Global VLAN services

A computer-executable method, comprising:

• maintaining a mapping that maps a first virtual local area network (VLAN) identifier and an internal virtual identifier to a first global VLAN identifier in a storage device of a switch in a network of interconnected switches, wherein the global VLAN identifier represents a layer-2 forwarding domain in the network of interconnected switches and is distinct from a customer VLAN or a service-provider VLAN, and wherein the internal virtual identifier is local and internal to the switch, and not included in a packet;
• encapsulating a first packet belonging to the first VLAN in a network encapsulation header, wherein the encapsulated packet is forwardable in the network of interconnected switches based on the network encapsulation header;
• and
• including the first global VLAN identifier in the network encapsulation header encapsulating the first packet, wherein a set of bits representing the global VLAN identifier in the network encapsulation header indicates a single value.

A computing system, comprising:

• a processor;
• and
• a memory storing instructions that when executed by the processor cause the system to perform a method, the method comprising:
• maintaining a mapping that maps a first virtual local area network (VLAN) identifier and an internal virtual identifier to a first global VLAN identifier in a storage device of a switch in a network of interconnected switches, wherein the global VLAN identifier represents a layer-2 forwarding domain in the network of interconnected switches and is distinct from a customer VLAN or a service-provider VLAN, and wherein the internal virtual identifier is local and internal to the switch, and not included in a packet;
• encapsulating a first packet belonging to the first VLAN in a network encapsulation header, wherein the encapsulated packet is forwardable in the network of interconnected switches based on the encapsulation header;
• and
• including the first global VLAN identifier in the network encapsulation header encapsulating the first packet, wherein a set of bits representing the global VLAN identifier in the network encapsulation header indicates a single value.