Network apparatus and method for forwarding packet

Abstract

When a network apparatus of this invention receives an IEEE 802.3ad link application control packet from a subscriber line with a VPWS function, it processes the packet in a control unit without relaying the packet by VPWS. More specifically, the network apparatus receives an IEEE802.3ad link aggregation control packet along with receiving an IEEE802.3x flow control packet. The network apparatus transmits a link aggregation control packet. The network apparatus also relays other layer 2 control protocol packets without receiving them, and does not transmit the other layer 2 control protocol packets.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which;

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the structure of the network apparatus;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the network;

FIG. 3 is a drawing for describing the structural information of the provider edge apparatus;

FIG. 4 is a flowchart for describing the process when the provider edge apparatus receives a packet from the customer edge apparatus;

FIG. 5 is a flowchart for describing the process when the provider edge apparatus receives a packet from another provider edge apparatus; and

FIG. 6 is a drawing showing the table held by the provider edge apparatus.

Claims

1. A network apparatus connecting an MPLS network and a subscriber line for providing layer 2 VPN between the MPLS network and the subscriber line, wherein said subscriber line forms a link aggregate with another subscriber line.

2. A network apparatus connecting an MPLS network and a subscriber line for providing layer 2 VPN between the MPLS network and the subscriber line, wherein said network apparatus executes a flow control process when a flow control packet is received from the subscriber line, and executes a link aggregate process with other subscriber lines when a link aggregation control packet is received from the subscriber line.

3. The network apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said layer 2 VPN is implemented by VPWS.

4. The network apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said packet is relayed when the flow control packet or a packet other than the link application control packet is received from the subscriber line.

5. The network apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said network apparatus selects one link aggregation from among one or a plurality of link aggregation groups based on an MPLS label of the packet received from the MPLS network and sends the packet.

6. The network apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said network apparatus selects one subscriber line from among a plurality of subscriber lines in a link aggregation based on the MPLS label of the packet received from the MPLS network and sends the packet.

7. A network apparatus connecting an MPLS network and a subscriber line for providing layer 2 VPN between the MPLS network and the subscriber line, wherein said network apparatus discards a link aggregation control packet attached with a label when the link aggregation control packet is received from the MPLS network.

8. The network apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said layer 2 VPN is implemented by VPWS.

9. The network apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said network apparatus selects one subscriber line from among a plurality of subscriber lines in a link aggregation based on the MPLS label of the packet received from the MPLS network and sends the packet.

10. A layer 2 VPN network for forming link aggregates from subscriber lines between a provider edge apparatus and a customer edge apparatus.

11. A method for forwarding a packet, comprising the steps of: deciding whether a received packet is a flow control packet or not;implementing a flow control process when the received packet is a flow control packet;deciding whether the received packet is a link aggregation control packet when the received packet is not a flow control packet; andimplementing a link aggregation process when the received packet is a link aggregation control packet.

12. A method for forwarding a packet, comprising the steps of: recognizing an MPLS label of a received packet;deciding whether the received packet is a link aggregation control packet or not; anddiscarding the received packet when the packet is a link aggregation control packet.