# US 11,310,079 B2 · EVPN packet processing method, device, and system for MAC learning via MAC/IP advertisement route

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- Number: US 11,310,079 B2
- Document ID: US11310079B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/570,807
- Filed: 2019-09-13
- Published: 2020-01-09
- Granted: 2022-04-19
- Earliest claimed: 2017-03-14
- Assignees: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd.
- Applicants: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd.
- Inventors: Haibo Wang; Shunwan Zhuang; Qiao Liu
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11310079B2

## CPC

- H04L 12/4641: {Virtual LANs, VLANs, e.g. virtual private networks [VPN] (LAN interconnection over a bridge based backbone H04L12/462; encapsulation techniques H04L12/4633; routing of packets H04L45/00; packet switches H04L49/00; virtual private networks for security H04L63/0272)}
- H04L 12/4675: {Dynamic sharing of VLAN information amongst network nodes (configuration of the network or of network elements H04L41/08)}
- H04L 45/033: by updating distance vector protocols
- H04L 45/22: {Alternate routing}
- H04L 45/28: using route fault recovery
- H04L 45/66: {Layer 2 routing, e.g. in Ethernet based MAN's}
- H04L 63/0272: {Virtual private networks}
- H04L 2101/622: Layer-2 addresses, e.g. medium access control [MAC] addresses
- H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M)

## Abstract

A method includes a second provider edge (PE) device sending, to a first PE device, a media access control (MAC) route learned from a customer edge (CE) device, wherein the first PE device generates a MAC forwarding entry based on the MAC route, wherein the first PE device may forward, based on the MAC forwarding entry using the CE device, a packet whose destination MAC address is the CE device or a MAC address of a terminal device accessing the CE device, and wherein an outbound interface identifier included in the MAC forwarding entry is an identifier of an interface connected to the CE device.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A packet processing method applied to an Ethernet virtual private network (EVPN) in which a customer edge (CE) device is connected to a first interface of a first provider edge (PE) device over a first link, wherein the CE device is connected to a second interface of a second PE device over a second link, and wherein the method comprises:
receiving, by the first PE device, a first message from the second PE device, wherein the first message carries a first media access control/Internet Protocol (MAC/IP) advertisement route, wherein the first MAC/IP advertisement route comprises a first MAC address and an Ethernet segment identifier (ESI) identifying an Ethernet segment (ES), wherein the first MAC address is of the CE device or of a terminal device managed by the CE device, and wherein the ES comprises the first link and the second link;
generating, by the first PE device based on the first MAC/IP advertisement route, a first MAC forwarding entry comprising an outbound interface identifier identifying the first interface and the first MAC address; and
using, by the first PE device, the first MAC forwarding entry to forward, to the CE device, a packet whose destination MAC address is the first MAC address.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the first message further carries a network address of the second PE device, and wherein the method further comprises:
obtaining, by the first PE device, the network address of the second PE device based on the first message; and
generating, by the first PE device, a second MAC forwarding entry based on the first MAC address and the network address of the second PE device, wherein the second MAC forwarding entry comprises the first MAC address and a second outbound interface identifier identifying a third interface of the first PE device, wherein the third interface is an interface between the first PE device and the second PE device, and wherein the second MAC forwarding entry is used as a backup entry to forward a packet whose destination MAC address is the first MAC address when the first link is faulty.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The method according to claim 2, wherein after receiving, by the first PE device, a first message from the second PE device, the method further comprises:
generating, by the first PE device, a second message, wherein the second message carries a second MAC/IP advertisement route, wherein the second MAC/IP advertisement route comprises a second MAC address and the ESI, wherein the second MAC address is the same as the first MAC address; and
sending, by the first PE device, the second message to the second PE device.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the first message is a first Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) update message.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The method according to claim 4, wherein after receiving, by the first PE device, the first message from the second PE device, the method further comprises:
generating, by the first PE device, a second message, wherein the second message carries a second MAC/IP advertisement route, wherein the second MAC/IP advertisement route comprises a second MAC address and the ESI, wherein the second MAC address is the same as the first MAC address; and
sending, by the first PE device, the second message to the second PE device.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein after receiving, by the first PE device, the first message from the second PE device, the method further comprises:
generating, by the first PE device, a second message, wherein the second message carries a second MAC/IP advertisement route, wherein the second MAC/IP advertisement route comprises a second MAC address and the ESI, wherein the second MAC address is the same as the first MAC address; and
sending, by the first PE device, the second message to the second PE device.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The method according to claim 6, wherein the second message further carries instruction information, and wherein the instruction information instructs the second PE device not to send, to the first PE device after the second PE device receives the second message, a MAC/IP advertisement route through which the second MAC address is reached.

