Multiprotocol label switching label distribution method, a related first multiprotocol label switching network element and a related second multiprotocol label switching network element

摘要

The present invention relates to a Label distribution method for distributing a label between a first Multiprotocol Label Switching network element and a second peering Multiprotocol Label Switching network element in a Multiprotocol Label Switching network. Such a label identifies the context of data-packets of a single flow these data-packets being forwarded from the first Multiprotocol Label Switching network elements towards the second peering Multiprotocol Label Switching network element. The first Multiprotocol Label Switching network element adds an unused label to the first data-packet DP1 of the at least one data-packet of the single flow before the step of forwarding the at least one data-packet of the single flow. The second Multiprotocol Label Switching network element, subsequently determines a context for the unknown label retrieved from the data-packets, using a pre-defined algorithm. The second Multiprotocol Label Switching network element then couples the unused label and the context identified using a pre-defined algorithm.