Service Instance Applied to MPLS Network

Abstract

Domain-wide unique node identifiers and domain-wide unique service identifiers are distributed within a MPLS domain using routing system LSAs. Nodes on the MPLS network compute shortest path trees for each destination and install unicast forwarding state based on the calculated trees. Nodes also install multicast connectivity between nodes advertising common interest in a common service identifier. Rather than distributing labels to be used in connection with unicast and multicast connectivity, the nodes deterministically calculate the labels. Any number of label contexts may be calculated. The labels may either be domain wide unique per unicast path or per multicast, or may be locally unique and deterministically calculated to provide forwarding context for the associated path. Multicast and unicast paths may be congruent, although this is not a requirement.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 - 18 . (canceled) 
     
     
         19 . A MPLS network, comprising:
 a plurality of MPLS nodes configured to run a link state routing protocol to enable each MPLS node to build a synchronized view of the MPLS network, the MPLS nodes being configured to advertise interest in service instances via the link state routing protocol and to install forwarding state between pairs of nodes advertising common interest in particular service instances, the MPLS nodes being further configured to locally calculate MPLS labels that will be used by the nodes and by their neighbors to forward traffic associated with the service instance rather than transmitting labels between nodes on the MPLS network.   
     
     
         20 . The MPLS network of  claim 19 , wherein the MPLS nodes are further configured to advertise domain-wide unique service identifiers via the link state routing protocol. 
     
     
         21 . The MPLS network of  claim 19 , wherein the domain-wide unique service identifiers are domain-wide unique MPLS node identifiers. 
     
     
         22 . The MPLS network of  claim 21 , wherein the MPLS node identifiers are domain-wide unique MPLS labels. 
     
     
         23 . The MPLS network of  claim 22 , wherein the domain-wide unique MPLS labels may be used to forward unicast traffic between MPLS nodes on the MPLS network. 
     
     
         24 . The MPLS network of  claim 19 , wherein the locally computed labels are domain-wide unique MPLS labels that may be used to forward traffic associated with the service instances. 
     
     
         25 . The MPLS network of  claim 24 , wherein the domain-wide unique MPLS labels are unicast labels associated with destination MPLS nodes on the MPLS network. 
     
     
         26 . The MPLS network of  claim 24 , wherein the domain-wide unique MPLS labels are multicast labels associated with multicast sources. 
     
     
         27 . The MPLS network of  claim 19 , wherein the MPLS labels are calculated in a deterministic manner. 
     
     
         28 . The MPLS network of  claim 19 , wherein the MPLS nodes are configured to install forwarding state between pairs of MPLS nodes advertising common interest in particular service instances when the MPLS nodes are on forwarding paths between the pairs of MPLS nodes advertising the common interest in the particular service instances. 
     
     
         29 . The MPLS network of  claim 28 , wherein pairs of nodes advertising common interest in particular service instances are multicast sources and multicast subscribers. 
     
     
         30 . The MPLS network of  claim 28 , wherein the forwarding path are shortest paths.