Transparently providing layer two (L2) services across intermediate computer networks

A device comprising:

• one or more interface cards configured to communicate packets via input links and output links;
• a routing process that receives, via packets received by the one or more interface cards, label information for a label switched path (LSP) through a plurality of intermediate networks communicatively coupled between a first customer network and a second customer network;
• a first routing protocol that executes on a control unit of the device, establishes a peering session between the device and a second device associated with the second customer network, and receives a routing communication over the peering session that includes layer two (L2) service information associated with the second customer network, wherein the first routing protocol comprises an exterior routing protocol, wherein the L2 service information comprises L2 address state information for devices in the second customer network, wherein the L2 service information includes information for L2 sites or end-points in the second customer network and next hop information used by the device to reach the remote L2 sites or end-points, wherein the device is configured to relay the next hop information unchanged using the exterior routing protocol when the device receives the L2 service information and the next hop information via an intermediate route relay device, wherein the control unit processes the L2 service information in accordance with the first routing protocol by injecting the L2 service information into stored route information and resolving the route information to associate routes associated with the injected L2 service information with respective next-hops;
• and
• an L2 service that operates in accordance with the L2 service information and transports L2 communications between the first customer network and the second customer network through the plurality of intermediate networks in accordance with the label information by outputting the L2 communications via the output links of the one or more interface cards.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform steps comprising:

• execute a routing process that receives, via a routing communication that conforms to a first routing protocol, label information for a label switched path (LSP) through a plurality of intermediate networks communicatively coupled between a first customer network and a second customer network, wherein the first routing protocol comprises an exterior routing protocol;
• receive, over a peering session established with the first routing protocol between the first customer network and the second customer network, layer two (L2) service information comprising L2 address state information for devices in the second customer network, wherein the L2 service information includes information for L2 sites or end-points within the second customer network and next hop information used to reach the L2 sites or end-points;
• relay the next hop information unchanged using the exterior routing protocol when the device receives the L2 service information and the next hop information via an intermediate route relay device;
• process, in accordance with the first routing protocol, the L2 service information by injecting the L2 service information into stored route information and resolving the route information to associate routes associated with the injected L2 service information with respective next-hops;
• execute a L2 service that processes the L2 service information associated with the second customer network to extract the L2 address state information;
• and
• transport L2 communications between the first customer network and the second customer network through the plurality of intermediate networks in accordance with the L2 address state information using the LSP to emulate L2 connectivity across the intermediate networks.