Triple-tier anycast addressing
First Claim
1. A method for processing, at a first layer 2 switch, a hardware address request comprising:
- receiving the hardware address request from a second layer 2 switch, wherein the hardware address request is directed to an emulated switch, wherein the emulated switch comprises a plurality of routers, and wherein the first layer 2 switch is an edge switch that has an interface with at least one of the routers of the emulated switch, wherein each of the routers of the emulated switch is assigned a same IP (Internet Protocol) address and a same MAC (Media Access Controller) address;
forwarding the hardware address request to a first one of the routers of the emulated switch;
receiving a hardware address reply from the first router, the hardware address reply including an anycast hardware address shared between each router in the emulated switch;
adding a layer 2 network header to the hardware address reply, wherein the anycast hardware address corresponds to the same MAC address that is assigned to each of the routers of the emulated switch; and
forwarding the hardware address reply to a third layer 2 switch.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
In one embodiment, a solution is provided wherein redundant routers are treated as a single emulated switch. When a packet is received at a layer 2 edge switch from a host, the layer 2 edge switch may determine a switch identifier for the emulated switch using a destination anycast hardware address contained in the packet. The anycast hardware address may identify an emulated switch comprising a plurality of routers. Then a header may be added to the packet, the header including the switch identifier. Following that, the packet may be forwarded to another layer 2 switch along a shortest path from the layer 2 edge switch to the emulated switch.
213 Citations
21 Claims
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1. A method for processing, at a first layer 2 switch, a hardware address request comprising:
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receiving the hardware address request from a second layer 2 switch, wherein the hardware address request is directed to an emulated switch, wherein the emulated switch comprises a plurality of routers, and wherein the first layer 2 switch is an edge switch that has an interface with at least one of the routers of the emulated switch, wherein each of the routers of the emulated switch is assigned a same IP (Internet Protocol) address and a same MAC (Media Access Controller) address; forwarding the hardware address request to a first one of the routers of the emulated switch; receiving a hardware address reply from the first router, the hardware address reply including an anycast hardware address shared between each router in the emulated switch; adding a layer 2 network header to the hardware address reply, wherein the anycast hardware address corresponds to the same MAC address that is assigned to each of the routers of the emulated switch; and forwarding the hardware address reply to a third layer 2 switch. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A method comprising
receiving, at a first layer 2 switch, a packet, from a first router in an emulated switch, wherein the emulated switch comprises a plurality of routers, wherein the packet includes an anycast hardware address that corresponds to a same MAC address that is assigned to each of the routers in the emulated switch, and wherein the first layer 2 switch is an edge switch; -
adding a layer 2 network header to the packet; and forwarding the packet to a second layer 2 switch. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7)
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8. A method for processing, at a layer 2 edge switch in a network containing a plurality of layer 2 switches, comprising:
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receiving a packet from a host, wherein the packet includes an anycast hardware address that corresponds to a same MAC address that is assigned to each of a plurality of routers of an emulated switch; determining a switch identifier for the emulated switch using the anycast hardware address; adding a header to the packet, the header including the switch identifier; and forwarding the packet to another layer 2 switch along a shortest path from the layer 2 edge switch to the emulated switch. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10)
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11. A method for processing, at a layer 2 edge switch in a network containing a plurality of layer 2 switches, comprising:
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receiving a packet from a host at the layer 2 edge switch, wherein the packet includes a destination anycast hardware address includes an anycast hardware address that corresponds to a same MAC address that is assigned to each of a plurality of routers of an emulated switch; determining a switch identifier for the emulated switch using the anycast hardware address; adding a header to the packet, the header including the switch identifier; determining a shortest operative path from the layer 2 edge switch to the emulated switch; and forwarding the packet to another layer 2 switch via the shortest operative path. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A layer 2 edge switch for use in a network containing layer 2 switches, the layer 2 edge switch comprising:
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one or more line cards, wherein at least one of the one or more line cards is configured to perform the following, upon receipt of a packet from a host, wherein the packet includes a destination anycast hardware address that corresponds to a same MAC address that is assigned to each of a plurality of routers of an emulated switch; determine a switch identifier for the emulated switch using the anycast hardware address; add a header to the packet, the header including the switch identifier; determine a shortest operative path from the layer 2 edge switch to the emulated switch; and forward the packet to another layer 2 switch via the shortest operative path. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19)
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20. An apparatus that includes at least a processor that is configured to provide:
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means for receiving, at a layer 2 edge switch in a network containing a plurality of layer 2 switches, a packet from a host, wherein the packet includes a destination anycast hardware address of an emulated switch, and wherein the emulated switch comprises a plurality of routers that are each assigned a same MAC address that corresponds to the anycast hardware address; means for determining a switch identifier for the emulated switch using the anycast hardware address; means for adding a header to the packet, the header including the switch identifier;
means for determining a shortest operative path from the layer 2 edge switch to the emulated switch; andmeans for forwarding the packet to another layer 2 switch via the shortest operative path. - View Dependent Claims (21)
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Specification