Edge Router and Method for Dynamic Learning of an End Device MAC Address
AssigneeAlcatel Lucent
InventorsKamakshi Sridhar, Ludwig Pauwels
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Abstract
An edge router (Broadband Remote Access Server) and a method are described herein that obtain a Media Access Control (MAC) address of an end device (consumer premises equipment). Once, the edge router obtains the MAC address of the end device then it can use Ethernet Operation, Administration and Maintenance (OAM) tools to troubleshoot the end device.
Claims20
A method for obtaining a Media Access Control (MAC) address of an end device, said method comprising the steps of:
- obtaining a virtual MAC address that represents a bridge port in an access node behind which there is located the end device;
- sending a first connectivity fault management message with a destination address set to the virtual MAC address, wherein the access node receives the first connectivity fault management message and then sends a second connectivity fault management message with a destination address set to a multicast MAC address towards the end device;
- and
- receiving a third connectivity fault management message from the end device where the third connectivity fault message has a source address that is set to a MAC address of the end device.
An edge router, comprising:
- a processor;
- and
- a memory, where said processor retrieves instructions from said memory and processes those instructions to enable the following:
- obtaining a virtual MAC address that represents a bridge port in an access node behind which there is located a end device;
- sending a first connectivity fault management message with a destination address set to a virtual MAC address, wherein an access node receives the first connectivity fault management message and then sends a second connectivity fault management message with a destination address set to a multicast MAC address towards an end device;
- and
- receiving a third connectivity fault management message from the end device where the third connectivity fault message has a source address that is set to a MAC address of the end device.
A method for obtaining a Media Access Control (MAC) address of an end device which is part of an access system that also includes an edge router and a plurality of access nodes, said method comprising the steps of:
- obtaining a virtual MAC address at the edge router, where the virtual MAC address represents a bridge port in one of the access nodes behind which there is located the end device;
- sending a unicast loopback message with a destination address set to the virtual MAC address from the edge router towards the end device;
- receiving the unicast loopback message at all of the access nodes;
- discarding the unicast loopback message at the access nodes which do not recognize the virtual MAC address;
- sending a multicast loopback message from one of the access nodes which recognized the virtual MAC address, where the one access node has the bridge port behind which there is located the end device, and where the multicast loopback message has a destination address set to a multicast MAC address;
- receiving the multicast loopback message at the end device;
- sending a unicast loopback reply message from the end device, where the unicast loopback reply message has a source address set to a MAC address of the end device;
- and
- receiving the unicast loopback reply message at the edge router so the edge router is able to obtain therefrom the MAC address of the end device.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.