identifier values configured for the first port on a first trunk corresponding to a working entity for the service instance identifier. The method also includes monitoring the first trunk for faults and, upon detecting a fault on the first trunk, transmitting the data traffic on a second trunk that connects the first bridge to the second bridge corresponding to a backup protection entity for the service instance identifier.

1 . A method of providing protection switching on a backbone network, the method comprising:
 exchanging data traffic between a backbone network and an external network using a first port of a first bridge connecting the backbone network to the external network, wherein the data traffic is identified by a service instance identifier and the first bridge supports one or more service instances associated with corresponding service instance identifier values;   filtering the data traffic entering the backbone network at the first bridge based on the one or more service instance identifier values configured for the first port;   transmitting data traffic having service instance identifier values configured for the first port and entering the backbone network at the first bridge on a first trunk, wherein the first trunk comprises a pair of unidirectional paths connecting the first bridge to a second bridge on the backbone network and the first trunk corresponds to a working entity for the service instance identifier;   monitoring the first trunk for faults by exchanging continuity check messages with the second bridge over the first trunk, wherein an indicator included in each of the continuity check messages indicates whether a fault has occurred on the first trunk; and   upon detecting a fault on the first trunk, transmitting the data traffic having service instance identifier values configured for the first port on a second trunk that connects the first bridge to the second bridge wherein the second trunk comprises a pair of unidirectional paths connecting the first bridge to a second bridge on the backbone network and the second trunk corresponds to a backup protection entity for the service instance identifier.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein each service instance supported by the first bridge is associated with a respective service instance identifier value. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein each service instance identifier is a Backbone Service Instance Identifier (I-SID). 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 monitoring the second trunk for faults by exchanging continuity check messages with the second bridge over the second trunk, wherein an indicator included in each of the continuity check messages indicates whether a fault has occurred on the second trunk; and   upon detecting a fault on the second trunk, transmitting the filtered data traffic received from the external network at the first bridge to the second bridge on the first trunk.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the backbone network comprises a Provider Backbone Bridge Traffic Engineering (PBB-TE) network and the first bridge comprises a Backbone Edge Bridge (BEB). 
     
     
         6 . An apparatus for providing protection switching in a backbone network, the apparatus comprising a first bridge that includes:
 a first port configured to couple the first bridge to an external network and to receive data traffic from the external network;   a second port configured to couple the first bridge to a first trunk in a backbone network, wherein the first trunk comprises a first pair of unidirectional paths on the backbone network; and   a third port configured to couple the first bridge to a second trunk in the backbone network, wherein the second trunk comprises a second pair of unidirectional paths on the backbone network,   
       wherein the first bridge is configured to:
 support one or more service instances each associated with corresponding service instance identifier values; 
 exchange data traffic between the backbone network and an external network using the first port, wherein the data traffic is identified by a service instance identifier; 
 filter the data traffic entering the backbone network at the first bridge based on the one or more service instance identifier values configured for the first port; 
 transmit data traffic having service instance identifier values configured for the first port and entering the backbone network at the first bridge on the first trunk, wherein the first trunk corresponds to a working entity for the service instance identifier; 
 monitor the first trunk for faults by exchanging continuity check messages with the second bridge over the first trunk, wherein an indicator included in each of the continuity check messages indicates whether a fault has occurred on the first trunk; and 
 transmit, upon detecting a fault on the first trunk, the data traffic having service instance identifier values configured for the first port onto the second trunk, the second trunk corresponding to a backup protection entity for the service instance identifier. 
 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein each service instance supported by the first bridge is associated with a respective service instance identifier value. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein each service instance identifier is a Backbone Service Instance Identifier (I-SID). 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the first bridge is further configured to:
 monitor the second trunk for faults by exchanging continuity check messages with the second bridge over the second trunk, wherein an indicator included in each of the continuity check messages indicates whether a fault has occurred on the second trunk; and   transmit, upon detecting a fault on the second trunk, the filtered data traffic received by the first port from the external network at the first bridge to the second bridge on the first trunk.   
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the backbone network comprises a Provider Backbone Bridge Traffic Engineering (PBB-TE) network and the first bridge comprises a Backbone Edge Bridge (BEB). 
     
