Synchronization of client IP binding database across extended networks leveraging BGP control plane

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions that when executed by a computing system cause the computing system to:

• configure, by a switch, a first synchronization identifier to indicate validated Internet Protocol (IP) binding information;
• receive a Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) update message associated with a first client, wherein the BGP update message includes a second synchronization identifier;
• and
• responsive to determining that the second synchronization identifier matches the first synchronization identifier:
• extract from the BGP update message reachability information, which includes media access control (MAC) and IP information associated with the first client;
• validate, based on security policies, the MAC and IP information associated with the first client;
• and
• add the validated MAC and IP information associated with the first client to a local IP binding database, thereby allowing synchronization of the validated MAC and IP information associated with the first client between the switch and other switches.

An computer system, comprising:

• processing circuitry;
• forwarding hardware;
• a logic block comprising:
• a synchronization identifier-configuring block to configure, by a switch, a first synchronization identifier to indicate validated Internet Protocol (IP) binding information;
• a first validating block to validate locally learned IP bindings of associated clients of the switch;
• a BGP update message-managing block to receive a Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) update message associated with a first client, wherein the BGP update message includes a second synchronization identifier;
• an extended communities path attribute-processing block to determine whether and that the switch supports processing based on the second synchronization identifier included in the BGP message;
• a synchronization identifier-matching block to determine that the second synchronization identifier matches the first synchronization identifier;
• a network layer reachability information-obtaining block to extract from the BGP update message reachability information, which includes media access control (MAC) and IP information associated with the first client;
• a second validating block to validate, based on security policies, the MAC and IP information associated with the first client;
• and
• a database managing block to add the validated MAC and IP information associated with the first client to a local IP binding database, thereby allowing synchronization of the validated MAC and IP information associated with the first client between the switch and other switches.