METHOD FOR PROVIDING VIRTUAL PRIVATE NETWORK (VPN) FUNCTIONALITY TO A CUSTOMER EDGE (CE) DEVICE USING A SERVICE PROVIDER (SP) NETWORK, SERVICE PROVIDER NETWORK FOR PROVIDING VIRTUAL PRIVATE NETWORK (VPN) FUNCTIONALITY TO A CUSTOMER EDGE (CE) DEVICE, PROGRAM AND COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCT

摘要

The invention relates to a method for providing virtual private network (VPN) functionality to a customer edge (CE) device using a service provider (SP) network, wherein the service provider (SP) network comprises a provider edge (PE) device, a first virtual provider edge (vPE) appliance and a second virtual provider edge (vPE) appliance, wherein the customer edge (CE) device is physically connected to the provider edge (PE) device of the service provider (SP) network, wherein a first part of a virtual private network (VPN) comprises the customer edge (CE) device, wherein a second part of the virtual private network (VPN) is remotely accessible by the customer edge (CE) device via at least one of the first virtual provider edge (vPE) appliance and the second virtual provider edge (vPE) appliance, wherein the method comprises the steps of: -- receiving, by the provider edge (PE) device, an Internet protocol (IP) data packet from the customer edge (CE) device, wherein the Internet protocol (IP) data packet encapsulates virtual private network (VPN) data being related to the virtual private network (VPN), -- transmitting, using Internet protocol (IP) anycast, the Internet protocol (IP) data packet from the provider edge (PE) device to the first virtual provider edge (vPE) appliance or to the second virtual provider edge (vPE) appliance.