Method of supporting communication between network nodes

Abstract

The invention relates to a method of supporting communication between a first network node (AH ) and a second network node (ISR ) of a communications network (KN), to the communications network, to the first and second network nodes, and to a switch controller for the second network node for carrying out the method. Between the second network node (ISR ) and one or more further network nodes (ISR ISR ) of the communications network, information about label resources is exchanged using a label distribution protocol (LDP), whereby the establishment of shortcuts, each of which is formed by a direct Layer 2 connection assigned to a Layer 3 forwarding relationship, is made possible between the second network node (ISR ) and the further network nodes (ISR ISR ). The first network node (AH ) is preconfigured with a set of label resources. The second network node (ISR ) manages the assignment of the label resources available for a connection between the first network node (AH ) and the second network node (ISR ) and preconfigured in the first network node (AH ). The second network node (ISR ) assigns to a shortcut one of the labels from the set of label resources which are available for the connection with the first network node (AH ) and are preconfigured in the first network node (AH ), thus extending this shortcut through the second network node (ISR ) to the first network node (AH ).