Layer 2/layer 3 interworking via physical loopback

A multi service platform, comprising:

• a layer two switching component that transmits data in a layer two network;
• a layer three switching component;
• a physical loopback interconnecting the layer three switching component and the layer two switching component;
• a processor;
• and
• a memory storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations including;
• receiving the data by the layer two switching component, the data specifying an initial routing path extending from the layer two switching component through the layer two network;
• detecting a failure of the initial routing path of the data that extends from the layer two switching component through the layer two network;
• transmitting the data from the layer two switching component to the layer three switching component via the physical loopback in response to the detecting of the failure of the initial routing path;
• determining a new routing path for the data that extends from the layer two switching component through the layer two network that is different than the initial routing path;
• updating the data to specify the new routing path;
• and
• returning the data that specifies the new routing path back to the layer two switching component via the physical loopback.

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium encoded with an executable computer program for transmitting data in a layer two network having layer three routing capabilities that, when executed by a processor, causes the processor to perform operations comprising:

• receiving the data by a layer two switching component of a multi service platform, the data specifying an initial routing path extending from the layer two switching component of the multi service platform through the layer two network;
• detecting a failure of the initial routing path of the data that extends from the layer two switching component of the multi service platform through the layer two network;
• transmitting, via a physical loopback, the data from the layer two switching component of the multi service platform to a layer three switching component of the multi service platform in response to the detecting of the failure of the initial routing path;
• determining a new routing path for the data from the layer two switching component through the layer two network that is different than the initial routing path;
• updating the data to specify the new routing path;
• and
• returning, via the physical loopback, the data that specifies the new routing path from the layer three switching component back to the layer two switching component.