3com Corporation

Levent Gun

John G Fijolek

Philip T Robinson

Ronald B Lee

Nurettin B Beser

A method and system for virtual network administration with a data-over-cable system. A virtual networking tag and a network address (e.g., an Internet Protocol address) assigned by a network other than a data-over-cable system is used to provide a virtual network to one or more network devices, such as cable modems via a data-over-cable system. The virtual networking tag may also be used to request a desired service class (e.g., Class-of-Service, Quality-of-Service, Type-of-Service, Service Level Agreements, etc.), for a desired end-to-end networking service (e.g., Voice over Internet Protocol). The virtual networking tag can be mapped to a data-over-cable service class. The data-over-cable service class can be mapped into a transport service class for a transport network. The virtual networking tag is used to provide a desired end-to-end networking service from a network device on a first external network (e.g., an Ethernet Local Area Network), through the data-over-cable system, through a transport network (e.g., Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line, Asynchronous Transfer Mode, Frame Relay, Integrated Services Digital Network, Synchronous Optical Network, Voice over Internet Protocol, etc.) and to a second external network (e.g., another Ethernet Local Area Network). The method and system are used to provide a variety of networking services via and through a data-over-cable system.

Method and system for virtual network administration with a data-over cable system

Methods for providing restricted access for a network device such as a cable modem or customer premise equipment on a data-over-cable system. An unknown or new network device is assigned a restricted network address such as a restricted Internet Protocol address. The restricted network address allows the network device to access less than all of the available features on the data-over-cable system. A connection timer is started on the data-over-cable system for a restricted connection to the network device. The connection timer restricts access to the data-over-cable system over a timed interval. A restricted connection is created between the data-over-cable system and the network device including the temporary restricted network address and the connection timer, thereby providing restricted access to the data-over-cable system over a timed interval. The methods may allow a data-over-cable system to provide restricted connections to unknown or new network devices without a long delay, yet provide security to the data-over-cable system.

Methods for restricting access of network devices to subscription services in a data-over-cable system

A method and system for managing network services such as subscription services from a cable modem in a data-over-cable system. The cable modem receives an initialization message on a cable television connection indicating what services are available on a data network. The cable modem uses a connection to a public switched telephone network in the data-over-cable system to send requests to and receive responses from the data network. A telephony remote access concentrator on the public switched telephone network provides an additional security mechanism by not allowing a cable modem to subscribe to unauthorized services. Using the public switched telephone network does not compromise the security of the cable television network. In addition, the public switched telephone network is used to provide administrative support to the cable television network on lower bandwidth connections by providing an administrative pathway outside of the higher bandwidth cable television connections.

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Lake Forest, IL, United States of America

Levent Gun