USING CONTEXT LABELS TO SCALE MAC TABLES ON COMPUTER NETWORK EDGE DEVICES

摘要

In one embodiment, an access component of a local network edge device receives traffic, and generates a frame for the traffic that includes a remote context label that identifies an access component of the remote network edge device to which the traffic is to be forwarded upon arrival at the remote network edge device, and a virtual circuit label corresponding to a particular virtual service of the traffic. The local network edge device forwards the frame towards the remote network edge device. In another embodiment, the frame may be received at a core component of the remote network edge device, an in response to the remote context label identifying an access component of the remote network edge device, forwarded to the access component, which determines the particular virtual service, and forwards the traffic from the frame out the access component towards an endpoint for the traffic.

主权项

1. A method, comprising:
receiving traffic at an access component of a local network edge device in a computer network; and when the local network edge device is not aware of a remote network edge device in the computer network used to reach a destination of the traffic:
generating a multicast frame for the traffic, the multicast frame comprising,
a virtual circuit label corresponding to a particular virtual service of the traffic, anda multicast context label, andmulticasting the multicast frame from the local network edge device toward one or more remote network edge devices.