TRILL NETWORK WITH MULTIPATH REDUNDANCY

摘要

Embodiments include a multilevel network with inter-layer multipath redundancy between a first network layer of leaf switches and a second network layer of spine switches. Each leaf switch is connected to multiple spine switches to provide multiple inter-layer communication paths between the leaf switches and the spine switches. Each spine switch is assigned a common Layer 2 and 3 network address, while each leaf switch is configured with an inter-layer link selection protocol to selectively connect only one active inter-layer link between the leaf switch and the wide area layer while disabling all other available inter-layer links between the leaf switch and the wide area layer. Alternative inter-layer links is thus activated without requiring the leaf switch to be configured with a new address for the alternate inter-layer link or relying on any multipath functionality implemented within the spine switches.