Managing Layer 1 VPN services

Control Plane architectures enhance transport networks with distributed signaling and routing mechanisms which allow dynamic connection control. As a result, layer 1 switching networks enabled with a distributed control plane can support the provisioning of advanced connectivity services like Virtual Private Networks (VPNs). Such Layer 1 VPN (L1VPN) service allows multiple customer networks to share a single transport network in a cost-effective way. However, L I VPN deployment still faces many challenges. In this work, we are concerned on configuration management and interdomain provisioning of L1VPN services. We propose an L1VPN management architecture based on the Policy-Based Management (PBM) approach. First, we describe the architecture and how it allows a single service provider to support multiple L1VPNs while providing customers with some level of control over their respective service. Then we explain how the architecture was extended to support interdomain L1VPNs by using the Virtual Topology approach. We also discuss the prototype implementation and evaluation of the proposed architecture. Moreover, this work is a tentative note before raising a more deep discussion related to interdomain provisioning of L1VPN services and implications of a policy-based approach for L1VPN configuration management. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.