### Claim 8

A first provider edge (PE) device in an Ethernet virtual private network (EVPN) in which a customer edge (CE) device is connected to a first interface of the first PE device over a first link, wherein the CE device is connected to a second interface of a second PE device over a second link, and wherein the first PE device comprises:
a receiver configured to receive a first message from the second PE device, wherein the first message carries a first media access control/Internet Protocol (MAC/IP) advertisement route, wherein the first MAC/IP advertisement route comprises a first MAC address and an Ethernet segment identifier (ESI) to identify an Ethernet segment (ES), wherein the first MAC address is of the CE device or of a terminal device managed by the CE device, and wherein the ES comprises the first link and the second link;
a processor coupled to the receiver; and
a memory storing a program comprising instructions to be executed in the processor such that when executed, cause the first PE device to:
generate, based on the first MAC/IP advertisement route, a first MAC forwarding entry comprising an outbound interface identifier identifying the first interface and the first MAC address; and
use the first MAC forwarding entry to forward, to the CE device, a packet whose destination MAC address is the first MAC address.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The first PE device according to claim 8, wherein the first message further carries a network address of the second PE device, and wherein the instructions further cause the first PE device to:
obtain the network address of the second PE device based on the first message; and
generate a second MAC forwarding entry based on the first MAC address and the network address of the second PE device, wherein the second MAC forwarding entry comprises the first MAC address and a second outbound interface identifier identifying a third interface of the first PE device, wherein the third interface is an interface between the first PE device and the second PE device, and wherein the second MAC forwarding entry is used as a backup entry to forward a packet whose destination MAC address is the first MAC address when the first link is faulty.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The first PE device according to claim 9, wherein the instructions further cause the first PE device to generate a second message after the receiver receives the first message from the second PE device, wherein the second message carries a second MAC/IP advertisement route, wherein the second MAC/IP advertisement route comprises a second MAC address and the ESI, wherein the second MAC address is the same as the first MAC address, and wherein the first PE device further comprises a transmitter configured to send the second message to the second PE device.

### Claim 11 (depends on 8)

The first PE device according to claim 8, wherein the instructions further cause the first PE device to generate a second message after the receiver receives the first message from the second PE device, wherein the second message carries a second MAC/IP advertisement route, wherein the second MAC/IP advertisement route comprises a second MAC address and the ESI, wherein the second MAC address is the same as the first MAC address, and wherein the first PE device further comprises a transmitter configured to send the second message to the second PE device.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The first PE device according to claim 11, wherein the second message further carries instruction information, and wherein the instruction information instructs the second PE device not to send, to the first PE device after the second PE device receives the second message, a MAC/IP advertisement route through which the second MAC address is reached.

### Claim 13

A non-transitory computer medium applied to an Ethernet virtual private network (EVPN) in which a customer edge (CE) device is connected to a first interface of a first provider edge (PE) device over a first link, wherein the CE device is connected to a second interface of a second PE device over a second link, and wherein the non-transitory computer medium stores instructions executable by a processor of the first PE device such that when executed, cause the first PE device to implement a method comprising:
receiving a first message from the second PE device, wherein the first message carries a first media access control/Internet Protocol (MAC/IP) advertisement route, wherein the first MAC/IP advertisement route comprises a first MAC address and an Ethernet segment identifier (ESI) to identify an Ethernet segment (ES), wherein the first MAC address is of the CE device or of a terminal device managed by the CE device, and wherein the ES comprises the first link and the second link;
generating, based on the first MAC/IP advertisement route, a first MAC forwarding entry comprising an outbound interface identifier identifying the first interface and the first MAC address; and
using the first MAC forwarding entry to forward, to the CE device, a packet whose destination MAC address is the first MAC address.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The non-transitory computer medium according to claim 13, wherein the first message further carries a network address of the second PE device, and wherein the method further comprises:
obtaining the network address of the second PE device based on the first message; and
generating a second MAC forwarding entry based on the first MAC address and the network address of the second PE device, wherein the second MAC forwarding entry comprises the first MAC address and a second outbound interface identifier identifying a third interface of the first PE device, wherein the third interface is an interface between the first PE device and the second PE device, wherein a next hop network address in the second MAC forwarding entry is the network address of the second PE device, and wherein the second MAC forwarding entry is used as a backup entry to forward a packet whose destination MAC address is the first MAC address when the first link is faulty.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The non-transitory computer medium according to claim 14, wherein after receiving, by the first PE device, a first message from the second PE device, the method further comprises:
generating a second message, wherein the second message carries a second MAC/IP advertisement route, wherein the second MAC/IP advertisement route comprises a second MAC address and the ESI, and wherein the second MAC address is the same as the first MAC address; and
sending the second message to the second PE device.

