Mechanism for enabling layer two host addresses to be shielded from the switches in a network

A border component configured to be interposed between a plurality of local hosts and a network of switches, comprising:

• a communication channel;
• and
• a communication manager configured to:
• receive, from a first local host of the plurality of local hosts coupled to the communication channel, a first packet destined for a first destination host, wherein the first local host has a first layer 2 (L2) address and a first layer 3 (L3) address associated therewith, and wherein the first packet includes the first L2 address as a source L2 address for the first packet, and includes the first L3 address as a source L3 address for the first packet;
• shield the first L2 address from the network of switches by replacing the source L2 address for the first packet with a substitute L2 address associated with the communication channel;
• and
• send, via the communication channel, the first packet to the network of switches.

The border component of claim 9, wherein the communication manager is further configured to:

• receive, from the network of switches via the communication channel, a third packet, wherein the third packet includes the first L3 address as a destination L3 address, and includes the substitute L2 address as a destination L2 address;
• access a data structure, wherein the data structure comprises a first set of information that indicates an association between the first L3 address and the first L2 address;
• determine, based at least partially upon the first L3 address in the third packet and the first set of information, that the destination L2 address for the third packet should be the first L2 address;
• derive a third updated packet from the third packet, wherein deriving the third updated packet comprises replacing the substitute L2 address with the first L2 address, thereby making the first L2 address the destination L2 address for the third updated packet;
• and
• send, via the communication channel, the third updated packet to the first local host.

A method performed by a border component interposed between a network of switches and a plurality of local hosts, the method comprising:

• receiving, by the border component from a first local host of the plurality of local hosts, a first request packet requesting a layer 2 (L2) address for a first target host, wherein the first local host has a first L2 address and a first layer 3 (L3) address associated therewith, wherein the first target host has a first target L3 address associated therewith, and wherein the first request packet includes the first L2 address as a source L2 address, includes the first L3 address as a sending L3 address, includes the first target L3 address as a target L3 address, and includes an indication that the first request packet is to be broadcasted;
• obtaining, by the border component, the first L2 address and the first L3 address associated with the first local host from the first request packet;
• updating, by the border component, a data structure to include a first set of information indicating an association between the first L3 address and the first L2 address;
• shielding, by the border component, the first L2 address from the network of switches by replacing the source L2 address of the firs request packet with a substitute L2 address associated with a communication channel of the border component;
• and
• sending, by the border component, the first request packet to the network of switches to be broadcasted throughout the network of switches.

A border component configured to be interposed between a plurality of local hosts and a network of switches, comprising:

• a communication channel;
• and
• a communication manager configured to:
• receive, from a first local host of the plurality of local hosts coupled to the communication channel, a first request packet requesting a layer 2 (L2) address for a first target host, wherein the first local host has a first L2 address and a first layer 3 (L3) address associated therewith, wherein the first target host has a first target L3 address associated therewith, and wherein the first request packet includes the first L2 address as a source L2 address, includes the first L3 address as a sending L3 address, includes the first target L3 address as a target L3 address, and includes an indication that the first request packet is to be broadcasted;
• obtain the first L2 address and the first L3 address associated with the first host from the first request packet;
• update a data structure to include a first set of information indicating an association between the first L3 address and the first L2 address;
• shield the first L2 address from the network of switches by replacing the source L2 address of the first request packet with a substitute L2 address associated with a communication channel of the border component;
• and
• send, via the communication channel, the first request packet to the network of switches to be broadcasted throughout the network of switches.

A method performed by a border component interposed between a network of switches and a plurality of local hosts, the method comprising:

• receiving, by the border component from the network of switches via a communication channel, a request packet requesting a layer 2 (L2) address for a target host of the plurality of local hosts, wherein the target host has a first target layer 3 (L3) address associated therewith, and wherein the request packet includes a first L2 address as a source L2 address, includes a first L3 address as a sending L3 address, includes the first target L3 address as the L3 address for the target host for which a requested L2 address is being requested, includes an indication as to whether the request packet is a standard or non-standard address request packet, and includes an indication that the request packet is to be broadcasted;
• determining, by the border component, whether the request packet is a standard address request packet;
• in response to a determination, by the border component, that the request packet is a standard address request packet:
• broadcasting, by the border component, the request packet to all of the plurality of local hosts coupled to the communication channel;
• receiving, by the border component, a first reply packet from the target host, wherein the target host has a target host L2 address associated therewith, and wherein the first reply packet includes the first L3 address, includes the first L2 address as a destination address, includes the first target L3 address, includes the target host L2 address as the requested L2 address for the target host, and includes the target host L2 address as a source L2 address;
• shielding, by the border component, the target host L2 address by deriving a first updated reply packet from the first reply packet, wherein deriving the first updated reply packet comprises replacing the source L2 address of the first reply packet with a substitute L2 address associated with the communication channel;
• and
• sending, by the border component, the first updated reply packet to the network of switches via the communication channel.

A border component configured to be interposed between a plurality of local hosts and a network of switches, comprising:

• a communication channel;
• and
• a communication manager configured to:
• receive, from the network of switches via the communication channel, a request packet requesting a layer 2 (L2) address for a target host, wherein the target host has a first target layer 3 (L3) address associated therewith, and wherein the request packet includes a first L2 address as a source L2 address, includes a first L3 address as a sending L3 address, includes the first target L3 address as the L3 address for the target host for which a requested L2 address is being requested, includes an indication as to whether the request packet is a standard or non-standard address request packet, and includes an indication that the request packet is to be broadcasted;
• determine whether the request packet is a standard address request packet;
• in response to a determination that the request packet is a standard address request packet:
• broadcast the request packet to all of the plurality of local hosts coupled to the communication channel;
• receive a first reply packet from the target host, wherein the target host has a target host L2 address associated therewith, and wherein the first reply packet includes the first L3 address, includes the first L2 address as a destination address, includes the first target L3 address, includes the target host L2 address as the requested L2 address for the target host, and includes the target host L2 address as a source L2 address;
• shield the target host L2 address by deriving a first updated reply packet from the first reply packet, wherein deriving the first updated reply packet comprises replacing the source L2 address of the first reply packet with a substitute L2 address associated with the communication channel;
• and
• send the first updated reply packet to the network of switches via the communication channel.