# US 2026/0100908 A1 · Effective LAG Load Distribution via L2 Source Forwarding/Routing > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2026/0100908 A1 - Document ID: US20260100908A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 18/908,032 - Filed: 2024-10-07 - Published: 2026-04-09 - Earliest claimed: 2024-10-07 - Assignees: Ciena Corporation - Applicants: Ciena Corporation - Inventors: Marc Holness; Bashar Abdullah; David Gilson - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20260100908A1 ## CPC - H04L 47/122: by diverting traffic away from congested entities - H04L 45/245: {Link aggregation, e.g. trunking} - H04L 47/125: by balancing the load, e.g. traffic engineering - H04L 47/20: Traffic policing - Y02D 30/50: in wire-line communication networks, e.g. low power modes or reduced link rate - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) - Y02D: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES [ICT], I.E. INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES AIMING AT THE REDUCTION OF THEIR OWN ENERGY USE ## Abstract Systems and methods provide Link Aggregation Group (LAG) load distribution via Layer 2 (L2) source forwarding/routing in a network. An apparatus includes circuitry configured to monitor a status of the network, and, responsive to new traffic from an access node, determine a path in one or more LAGs in the network, each LAG of the one or more LAGs includes multiple links aggregated together as a single logical link, wherein the path is determined between the access node and other nodes in the network based on the status. The circuitry can be further configured to provide instructions to the access node for forwarding the new traffic on the determined path. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An apparatus configured to provide Link Aggregation Group (LAG) load distribution via Layer 2 (L2) source forwarding/routing in a network, the apparatus comprising circuitry configured to: monitor a status of the network, and responsive to new traffic from an access node, determine a path in one or more LAGs in the network, each LAG of the one or more LAGs includes multiple links aggregated together as a single logical link, wherein the path is determined between the access node and other nodes in the network based on the status. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the circuitry is further configured to provide instructions to the access node for forwarding the new traffic on the determined path. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the circuitry is further configured to prior to the instructions being provided to the access node, configure the access node and the other nodes for the forwarding. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the instructions include Virtual Local Area Network (VLAN) Identifiers (VID) for tagging packets of the new traffic. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the path is determined between the access node and other nodes in the network based on the status in lieu of using a hashing algorithm in the one or more LAGs to select one of the links associated therewith. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the path is determined between the access node and other nodes in the network based on the status to perform load distribution in the network. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the status includes information about network topology, link states, bandwidth availability, and traffic congestion in the network, such that the determining the path is based thereon. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus is a Path Computation Element (PCE). ### Claim 9 A method for Link Aggregation Group (LAG) load distribution via Layer 2 (L2) source forwarding/routing in a network, the method comprising steps of: monitoring a status of the network; and responsive to new traffic from an access node, determining a path in one or more LAGs in the network, each LAG of the one or more LAGs includes multiple links aggregated together as a single logical link, wherein the path is determined between the access node and other nodes in the network based on the status. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein the steps further include providing instructions to the access node for forwarding the new traffic on the determined path. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the steps further include prior to the providing, configuring the access node and the other nodes for the forwarding. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the instructions include Virtual Local Area Network (VLAN) Identifiers (VID) for tagging packets of the new traffic. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein the path is determined between the access node and other nodes in the network based on the status in lieu of using a hashing algorithm in the one or more LAGs to select one of the links associated therewith. ### Claim 14 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein the path is determined between the access node and other nodes in the network based on the status to perform load distribution in the network. ### Claim 15 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein the status includes information about network topology, link states, bandwidth availability, and traffic congestion in the network, such that the determining the path is based thereon. ### Claim 16 A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions for Link Aggregation Group (LAG) load distribution via Layer 2 (L2) source forwarding/routing in a network, the instructions, when executed, cause one or more processors to perform steps of: monitoring a status of the network; and responsive to new traffic from an access node, determining a path in one or more LAGs in the network, each LAG of the one or more LAGs includes multiple links aggregated together as a single logical link, wherein the path is determined between the access node and other nodes in the network based on the status. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the steps further include providing instructions to the access node for forwarding the new traffic on the determined path. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the path is determined between the access node and other nodes in the network based on the status in lieu of using a hashing algorithm in the one or more LAGs to select one of the links associated therewith. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the path is determined between the access node and other nodes in the network based on the status to perform load distribution in the network. ### Claim 20 (depends on 16) The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the status includes information about network topology, link states, bandwidth availability, and traffic congestion in the network, such that the determining the path is based thereon.