Methods and apparatus for maintaining an integrated routing and bridging interface

A non-transitory processor-readable medium storing code representing instructions to be executed by a processor, the code comprising code to cause the processor to:

• receive, at an edge device, an indication that a first peripheral processing device operatively coupled to the edge device is associated with a first network segment;
• update layer-2 flood route information associated with the first network segment in response to the indication, the layer-2 flood route information including a set of identifiers associated with nodes to which layer-2 flood route information associated with the first network segment is sent when the nodes are operative;
• and
• activate a layer-3 switch interface based on (1) the layer-2 flood route information, (2) the set of identifiers includes an identifier being operative, and (3) a status indicator that is uniquely associated with the identifier, indicating an active status, the status indicator representing a status of a second peripheral processing device of a set of peripheral processing devices associated with the first network segment, the layer-3 switch interface being uniquely associated with the first network segment,
• activate the layer-3 switch interface based on one or more edge devices associated with the first network segment and including at least one layer-2 interface, the one or more edge devices being included in a distributed switch,
• store layer-3 routing information used to route a data packet between the first network segment and a second network segment when the layer-3 switch interface is activated, the second network segment different from the first network segment.

An apparatus, comprising:

• an instance of a layer-3 switch interface configured to provide layer-3 functionality to an edge device of a distributed switch, the layer-3 switch interface being uniquely associated with a first network segment including a port of the edge device, the layer-3 switch interface having an active state and an inactive state,
• the layer-3 switch interface configured to be in the active state based on (1) layer-2 flood route information associated with the first network segment includes an entry having an operative identifier of the port of the edge device and (2) a status indicator that is uniquely associated with the entry, indicating an active status, the status indicator representing a status of a peripheral processing device operatively coupled to the port of the edge device,
• the layer-3 switch interface configured to be in the active state based on one or more edge devices associated with the first network segment and including at least one layer-2 interface, the one or more edge devices being included in the distributed switch,
• the layer-3 switch interface configured to store layer-3 routing information used to route a data packet between the first network segment and a second network segment when the layer-3 switch interface is in the active state, the second network segment different from the first network segment.