US 8,751,686 B2 · Forwarding IPv6 packets based on shorter addresses derived from their IPv6 destination addresses

Abstract

In one embodiment, a packet switching device is configured to convert an Internet Protocol Version 6 (IPv6) destination address, of a received particular IPv6 packet, to a second, shorter destination address. This second destination address is then used to determine forwarding information for the received IPv6 packet, which is forwarded accordingly. In one embodiment, this second address is a 32-bit address, and in particular, an Internet Protocol Version 4 (IPv4) address. Thus, one embodiment can use the IPv4 forwarding infrastructure of a packet switching device for determining how to forward IPv6 packets. In a network according to one embodiment, packets are encapsulated in an IPv6 packet using an IPv6 destination address (that can be converted to an IPv4 address) of an egress edge packet switching device. Thus, core packet switching devices can forward IPv6 packets using IPv4 lookup operations.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A particular packet switching device, comprising:

one or more processing elements;
memory;
a plurality of interfaces configured to send and receive packets;
and
one or more packet switching mechanisms configured to packet switch packets among said interfaces;
wherein said one or more processing elements are configured to perform operations, including:
maintaining said IP routing information;
converting an Internet Protocol Version 6 (IPv6) destination address, of a received particular IPv6 packet, to a second destination address;
performing a lookup operation, on said IP routing information, based on the second destination address to determine forwarding information for said received particular IPv6 packet;
and
forwarding said received particular IPv6 packet from the particular packet switching device according to said determined forwarding information.

8 more elements

A particular network, comprising:

a core network, including a plurality of core packet switching devices, with each of the plurality of core packet switching devices configured to perform operations;
and
a plurality of edge packet switching devices, with each of the plurality of edge packet switching devices configured to perform operations, including communicating packets with the core network, and with one or more external networks or devices;
wherein said configuration of each particular core packet switching device of the plurality of core packet switching devices includes:
maintaining IP routing information for the particular network;
receiving a particular Internet Protocol Version 6 (IPv6) packet, including an IPv6 destination address as the destination address of said received particular IPv6 packet;
converting the IPv6 destination address to a second destination address;
performing a lookup operation, on said IP routing information, based on the second destination address to determine forwarding information for said received particular IPv6 packet;
and
forwarding said received IPv6 packet from said particular core packet switching device according to said determined forwarding information.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Forwarding IPv6 packets based on shorter addresses derived from their IPv6 destination addresses

Life of this patent

Forwarding IPv6 packets based on shorter addresses derived from their IPv6 destination addresses

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20