Architecture for managing traffic in a virtual LAN environment
First Claim
1. For a network including a set of local area network (LAN) segments interconnected as a virtual LAN, in which nodes in the virtual LAN are members of one or more logical networks, a method for managing traffic in the network, comprising:
- detecting a multi-destination packet on a LAN segment within the set;
determining, in response to the multi-destination packet, the logical network for which the detected multi-destination packet is intended; and
delivering information carried by the multi-destination packet to nodes authorized to receive multi-destination packets intended for members of the determined logical network.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Network traffic management is achieved based on automatically setting up a plurality of virtual networks (VNETs) within a single large virtual LAN. Multicast/broadcast traffic is confined to the VNET of the source, without imposing constraints on layer two addressing within the virtual LAN. VNETs are domains of users of a virtual LAN which include members of logical networks defined at layer three or higher. One method includes transferring a multi-destination packet originating from a particular node in the virtual LAN by a point-to-point path to a virtual net server. The virtual net server translates the multi-destination packet to a plurality of directed messages identifying nodes authorized to receive multi-destination packets from members of the particular VNET which originated the packet. The directed messages are then forwarded from the virtual net server to the authorized nodes. This way, multi-destination packets, such as advertisement or discovery packets, are confined to a single VNET. By confining the multi-destination packets to a single VNET, unicast packets generated within the virtual LAN are then also naturally confmed to that VNET.
195 Citations
43 Claims
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1. For a network including a set of local area network (LAN) segments interconnected as a virtual LAN, in which nodes in the virtual LAN are members of one or more logical networks, a method for managing traffic in the network, comprising:
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detecting a multi-destination packet on a LAN segment within the set; determining, in response to the multi-destination packet, the logical network for which the detected multi-destination packet is intended; and delivering information carried by the multi-destination packet to nodes authorized to receive multi-destination packets intended for members of the determined logical network. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. For a network including a set of local area network (LAN) segments, an asynchronous transfer mode backbone path operating in a LAN emulation mode, and a plurality of edge devices interconnecting the plurality of LAN segments with the backbone path, and in which nodes on respective LAN segments in the set are members of logical networks defined in layer three or higher, a method for managing traffic in the network, comprising:
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detecting in an edge device on an originating LAN segment, a multi-destination packet intended for members of a particular logical network, in response to a medium access control MAC address in the multi-destination packet; producing in response to the detected multi-destination packet, a plurality of directed messages for nodes authorized to receive multi-destination packets of particular logical network; forwarding across respective virtual channels in the backbone path the plurality of directed messages to edge devices coupled to LAN segments through which the authorized nodes are accessible; and supplying the multi-destination packet in response to the directed messages, from the edge devices receiving the directed messages, to LAN segments, other than the originating LAN segment, through which authorized nodes are accessible. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. For a network including a set of local area network (LAN) segments, a backbone path, and a plurality of edge devices interconnecting the plurality of LAN segments with the backbone path, and in which nodes on respective LAN segments in the set are members of logical networks defined in layer three or higher, a method for managing traffic in the network, comprising:
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detecting in response to a medium access control MAC address of a packet received at an edge device, a multi-destination packet originating from a particular LAN segment; determining the logical network of the multi-destination packet; translating the multi-destination packet to a plurality of directed messages carrying information from the multi-destination packet; forwarding across the backbone path the plurality of directed messages to edge devices; and supplying the multi-destination packet in response to the directed messages from the edge devices receiving the directed messages to LAN segments through which nodes authorized to receive multi-destination packets from members of the determined logical network are accessible, except for the particular LAN segment on which the multi-destination packet originated. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. For a network including a set of local area network (LAN) segments, an asynchronous transfer mode backbone path operating in a LAN emulation mode, and a plurality of edge devices interconnecting the plurality of LAN segments with the backbone path, and in which nodes on respective LAN segments in the set are members of logical networks defined in layer three or higher, a method for managing traffic in the network, comprising:
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detecting in a first edge device on an originating LAN segment, a multi-destination packet intended for members of a particular logical network, in response to a medium access control MAC address in the multi-destination packet, the edge device having ports coupled to the originating LAN segment and at least one additional LAN segment in the set; first supplying the detected multi-destination packet out ports of the first edge device, other that the port coupled to the originating LAN segment, through which nodes authorized to receive messages from members of the particular logical network are accessible; forwarding from the first edge device, the multi-destination packet across a virtual channel in the backbone path to a server; producing in the server in response to the detected multi-destination packet, a plurality of directed messages for edge devices on the backbone path; forwarding across respective virtual channels in the backbone path the plurality of directed messages to edge devices coupled to LAN segments through which the authorized nodes are accessible; and second supplying the multi-destination packet in response to the directed messages, from edge devices receiving the directed messages, to LAN segments, other than LAN segments on the first edge device, through which authorized nodes are accessible. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
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38. A method for managing traffic in a virtual LAN environment in which there are a plurality of logical networks defined at layer three or above, comprising:
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establishing virtual networks in the virtual LAN environment, virtual networks including nodes which are members of corresponding logical networks; and confining, within the virtual LAN, multi-destination traffic originating from nodes within a given virtual network to nodes within the given virtual network. - View Dependent Claims (39, 40, 41, 42, 43)
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Specification