Atm over mpls connection establishment mechanism

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for establishing connections between network nodes across an MPLS domain. A data receive node transmits to a data transmit node the service label that the data receive node expects to receive embedded in packets originating from the data transmit node. Any packet that has this service label by the data receive node will therefore be treated and considered by this data receive node as originating from the data transmit node.

1 . A setup message sent from a first node to a second node for establishing a data transfer connection across a domain which only allows unidirectional data flow, said setup message containing a connection service label to be used by said second node when transmitting data to said first node on said data transfer connection.  
   
   
       2 . A setup message as in  claim 1  wherein nodes in said domain implement a specific unidirectional protocol.  
   
   
       3 . A setup message as in  claim 2  wherein said protocol routes data transfer units based on at least one transport label carried by said units.  
   
   
       4 . A response message sent in response to a setup message from a first node establishing a data transfer connection across a domain which only allows unidirectional data flow, said response message being sent from a second node to said first node and containing a connection service label to be used by said first node when transmitting data to said second node on said data transfer connection.  
   
   
       5 . A response message as in  claim 4  wherein nodes in said domain implement a specific unidirectional protocol.  
   
   
       6 . A response message as in  claim 5  wherein said protocol routes data transfer units based on at least one transport label carried by said units.  
   
   
       7 . A data transfer unit being sent from a transmitting node to a receiving node, said data transfer unit having a service label indicating a processing context that determines how said unit is to be processed by said receiving node, said unit being used in a unidirectional data transfer connection and said service label being determined by said receiving node.