Node device and scheme for sharing common virtual connection indentifier between end-nodes

Abstract

A scheme for sharing a common virtual connection identifier between end-nodes, which enable sharing of a common identifier of a sufficient information length at both end-nodes of a virtual connection. In this scheme, the first message containing a first identifier for provisionally identifying a virtual connection commonly between neighboring nodes is exchanged between neighboring nodes, at a time of setting up the virtual connection. Then, the second message containing a second identifier having a larger information size than the first identifier for formally identifying the virtual connection commonly between neighboring nodes, in a form that enables establishing of a correspondence between the first identifier and the second identifier, is exchanged between neighboring nodes through another virtual connection different from the virtual connection to be set up. The correspondence between the first identifier and the second identifier is managed at each node according to the first message and the second message so as to share the second identifier between neighboring nodes.