초록 ▼

A network architecture and service platform for providing virtual private network services ("VPN") over an ATM network. The architecture provides services for voice, video, and data traffic among multiple VPN customers over a shared ATM network by implementing intelligent control devices to perform

A network architecture and service platform for providing virtual private network services ("VPN") over an ATM network. The architecture provides services for voice, video, and data traffic among multiple VPN customers over a shared ATM network by implementing intelligent control devices to perform enhanced processing of ATM call setup messages, including validations and routing translations. Hierarchical routing mechanisms provided by ATM, along with customized customer addressing schemes, are used to overlay customer VPNs as higher-level networks onto the shared ATM network. The control devices translate customer ATM VPN address to internal ATM network addresses. The ATM switch network then performs lower-level network processing, using internal network addressing, to setup a virtual connection for a VPN call. The intelligent control devices may also explicitly state the end-to-end route.

대표청구항 ▼

[ What is claimed is:] [1.] A system for providing virtual private network services over an ATM network shared by multiple users, said ATM network having a plurality of ATM switches interconnected by links, each ATM switch adapted for routing ATM call traffic within said public ATM network, said sys

[ What is claimed is:] [1.] A system for providing virtual private network services over an ATM network shared by multiple users, said ATM network having a plurality of ATM switches interconnected by links, each ATM switch adapted for routing ATM call traffic within said public ATM network, said system comprising:an interface means for generating a call setup message associated with a private network call to be routed within said public ATM network, said setup message comprising information including original source address of a call initiator and an original destination address of a call recipient subscribed to said private network;a processing network having intelligence and including control processing nodes interconnected with one or more ATM switches of said public ATM network;means implemented in said ATM switch for receiving said setup message and for modifying said setup message to include an address of a said control processing node while embedding said original source and destination addresses within said modified setup message; andmeans for routing said modified setup message from an ATM switch to a proximate control processing node at said address specified in said modified setup message,said control processing node comprising means for converting said embedded original source and destination addresses of said modified setup message into ATM network addresses recognizable by said ATM switches and routing said modified setup message back to said ATM switch for enabling said private network call to be routed over said public ATM network, and means for validating said embedded original source and destination addresses of said modified setup message.