### Claim 16 (depends on 13)

The non-transitory computer medium according to claim 13, wherein the first message is a first Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) update message.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The non-transitory computer medium according to claim 16, wherein after receiving the first message from second PE device, the method further comprises:
generating a second message, wherein the second message carries a second MAC/IP advertisement route, wherein the second MAC/IP advertisement route comprises a second MAC address and the ESI, wherein the second MAC address is the same as the first MAC address; and
sending the second message to the second PE device.

### Claim 18 (depends on 13)

The non-transitory computer medium according to claim 13, wherein after receiving the first message from the second PE device, the method further comprises:
generating a second message, wherein the second message carries a second MAC/IP advertisement route, wherein the second MAC/IP advertisement route comprises a second MAC address and the ESI, wherein the second MAC address is the same as the first MAC address; and
sending, by the first PE device, the second message to the second PE device.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The non-transitory computer medium according to claim 18, wherein the second message further carries instruction information, and wherein the instruction information instructs the second PE device not to send, to the first PE device after the second PE device receives the second message, a MAC/IP advertisement route through which the second MAC address is reached.

### Claim 20

A system applied to an Ethernet virtual private network (EVPN), the system comprising:
a customer edge (CE) device;
a first provider edge (PE) device comprising a first interface connected to the CE device over a first link; and
a second PE device comprising a second interface connected to the CE device over a second link,
wherein the first PE device comprises:
a receiver configured to receive a first message from the second PE device, wherein the first message carries a first media access control/Internet Protocol (MAC/IP) advertisement route, wherein the first MAC/IP advertisement route comprises a first MAC address and an Ethernet segment identifier (ESI) to identify an Ethernet segment (ES), wherein the first MAC address is of the CE device or of a terminal device managed by the CE device, and wherein the ES comprises the first link and the second link;
a processor coupled to the receiver; and
a memory storing instructions to be executed by the processor such that when executed, cause the first PE device to:
generate, based on the first MAC/IP advertisement route, a first MAC forwarding entry comprising an outbound interface identifier identifying the first interface and the first MAC address; and
use the first MAC forwarding entry to forward, to the CE device, a packet whose destination MAC address is the first MAC address.

### Claim 21 (depends on 20)

The system according to claim 20, wherein the first message further carries a network address of the second PE device, and wherein the instructions further cause the first PE device to:
obtain the network address of the second PE device based on the first message; and
generate a second MAC forwarding entry based on the first MAC address and the network address of the second PE device, wherein the second MAC forwarding entry comprises the first MAC address and a second outbound interface identifier identifying a third interface of the first PE device, wherein the third interface is an interface between the first PE device and the second PE device, and wherein the second MAC forwarding entry is used as a backup entry to forward a packet whose destination MAC address is the first MAC address when the first link is faulty.

### Claim 22 (depends on 20)

The system according to claim 20, wherein the instructions further cause the first PE device to generate a second message after the receiver receives the first message from the second PE device, wherein the second message carries a second MAC/IP advertisement route, wherein the second MAC/IP advertisement route comprises a second MAC address and the ESI, wherein the second MAC address is the same as the first MAC address, and wherein the first PE device further comprises a transmitter configured to send the second message to the second PE device.

### Claim 23 (depends on 22)

The system according to claim 22, wherein the second PE device comprises:
a second receiver configured to receive the second message;
a second processor coupled to the second receiver; and
a second memory storing second instructions to be executed by the second processor such that when executed, cause the second PE device to generate a third MAC forwarding entry, wherein the third MAC forwarding entry comprises the first MAC address and a second outbound interface identifier identifying the second interface.