Communication based on variable-sized local area network identifiers

#Various example embodiments relate generally to communication systems and, more particularly but not exclusively, to use of various identifiers for supporting communications via communication networks.

#In communication systems, various identifiers may be used to support communications between various elements of the communication systems.

#In at least some example embodiments, an apparatus includes at least one processor and at least one memory including a set of instructions, wherein the set of instructions is configured to, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to support communication of a packet including an encoding of a local area network identifier of a local area network, wherein the encoding of the local area network identifier has a size that is based on the local area network identifier, wherein the encoding of the local area network identifier is based on a set of identifier units. In at least some example embodiments, the set of identifier units includes one or more fixed-sized identifier units. In at least some example embodiments, a number of identifier units in the set of identifier units is based on the local area network identifier. In at least some example embodiments, for each of the identifier units in the set of identifier units, the respective identifier unit includes a first set of bits encoding a respective portion of the local area network identifier and a second set of bits indicative as to whether the respective identifier unit is a final identifier unit in the set of identifier units. In at least some example embodiments, the first set of bits includes seven bits and the second set of bits includes one bit. In at least some example embodiments, each of the identifier units in the set of identifier units has a size of one byte. In at least some example embodiments, the set of identifier units includes at least two identifier units, wherein the local area network identifier is encoded across the at least two identifier units in host byte order. In at least some example embodiments, the encoding of the local area network identifier of the local area network is included within a local area network tag. In at least some example embodiments, the local area network tag includes a tag protocol identifier, a priority code point, and a drop eligible indicator. In at least some example embodiments, the tag protocol identifier is configured to indicate that the packet includes a variable-sized encoding of the local area network identifier. In at least some example embodiments, to support communication of the packet including the encoding of the local area network identifier of the local area network, the set of instructions is configured to, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to receive an original packet, insert the encoding of the local area network identifier of the local area network within the original packet to form the packet, and transmit the packet including the encoding of the local area network identifier of the local area network. In at least some example embodiments, to support communication of the packet including the encoding of the local area network identifier of the local area network, the set of instructions is configured to, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to receive the packet including the encoding of the local area network identifier of the local area network, remove the encoding of the local area network identifier of the local area network from the packet to form a modified packet, and transmit the modified packet. In at least some example embodiments, to support communication of the packet including the encoding of the local area network identifier of the local area network, the set of instructions is configured to, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to generate, based on the local area network identifier, the encoding of the local area network identifier of the local area network. In at least some example embodiments, to generate the encoding of the local area network identifier of the local area network, the set of instructions is configured to, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to determine, based on the local area network identifier, a number of identifier units in the set of identifier units to be used to encode the local area network identifier and encode, within the set of identifier units based on the number of identifier units and one or more properties of the set of identifier units, the local area network identifier. In at least some example embodiments, the one or more properties of the set of identifier units includes an identifier unit size of each of the identifier units in the set of identifier units. In at least some example embodiments, to generate the encoding of the local area network identifier of the local area network, the set of instructions is configured to, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to determine a number of bits n in an available identifier unit available for use in the set of identifier units, determine a maximum value supportable by the available identifier unit based on n−1 raised to a power of two, determine a number of identifier units for the set of identifier units based on a division of the local area network identifier by the maximum value supportable by the available identifier unit and based on a modulo operation of the local area network identifier by the maximum value supportable by the available identifier unit, determine a number of bits for the encoding of the local area network identifier of the local area network based on a multiplication of the number of identifier units for the set of identifier units and the number of bits n in the available identifier unit, create a data structure for the encoding of the local area network identifier of the local area network, wherein the data structure has a size equal to the number of bits for the encoding of the local area network identifier of the local area network, and generate the encoding of the local area network identifier of the local area network based on reading of a set of bits of the local area network identifier of the local area network into the data structure. In at least some example embodiments, the encoding of the local area network identifier is a variable-sized encoding. In at least some example embodiments, the local area network includes a virtual local area network. In at least some example embodiments, the virtual local area network is supported based on a bridging network, a provider bridged network, a provider backbone bridged network, a shortest path bridging network, or a network virtualization overlay network.

#The teachings herein can be readily understood by considering the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

#FIG. 1 depicts an example embodiment of a communication system configured to support communications based on use of a variable-sized virtual local area network (VLAN) identifier (xVID);

#FIG. 2 depicts an example embodiment of an insertion of an xVID tag into an untagged Ethernet frame;

#To facilitate understanding, identical reference numerals have been used herein, wherever possible, in order to designate identical elements that are common among the various figures.

#Various example embodiments for supporting communications for a network (e.g., a local area network (LAN), a virtual LAN (VLAN), or the like) based on use of an identifier of the network are presented. Various example embodiments for supporting communications for a VLAN based on use of a VLAN identifier (VID) of the VLAN are presented. Various example embodiments for supporting communications of a VLAN based on use of a VID of the VLAN may be configured to support use of a variable-sized encoding of the VID (denoted herein as an xVID). Various example embodiments for supporting communications of a VLAN based on use of an xVID for the VLAN may be configured to support use of an xVID that is encoded using a set of fixed-sized identifier units where a number of fixed-sized identifier units used to encode the VID in the xVID is based on the VID (e.g., based on the value of the VID). Various example embodiments for supporting communications of a VLAN based on use of an xVID for the VLAN may be applied within the context of various types of communication networks configured to support communications based on Ethernet networking technologies based on the concept of VLANs. Various example embodiments for supporting communications of a VLAN based on use of an xVID for the VLAN may be applied within the context of various types of communication networks configured to support communications based on VIDs (e.g., bridging networks based on various Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) standards such as various IEEE 802 standards or other types of communication networks in which communications based on VIDs may be supported). Various example embodiments for supporting communications of a VLAN based on use of an xVID for the VLAN may be applied within the context of various types of bridging networks in which VIDs may be used (e.g., bridging networks based on IEEE 802.1Q, provider bridged networks (PBNs) based on IEEE 802.1ad, provider backbone bridged networks (PBBNs) based on 802.1ah, shortest path bridging (SPB) networks based on 802.1aq, or the like, as well as various combinations thereof). It will be appreciated that these and various other example embodiments and advantages or potential advantages of supporting communications of a VLAN based on use of an xVID for the VLAN may be further understood by way of reference to the various figures, which are discussed further below.

#FIG. 1 depicts an example embodiment of a communication system configured to support communications based on use of a variable-sized virtual local area network (VLAN) identifier (xVID).