Routing frames in a computer network using bridge identifiers

A method of routing frames in a computer network that uses media access control (MAC)-in-MAC encapsulation using bridge identifiers, the computer network including a plurality of bridge nodes, at least one of the plurality of bridge nodes operating as an ingress bridge node through which the frames are received into the computer network, and at least one of the plurality of bridge nodes operating as an egress bridge node through which the frames are transmitted out of the computer network, the method comprising the steps of:

• receiving, by one of the plurality of bridge nodes connected to the egress bridge node by a single hop, a frame that has a shortest path bridging header that includes an ingress bridge nickname and an egress bridge nickname for transmission to a destination node, wherein the destination node is connected to the network through the egress bridge node;
• determining, by the bridge node, that the frame traverses the egress bridge node on the next network hop;
• replacing, by the bridge node in response to the determination, the shortest path bridging header of the frame with an ingress bridge identifier and an egress bridge identifier, wherein the frame including the ingress bridge identifier and the egress bridge identifier does not have MAC-in-MAC encapsulation;
• and
• routing, by the bridge node, the frame including the ingress bridge identifier and the egress bridge identifier to the egress bridge node based on the ingress bridge identifier and the egress bridge identifier included in the frame.

An apparatus for routing frames in a computer network that uses media access control (MAC)-in-MAC encapsulation using bridge identifiers, the computer network including a plurality of bridge nodes, at least one of the plurality of bridge nodes operating as an ingress bridge node through which the frames are received into the computer network, and at least one of the plurality of bridge nodes operating as an egress bridge node through which the frames are transmitted out of the computer network, the apparatus comprising:

• a processor configured to:
• receive, by one of the plurality of bridge nodes from the ingress bridge node, a frame including an ingress bridge identifier and an egress bridge identifier that does not have MAC-in-MAC encapsulation for transmission to a destination node, wherein the destination node is connected to the network through the egress bridge node,
• replace, by the bridge node, the ingress bridge identifier and the egress bridge identifier of the frame with a shortest path bridging header, and
• route, by the bridge node, the frame including the shortest path bridging header along a path toward the egress bridge node based on the shortest path bridging header included in the frame.

An apparatus for routing frames in a computer network that uses media access control (MAC)-in-MAC encapsulation using bridge identifiers, the computer network including a plurality of bridge nodes, at least one of the plurality of bridge nodes operating as an ingress bridge node through which the frames are received into the computer network, and at least one of the plurality of bridge nodes operating as an egress bridge node through which the frames are transmitted out of the computer network, the apparatus comprising:

• a processor configured to:
• receive, by one of the plurality of bridge nodes connected to the egress bridge node by a single hop, a frame that has a shortest path bridging header that includes an ingress bridge nickname and an egress bridge nickname for transmission to a destination node, wherein the destination node is connected to the network through the egress bridge node,
• determine, by the bridge node, that the frame traverses the egress bridge node on the next network hop,
• replace, by the bridge node in response to the determination, the shortest path bridging header with an ingress bridge identifier and an egress bridge identifier, wherein the frame including the ingress bridge identifier and the egress bridge identifier does not have MAC-in-MAC encapsulation, and
• route, by the bridge node, the frame including the ingress bridge identifier and the egress bridge identifier to the egress bridge node based on the ingress bridge identifier and the egress bridge identifier included in the frame.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium for routing frames in a computer network that uses media access control (MAC)-in-MAC encapsulation using bridge identifiers, the computer network including a plurality of bridge nodes, at least one of the plurality of bridge nodes operating as an ingress bridge node through which the frames are received into the computer network, and at least one of the plurality of bridge nodes operating as an egress bridge node through which the frames are transmitted out of the computer network, the computer-readable medium encoded with instructions that when executed cause a processor to perform the steps of:

• receiving, by one of the plurality of bridge nodes from the ingress bridge node, a frame including an ingress bridge identifier and an egress bridge identifier that does not have MAC-in-MAC encapsulation for transmission to a destination node, wherein the destination node is connected to the network through the egress bridge node;
• replacing, by the bridge node, the ingress bridge identifier and the egress bridge identifier of the frame with a shortest path bridging header;
• and
• routing, by the bridge node, the frame including the shortest path bridging header along a path toward the egress bridge node based on the shortest path bridging header included in the frame.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium for routing frames in a computer network that uses media access control (MAC)-in-MAC encapsulation using bridge identifiers, the computer network including a plurality of bridge nodes, at least one of the plurality of bridge nodes operating as an ingress bridge node through which the frames are received into the computer network, and at least one of the plurality of bridge nodes operating as an egress bridge node through which the frames are transmitted out of the computer network, the computer-readable medium encoded with instructions that when executed cause a processor to perform the steps of:

• receiving, by one of the plurality of bridge nodes connected to the egress bridge node by a single hop, a frame that has a shortest path bridging header that includes an ingress bridge nickname and an egress bridge nickname for transmission to a destination node, wherein the destination node is connected to the network through the egress bridge node;
• determining, by the bridge node, that the frame traverses the egress bridge node on the next network hop;
• replacing, by the bridge node in response to the determination, the shortest path bridging header with an ingress bridge identifier and an egress bridge identifier, wherein the frame including the ingress bridge identifier and the egress bridge identifier does not have MAC-in-MAC encapsulation;
• and
• routing, by the bridge node, the frame including the ingress bridge identifier and the egress bridge identifier to the egress bridge node based on the ingress bridge identifier and the egress bridge identifier included in the frame.