Packet data unit (PDU) structure for supporting distributed relay control protocol (DRCP)

A network device to support a link aggregation group, wherein the network device and a neighbor network device are to be included in the link aggregation group, wherein the network device is to be coupled to the neighbor network device via a port, the network device comprising:

• ports coupled to one or more physical or aggregation links of the link aggregation group;
• and
• a processor coupled to the ports, operative to cause transmission of a frame encapsulating a protocol data unit from the network device to the neighbor network device via the port,
• wherein the protocol data unit includes:
• a type field indicating a type of the protocol data unit,
• a version field indicating a protocol version number corresponding to the protocol data unit,
• an aggregator priority field indicating a priority corresponding to an aggregator of the network device,
• an aggregator field indicating a value corresponding to the aggregator,
• an aggregator key field indicating an aggregator key value of the aggregator,
• a neighbor type/length/value (TLV) indicating a neighbor information field, and
• a terminator TLV indicating an end of the protocol data unit.

A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium having instructions stored therein, which when executed by a processor, are capable of causing the processor to perform operations in a network device of a link aggregation group, wherein the network device and a neighbor network device are included in the link aggregation group, and wherein the network device is coupled to the neighbor network device via a port, and the operations comprising:

• encapsulating a protocol data unit in a frame, wherein the protocol data unit includes:
• a type field indicating a type of the protocol data unit,
• a version field indicating a protocol version number corresponding to the protocol data unit,
• an aggregator priority field indicating a priority corresponding to an aggregator of the network device,
• an aggregator field indicating a value corresponding to the aggregator,
• an aggregator key field indicating an aggregator key value of the aggregator,
• a neighbor type/length/value (TLV) indicating a neighbor information field, and
• a terminator TLV indicating an end of the protocol data unit;
• and
• transmitting the frame encapsulating the protocol data unit from the network device to the neighbor network device via the port.