Direct addressing between VLAN subnets
First Claim
1. A method of transmitting a unit of data from a first device of a plurality of devices in a first virtual local area network to a second device of a plurality of devices in a second, different virtual local area network, where the first virtual local area network is identified by a first virtual local area network tag and the second virtual local area network is identified by a second virtual local area network tag, the method comprising the steps of:
- obtaining connectivity information indicating a location of the second device;
determining, responsive to the obtained connectivity information indicating the location of the second device, that the first device and the second device are each included within a common local area network;
determining, responsive to determining that the first device and the second device are each included within the common local area network, that the second device is located on the second, different virtual local area network;
obtaining the second virtual local area network tag in the first device, responsive to determining that the second device is located on the second, different virtual local area network;
addressing the unit of data to the second device by associating the second virtual local area network tag with the unit of data in the first device;
transmitting the unit of data from the first device with the associated second virtual local area network tag;
receiving the unit of data in each device in the second, different virtual local area network; and
identifying in the second device that the unit of data is addressed to the second device.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A technique for more directly transmitting information between devices in different virtual local area networks ("VLANs") in a local area network ("LAN") is disclosed. A VLAN tag is used to forward a packet into the VLAN in which the destination device resides by attaching the VLAN tag associated with the destination device to each transmission. Devices that are not associated with the VLAN specified by the VLAN tag are thereby segregated from the packet and LAN background traffic overhead is reduced. To determine the appropriate VLAN tag the sending device transmits a NHRP query requesting connectivity information between the sender and receiver, and the receiver or an intermediary router responds with information including the VLAN tag of the receiver. Packets of data are then sent from the sending device to the receiving device with the VLAN tag of the receiver attached thereto so that a more direct connection is established with bridge hops replacing router hops.
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Citations
35 Claims
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1. A method of transmitting a unit of data from a first device of a plurality of devices in a first virtual local area network to a second device of a plurality of devices in a second, different virtual local area network, where the first virtual local area network is identified by a first virtual local area network tag and the second virtual local area network is identified by a second virtual local area network tag, the method comprising the steps of:
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obtaining connectivity information indicating a location of the second device; determining, responsive to the obtained connectivity information indicating the location of the second device, that the first device and the second device are each included within a common local area network; determining, responsive to determining that the first device and the second device are each included within the common local area network, that the second device is located on the second, different virtual local area network; obtaining the second virtual local area network tag in the first device, responsive to determining that the second device is located on the second, different virtual local area network; addressing the unit of data to the second device by associating the second virtual local area network tag with the unit of data in the first device; transmitting the unit of data from the first device with the associated second virtual local area network tag; receiving the unit of data in each device in the second, different virtual local area network; and identifying in the second device that the unit of data is addressed to the second device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A method of transmitting a unit of data within a local area network from a first device in a first virtual local area network to a second device in a second virtual local area network, where the first virtual local area network is identified by a first tag and the second virtual local area network is identified by a second tag, the method comprising the steps of:
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obtaining connectivity information indicating a location of the second device; determining, responsive to the obtained connectivity information indicating the location of the second device, that the first device and the second device are each included within a common local area network; determining, responsive to determining that the first device and the second device are each included within the common local area network, that the second device is located on the second, different virtual local area network; obtaining the second tag in the first device, responsive to determining that the second device is located on the second, different virtual local area network; associating the second tag with the unit of data in the first device; transmitting the unit of data within the common local area network; recognizing the unit of data as being destined for the second, different virtual local area network by examining the second tag; receiving the unit of data in each device in the second, different virtual local area network; and identifying in the second device that the unit of data is addressed to the second device. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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Specification