US 9,397,942 B2 · Packet forwarding

Abstract

According to an example, to forward a packet, an access layer device searches a Layer 2 forwarding table according to a source Media Access Control (MAC) address of the packet, and replaces the source MAC address with a mapped virtual MAC address in a matching Layer 2 forwarding entry. The Layer 2 forwarding table is searched according to a destination MAC address of the Ethernet packet. In response to determining that a Layer 2 forwarding entry matching the destination MAC address of the Ethernet packet does not include a MAC address mapped to the destination MAC address, Very Large Layer 2 (VLL2) network protocol encapsulation is performed on the Ethernet packet of which the source MAC address is replaced according to an egress port in the Layer 2 forwarding entry matching the destination MAC address; and the Ethernet packet encapsulated with a VLL2 network protocol header is sent via the egress port.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A method for forwarding a packet, comprising:

receiving an Ethernet packet;
searching Layer 2 forwarding entries in a Layer 2 forwarding table according to a source Media Access Control (MAC) address of the Ethernet packet;
replacing the source MAC address of the Ethernet packet with a mapped virtual MAC address obtained from a Layer 2 forwarding entry matching the source MAC address of the Ethernet packet;
searching in the Layer 2 forwarding table according to a destination MAC address of the Ethernet packet received,
in response to determining that a Layer 2 forwarding entry matching the destination MAC address of the Ethernet packet does not include a MAC address mapped to the destination MAC address, performing Very Large Layer 2(VLL2) network protocol encapsulation on the Ethernet packet according to an egress port in the Layer 2 forwarding entry matching the destination MAC address, and sending the Ethernet packet encapsulated with a VLL2 network protocol header via the egress port.

2 more elements

A routing switch device, comprising:

a first storage, to store machine readable instructions;
a second storage, to store a Layer 2 forwarding table;
and
a processor, to execute the machine readable instructions to perform operations to forward packets, the operations comprising:
receiving an Ethernet packet;
searching Layer 2 forwarding entries in a Layer 2 forwarding table according to a source Media Access Control (MAC) address of the Ethernet packet;
replacing the source MAC address of the Ethernet packet with a mapped virtual MAC address obtained from a Layer 2 forwarding entry matching the source MAC address of the Ethernet packet;
searching in the Layer 2 forwarding table according to a destination MAC address of the Ethernet packet;
in response to determining that a Layer 2 forwarding entry matching the destination MAC address of the Ethernet packet does not include a MAC address mapped to the destination MAC address, performing Very Large Layer 2(VLL2) network protocol encapsulation on the Ethernet packet according to an egress port in the Layer 2 forwarding entry matching the destination MAC address, and
sending the Ethernet packet encapsulated with a VLL2 network protocol header via the egress port.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Packet forwarding

Life of this patent

Packet forwarding

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20