Methods and apparatus for implementing connectivity between edge devices via a switch fabric

An apparatus, comprising:

• a switch fabric device configured to be included within a switch fabric that is operatively coupled to an edge device network operating with a network-address-based protocol such that edge devices of the edge device network communicate via a plurality of multiprotocol label switching (MPLS) tunnels through the switch fabric,
• the switch fabric device configured to be modified without coordination of the edge device network,
• the switch fabric device configured to be operatively coupled to the edge device network such that an edge device of the edge device network can be modified without coordination of the switch fabric.

An apparatus, comprising:

• a first edge device configured to be operatively coupled to switch fabric that is coupled to a second edge device, the first edge device configured to communicate with the second edge device via a multiprotocol label switching (MPLS) tunnel through the switch fabric,
• the first edge device configured to be operatively coupled to the second edge device to define an edge device network such that an edge device of the edge device network can be modified independent of the switch fabric and a node of the switch fabric can be modified independent of the edge device network.