Seamless split-horizon flooding of layer two (L2) network traffic on non-native and mixed architectures
First Claim
1. A routing node comprising:
- an interface that receives a packet from a network;
a forwarding component;
a control unit that installs forwarding information within the forwarding component;
wherein, based on stored forwarding information, the forwarding component floods copies of the packet to a plurality of next hops associated with a same layer two (L2) network as the interface on which the packet was received, wherein the plurality of next hops excludes a next hop that corresponds to the interface on which the packet was received,wherein the forwarding component requires that the forwarding information installed by the control unit specify the plurality of next hops to which to flood the copies of the packet and is not capable of deriving the plurality of next hops to which to flood the copies of the packet from a single flooding next hop identifier after the packet is received from the network;
a routing process executing at an application layer of the control unit that maintains routing information in accordance with routes through a network, and wherein the routing process maintains the routing information in a form that specifies the flooding next hop identifier for the L2 network; and
a flooding next hop control module that, prior to receiving the packet, automatically derives the plurality of next hops to which to flood the copies of the packet based on the flooding next hop identifier of the routing information maintained by the routing process and installs the derived plurality of next hops into the forwarding information.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A forwarding component of a routing node floods copies of a packet to a plurality of next hops associated with the same layer two (L2) network as an interface on which the packet was received. The plurality of next hops excludes a next hop that corresponds to the interface that received the packet. The forwarding component requires that forwarding information installed by a control unit specify the plurality of next hops to which to flood the copies of the packet, and the forwarding component is not capable of deriving the plurality of next hops to which to flood the copies of the packet from a single flooding next hop identifier after the packet is received. Prior to receiving the packet, a flooding next hop control module derives the plurality of next hops based on the flooding next hop and installs the derived next hops into the forwarding information.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. A routing node comprising:
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an interface that receives a packet from a network; a forwarding component; a control unit that installs forwarding information within the forwarding component; wherein, based on stored forwarding information, the forwarding component floods copies of the packet to a plurality of next hops associated with a same layer two (L2) network as the interface on which the packet was received, wherein the plurality of next hops excludes a next hop that corresponds to the interface on which the packet was received, wherein the forwarding component requires that the forwarding information installed by the control unit specify the plurality of next hops to which to flood the copies of the packet and is not capable of deriving the plurality of next hops to which to flood the copies of the packet from a single flooding next hop identifier after the packet is received from the network; a routing process executing at an application layer of the control unit that maintains routing information in accordance with routes through a network, and wherein the routing process maintains the routing information in a form that specifies the flooding next hop identifier for the L2 network; and a flooding next hop control module that, prior to receiving the packet, automatically derives the plurality of next hops to which to flood the copies of the packet based on the flooding next hop identifier of the routing information maintained by the routing process and installs the derived plurality of next hops into the forwarding information. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method comprising:
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maintaining routing information in accordance with routes through a network in a form that specifies a flooding next hop identifier; automatically deriving a plurality of next hops to which to flood copies of a packet received from the network based on the flooding next hop identifier of the routing information; installing the derived plurality of next hops into forwarding information; receiving a packet from the network via an interface; in accordance with the forwarding information, flooding copies of the packet with a forwarding component to a plurality of next hops associated with a same layer two (L2) network as the interface on which the packet was received, wherein the plurality of next hops excludes a next hop that corresponds to the interface on which the packet was received, wherein the forwarding component requires that the forwarding information specify the plurality of next hops to which to flood the copies of the packet and wherein the forwarding component is not capable of deriving the plurality of next hops to which to flood the copies of the packet from the single flooding next hop identifier. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A computer-readable medium comprising instructions for causing a programmable processor to:
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maintain routing information in accordance with routes through a network in a form that specifies a flooding next hop identifier; automatically derive a plurality of next hops to which to flood copies of a packet received from the network based on the flooding next hop identifier of the routing information; install the derived plurality of next hops into forwarding information; receive a packet from the network via an interface; in accordance with the forwarding information, flood copies of the packet with a forwarding component to a plurality of next hops associated with a same layer two (L2) network as the interface on which the packet was received, wherein the plurality of next hops excludes a next hop that corresponds to the interface on which the packet was received, wherein the forwarding component requires that the forwarding information specify the plurality of next hops to which to flood the copies of the packet and wherein the forwarding component is not capable of deriving the plurality of next hops to which to flood the copies of the packet from the single flooding next hop identifier.
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Specification