     
         11 . An apparatus for protection switching on a backbone network, the method comprising:
 means for exchanging data traffic between the backbone network and an external network using a first port of a first bridge connecting the backbone network to the external network, wherein the data traffic is identified by a service instance identifier and the first bridge supports one or more service instances associated with corresponding service instance identifier values;   means for filtering the data traffic entering the backbone network at the first bridge based on the one or more service instance identifier values configured for the first port;   means for transmitting data traffic having service instance identifier values configured for the first port and entering the backbone network at the first bridge on a first trunk, wherein the first trunk comprises a pair of unidirectional paths connecting the first bridge to a second bridge on the backbone network and the first trunk corresponds to a working entity for the service instance identifier;   means for monitoring the first trunk for faults by exchanging continuity check messages with the second bridge over the first trunk, wherein an indicator included in each of the continuity check messages indicates whether a fault has occurred on the first trunk; and   means for, upon detecting a fault on the first trunk, transmitting the data traffic having service instance identifier values configured for the first port on a second trunk that connects the first bridge to the second bridge wherein the second trunk comprises a pair of unidirectional paths connecting the first bridge to a second bridge on the backbone network and the second trunk corresponds to a backup protection entity for the service instance identifier.   
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein each service instance supported by the first bridge is associated with a respective service instance identifier value. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein each service instance identifier is a Backbone Service Instance Identifier (I-SID). 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 means for monitoring the second trunk for faults by exchanging continuity check messages with the second bridge over the second trunk, wherein an indicator included in each of the continuity check messages indicates whether a fault has occurred on the second trunk; and   means for, upon detecting a fault on the second trunk, transmitting the filtered data traffic received from the external network at the first bridge to the second bridge on the first trunk.   
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the backbone network comprises a Provider Backbone Bridge Traffic Engineering (PBB-TE) network and the first bridge comprises a Backbone Edge Bridge (BEB). 
     
     
         16 . A system for protection switching in a backbone network, the system comprising:
 a first bridge; and   a second bridge;   a backbone network coupling the first bridge and the second bridge, wherein the backbone network includes:
 a first trunk comprising a first pair of unidirectional paths between the first bridge and the second bridge; and 
 a second trunk comprising a second pair of unidirectional paths between the first bridge and the second bridge, 
   wherein the first bridge comprises:
 a first port configured to couple the first bridge to an external network and to receive data traffic from the external network; 
 a second port configured to couple the first bridge to the first trunk; and 
 a third port configured to couple the first bridge to the second trunk, and 
   wherein the first bridge is configured to:
 support one or more service instances each associated with corresponding service instance identifier values; 
 exchange data traffic between the backbone network and the external network using the first port, wherein the data traffic is identified by a service instance identifier; 
 filter the data traffic entering the backbone network at the first bridge based on the one or more service instance identifier values configured for the first port; 
 transmit data traffic having service instance identifier values configured for the first port and entering the backbone network at the first bridge on the first trunk, wherein the first trunk corresponds to a working entity for the service instance identifier; 
 monitor the first trunk for faults by exchanging continuity check messages with the second bridge over the first trunk, wherein an indicator included in each of the continuity check messages indicates whether a fault has occurred on the first trunk; and 
 transmit, upon detecting a fault on the first trunk, the data traffic having service instance identifier values configured for the first port onto the second trunk, the second trunk corresponding to a backup protection entity for the service instance identifier. 
   
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein each service instance supported by the first bridge is associated with a respective service instance identifier value. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein each service instance identifier is a Backbone Service Instance Identifier (I-SID). 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the first bridge is further configured to:
 monitor the second trunk for faults by exchanging continuity check messages with the second bridge over the second trunk, wherein an indicator included in each of the continuity check messages indicates whether a fault has occurred on the second trunk; and   transmit, upon detecting a fault on the second trunk, the filtered data traffic received by the first port from the external network at the first bridge to the second bridge on the first trunk.   
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the backbone network comprises a Provider Backbone Bridge Traffic Engineering (PBB-TE) network and the first bridge comprises a Backbone Edge Bridge (BEB).