Tunnel provisioning with link aggregation

Abstract

A method for processing data packets in a communication network includes establishing a path for a flow of the data packets through the communication network. At a node along the path having a plurality of aggregated ports, a port is selected from among the plurality to serve as part of the path. A label is chosen responsively to the selected port. The label is attached to the data packets in the flow at a point on the path upstream from the node. Upon receiving the data packets at the node, the data packets are switched through the selected port responsively to the label.

1 . A method for assigning and utilizing an Ethernet data port in an Ethernet Link Aggregation Group (LAG) in a Multi-Protocol Label Switching (MPLS) network, the method comprising the steps of:
 assigning, by a first MPLS/LAG switch, a single port of a LAG to a network tunnel, wherein the single port of the LAG meets a bandwidth requirement of the network tunnel, and wherein the single port of the LAG has a port serial number;   dedicating a sub-set of bits in a data packet label prepared by the first MPLS/LAG switch to encode the port serial number of the single port of the LAG into the data packet label;   sending, by the first MPLS/LAG switch, the data packet label, in which the port serial number of the single port is encoded, to a node;   receiving from the preceding node, by the first MPLS/LAG switch, a data packet comprising the data packet label, in which the port serial number of the single port is encoded; and   sending the data packet from the first MPLS/LAG switch to a second MSPLS/LAG switch via the single port having the port serial number encoded in the data packet label.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of receiving from a node located upstream from the first MPLS/LAG switch, by the first MPLS/LAG switch, a message requesting configuration of the network tunnel, the message further requesting the data packet label associated with the network tunnel. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the message comprises an RSVP-TE PATH message augmented with a LABEL_REQUEST object. 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 3 , wherein the request comprises an indication of a service property, and wherein the selecting comprises identifying a port in compliance with the service property. 
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 4 , wherein the service property comprises at least one of: a guaranteed bandwidth; a peak bandwidth; and a class of service. 
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the selecting comprises selecting a single port having a maximum available bandwidth of the plurality of data ports. 
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the selecting comprises selecting a port having a minimum available bandwidth of the plurality of data ports which is not less than the bandwidth requirement of the network tunnel. 
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the switching the data packet is according to a mapping function. 
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the preparing comprises inserting into the data packet label a set of bits that identify the single port; and wherein the switching the data packet comprises extracting the set of bits to determine an identity of the single port. 
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the preparing comprises storing the data packet label along with an identifier of the single port in a memory, and wherein the switching the data packet comprises retrieving the identifier from the memory responsively to the data packet label. 
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising the steps of: selecting a backup port from among the plurality of data ports, different from the single port; and responsively to a service interruption of the single port, switching the data packet to the backup port and sending the data packet to the second MPLS/LAG switch via the backup port. 
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 11 , further comprising the step of responsive to a restoral of the service interruption of the single port, reverting switching of the data packet from the backup port and sending the data packet to the second MPLS/LAG switch via the single port. 
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the first MPLS/LAG switch comprises a Label Switched Router (LSR). 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of designating by the first MPLS/LAG switch, the plurality of data ports in the first MPLS/LAG switch as a single logical port. 
     
     
         15 . An apparatus for assigning and utilizing an Ethernet data port in an Ethernet Link Aggregation Group (LAG), the apparatus comprising a processor, which is configurable to:
 assign a single port of a LAG to a network tunnel, wherein the single port meets a bandwidth requirement of the network tunnel, and wherein the single port has a port serial number;   dedicate a sub-set of bits in a data packet label to encode the port serial number of the single port of the LAG into the data packet label;   publish the packet label upstream; and   a mapper, which is configured to: 
 receive a data packet from an upstream node;
 detect the data packet label in the data packet; and 
 if the data packet contains the data packet label, send the data packet to a MPLS/LAG switch via the single port. 
 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus according to  claim 15 , wherein the processor is configured to make the selection in compliance with a service property. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus according to  claim 16 , wherein the service property comprises at least one of a group consisting of a guaranteed bandwidth, a peak bandwidth, and a class of service. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus according to  claim 17 , wherein the processor is configured to make the selection of a port having a maximum available bandwidth of the plurality of ports. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus according to  claim 17 , wherein the processor is configured to make the selection of a port having a minimum available bandwidth of the plurality of ports which is not less than the bandwidth requirement of the network tunnel. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus according to  claim 15 , wherein the processor is configured to insert into the data packet label a set of bits which identify the single port; and wherein the mapper is configured to extract the set of bits to determine an identity of the single port. 
     
     
         21 . The apparatus according to  claim 15 , further comprising a memory, and wherein the processor is configured to store the data packet label along with an identifier of the single port in the memory, and wherein the mapper is configured to retrieve the identifier from the memory responsively to the data packet label. 
     
     
         22 . The apparatus according to  claim 15 , wherein the processor is further configured to select a backup port from among the plurality of data ports, different from the single port, and wherein the mapper is further configured, responsively to a service interruption of the single port, to direct the first MPLS/LAG switch to switch the data packet to the backup port, and send the data packet to the second MPLS/LAG switch via the backup port. 
     
     
         23 . The apparatus according to  claim 15 , wherein the first MPLS/LAG switch comprises a Label Switched Router (LSR). 
     
     
         24 . The apparatus according to  claim 15 , wherein the processor comprises a network processor. 
     
     
         25 . The apparatus according to  claim 15 , wherein the plurality of data ports are selected from a single logical port. 
     
     
         26 . A method for assigning and utilizing an Ethernet data port in an Ethernet Link Aggregation Group (LAG) in a Multi-Protocol Label Switching (MPLS) network, the method comprising the steps of:
 receiving from a preceding node located upstream from a first MPLS/LAG switch, at the first MPLS/LAG switch, a message requesting configuration of a network tunnel, the message further requesting a data packet label associated with the network tunnel, the message specifying a bandwidth requirement;   assigning, at the first MPLS/LAG switch, a single port of a LAG to the network tunnel wherein the single port of the LAG, which meets the specified bandwidth requirement, wherein the single port of the LAG has a port serial number;   dedicating a sub-set of bits in a data packet label prepared by the first MPLS/LAG switch to encode the port serial number of the single port of the LAG into the data packet label; sending, by the first MPLS/LAG switch, the data packet label, in which the port serial number of the single port is encoded, to anode;   receiving from a node located upstream, at the first MPLS/LAG switch, a data packet that includes the data packet label, in which the port serial number of the single port is encoded; and   sending the data packet from the first MPLS/LAG switch to a second MSPLS/LAG switch via the single port having the port serial number encoded in the data packet label.