Ericsson Ab

Redback Networks Inc.

Onno Mark Becker Hof

Said Ouissal

A method and apparatus for providing domainless service selection (DLSS) are described. According to one embodiment of the invention, there is a service selection network element used to provide access of computing devices to a set of one or more services provided by a set of one or more providers. In addition, a web portal allows subscribers to log in and/or select/switch between the services and providers. Responsive to such action by a given subscriber, the web portal causes a record of that subscriber to be altered to reflect the action and causes the service selection network element to attempt to connect the subscriber accordingly. According to certain embodiments of the invention, subscribers' domainless user identifiers are merged by the service selection network element with domain names (stored in a database) of services/providers to form network addresses (e.g., Internet addresses).

Domain-less service selection

A method and apparatus for agnostic PPPoE switching is described. A method in a network element comprises converting Point to Point Protocol (PPP) protocol data units (PDUs) encapsulated according to different protocols into PPP PDUs with a uniform encapsulation, and transmitting the uniformly encapsulated PPP PDUs.

Method and apparatus for agnostic PPP switching

Context selection in a network element through subscriber flow switching. According to one embodiment of the invention, authentication, authorization and accounting is performed for a subscriber desiring to connect to a plurality of services on different contexts. In response, bindings are established to a plurality of contexts for the subscriber. In response to receiving a traffic packet from the subscribed, at least certain header information from the traffic packet is accessed. Based on at least the accessed header information, one of the plurality of contexts is selected for that traffic packet.

Growing community of inventors

Zoetermeer, Netherlands

Onno Mark Becker Hof