Fhrp optimizations for n-way gateway load balancing in fabric path switching networks

A computer-readable storage medium storing code for execution by a central processing unit (CPU), wherein the code, when executed by the CPU, performs an operation for performing n-way gateway load balancing in a fabric path switching network, the operation comprising:

• receiving, at an access switch, a first network frame from an active gateway router in a first hop routing protocol (FHRP) group of gateway routers, wherein the frame includes an emulated switch ID assigned to the FHRP group of routers;
• adding an entry to a media access control (MAC) table on the access switch mapping a MAC address associated with the emulated switch to the emulated switch ID;
• receiving, at the access switch, one or more link state messages from one or more respective standby gateway routers in the FHRP group, wherein each of the one or more second link state messages includes the emulated switch ID;
• and
• for each link state message, adding an entry to a switch table indicating a link on the access switch over which the emulated switch may be reached.

A system, comprising:

• a switching device comprising at least a processor and a memory, wherein the switching device is configured to perform an operation for performing n-way gateway load balancing in a fabric path switching network, the operation comprising:
• receiving, at an access switch, a first network frame from an active gateway router in a first hop routing protocol (FHRP) group of gateway routers, wherein the frame includes an emulated switch ID assigned to the FHRP group of routers,
• adding an entry to a media access control (MAC) table on the access switch mapping a MAC address associated with the emulated switch to the emulated switch ID,
• receiving, at the access switch, one or more link state messages from one or more respective standby gateway routers in the FHRP group, wherein each of the one or more second link state messages includes the emulated switch ID, and
• for each link state message, adding an entry to a switch table indicating a link on the access switch over which the emulated switch may be reached.