IP forwarding across a link state protocol controlled ethernet network

Abstract

Nodes on an Ethernet network run a link state protocol on the control plane and install shortest path forwarding state into their FIBs to allow packets to follow shortest paths through the network without requiring MAC header replacement at each hop through the network. When a node learns an IP address, it will insert the IP address into its link state advertisement to advertise reachability of the IP address to the other nodes on the network. Each node will add this IP address to its link state database. If a packet arrives at an ingress node, the ingress node will read the IP address, determine which node on the link state protocol controlled Ethernet network is aware of the IP address, and construct a MAC header to forward the packet to the correct node. The DA/VID of the MAC header is the nodal MAC of the node that advertised the IP address. Unicast and multicast IP forwarding may be implemented.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.