Systems and methods for enabling leaf isolation in a multi-node tree network

A method for use in a multi-node tree network, comprising:

• receiving, via a port of a first node at an edge of the multi-node tree network, a data packet on ingress to the multi-node tree network, the data packet having a header and payload data, the header having a field comprising a first value indicating that a virtual local area network (VLAN) tag follows in the header of the data packet;
• determining, at the first node, whether the port is a leaf port;
• adjusting the first value at the first node based on the determining thereby changing the first value to a second value, the second value indicating a leaf status of the packet;
• transmitting the data packet to a second node at an edge of the multi-node tree network;
• selecting, at the second node, a port of the second node based on the second value in the field;
• adjusting the second value in the field at the second node;
• forwarding the data packet to the selected port;
• and
• transmitting the data packet from the selected port such that the data packet egresses the multi-node tree network.

A method for use in a multi-node tree network, comprising:

• receiving, via a port of a first node at an edge of the multi-node tree network, an Ethernet data packet having a header and payload data, the header having a tag protocol identifier (TPID) field comprising a first value indicating whether a virtual local area network (VLAN) tag is included in the Ethernet data packet;
• determining, at the first node, whether the port is a leaf port;
• adjusting the TPID field based on the determining thereby changing the first value to a second value, the second value indicating a leaf status of the Ethernet data packet;
• transmitting the Ethernet data packet to a second node at an edge of the multi-node tree network;
• selecting, at the second node, a port of the second node for forwarding the Ethernet data packet based on the second value in the TPID field;
• inserting the first value into the TPID field at the second node;
• forwarding the Ethernet data packet to the selected port;
• transmitting the Ethernet data packet from the selected port such that the Ethernet data packet egresses the multi-node tree network;
• and
• determining whether the port of the second node is one of a group including:
• a leaf port and a root port, wherein the inserting is performed based on the determining whether the port of the second node.

A multi-node tree network, comprising:

• a first node at an edge of the multi-node tree network, the first node having a plurality of ports and configured to receive via one of the ports a data packet having a header and payload data, the header having a field comprising a first value, the first node configured to adjust the field thereby changing the first value to a second value based on whether the one port of the first node is a root port or a leaf port such that the field indicates a leaf status of the data packet;
• and
• a second node at an edge of the multi-node tree network, the second node having a plurality of ports, including at least a first port and a second port, the second node configured to receive the data packet from the first node via the first port and to forward the data packet to the second port based on the field adjusted by the first node, wherein the second node is configured to insert the first value into the field,
• wherein the data packet ingresses into the multi-node network via the first node and egresses from the multi-node tree network via the second node, wherein the first value indicates that a virtual local area network (VLAN) tag follows in the header of the data packet.