Internet control message protocol enhancement for traffic carried by a tunnel over internet protocol networks

A first network element (NE) implemented as a network virtualization edge (NVE), comprising:

• a receiver configured to:
• receive a tunnel redirection request message from a second NE, wherein the tunnel redirection request message is a request to re-route a first plurality of packets to a third NE instead of the second NE, wherein the tunnel redirection request message comprises an address of the third NE and a destination address, and wherein the first plurality of packets are overlay network packets;
• and
• receive the first plurality of packets comprising the destination address after receiving the tunnel redirection request message;
• a processor coupled to the receiver and configured to encapsulate each of the first plurality of packets to include a first outer header and a first encapsulation header to form a plurality of encapsulated packets in response to receiving the tunnel redirection request message and determining that the destination address in the first plurality of packets matches the destination address in the tunnel redirection request message, the first outer header comprising the address of the third NE, and the first encapsulation header indicating an encapsulation protocol supported by the third NE;
• and
• a transmitter coupled to the processor and configured to:
• forward the encapsulated packets to the third NE;
• and
• forward a second plurality of packets to the second NE via a path of an IP network, wherein the second plurality of packets are IP packets.

A method for providing communication over a tunnel implemented by a first network element (NE), comprising:

• receiving a tunnel redirection request message from a second NE, wherein the tunnel redirection request message is a request to re-route a first plurality of packets to a third NE instead of the second NE, wherein the tunnel redirection request message comprises an address of the third NE and a destination address, and wherein the packets are overlay network packets;
• receiving the first plurality of packets comprising the destination address after receiving the tunnel redirection request message;
• adding an encapsulation header indicating an encapsulation protocol supported by the third NE to each of the first plurality of packets in response to receiving the tunnel redirection request message and determining that the destination address in the first plurality of packets matches the destination address in the tunnel redirection request message;
• adding an outer header comprising the address of the third NE to each of the first plurality of packets in response to receiving the tunnel redirection request message and determining that the destination address in the first plurality of packets matches the destination address in the tunnel redirection request message;
• transmitting the first plurality of packets to the third NE via an overlay tunnel after adding the outer header to the first plurality of packets, wherein the first plurality of packets are overlay network packets;
• and
• transmitting a second plurality of packets to the second NE, wherein the second plurality of packets are at least one of IP packets and overlay network packets.