Message forwarding in a virtual local area network

Abstract

In an example, a method for message forwarding in a network includes a first network device learning Media Access Control (MAC) address information received from a second network device. The MAC address information includes a Virtual Local Area Network (VLAN) identifier (ID), an aggregated MAC address, and an aggregated MAC address mask. The first network device receives a message addressed to the VLAN ID and a destination MAC address, and forwards the message to the second network device according to the MAC address information.

1 - 15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . A method for message forwarding in a network, the method comprising:
 learning, by a first network device, Media Access Control (MAC) address information received from a second network device, wherein the MAC address information includes a Virtual Local Area Network (VLAN) identifier (ID), an aggregated MAC address, and an aggregated MAC address mask;   receiving, by the first network device, a message addressed to the VLAN ID and a destination MAC address; and   in response to receiving the message addressed to the VLAN ID and the destination MAC address, forwarding, by the first network device, the message to the second network device according to the MAC address information.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising the first network device:
 receiving, via an interface of the first network device, the MAC address information from an access layer device at a first site,
 wherein the VLAN ID is of a VLAN whose message is allowed to pass through a port of the access layer device, and the aggregated MAC address and the aggregated MAC address mask are configured on the access layer device; 
   disabling a hardware MAC address learning function of the interface of the first network device; and   sending the MAC address information to the second network device, wherein the second network device is at a second site.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising the first network device:
 receiving a message addressed to a VLAN ID and a destination MAC address from the second network device, wherein the destination MAC address belongs to a same MAC address segment as the aggregated MAC address from the access layer device at the first site;   de-encapsulating the received message;   based on the VLAN ID and destination MAC address, searching for the MAC address information using the aggregated MAC address mask and forwarding the de-encapsulated message to the access layer device at the first site according to the MAC address information.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein:
 the MAC address information is received from the access layer device via a Link Layer Discovery Protocol (LLDP) protocol message with a Type-Length-Value (TLV) field that includes the VLAN ID, aggregated MAC address and aggregated MAC address mask.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein:
 the VLAN ID in the MAC address information received from the second network device is a VLAN ID that is allowed to pass through a port of a second access layer device connected to the second network device; and   the aggregated MAC address information and aggregated MAC address mask are configured on the second access layer device.   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the network device is a first aggregation layer device, and learning the MAC information further comprises:
 distributing the MAC address information to a hardware MAC table at the first aggregation layer device.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein forwarding the message further comprising the first network device:
 encapsulating the message with a source IP address in an outer layer Internet Protocol (IP) header and a destination IP address and forwarding the encapsulated message, wherein the source IP address is a carrier interface of a tunnel interface, and the destination IP address is an IP address of the second network device.   
     
     
         23 . A method for message forwarding in a network,
 wherein the network comprises a first network device at a first site, a second network device at a second site, and an access layer device is connected to one of the first network device and the second network device, the method comprising the access layer device:   assigning, based on an aggregated MAC address and an aggregated MAC address mask at the access layer device, a MAC address to a host device connected to the access layer device.   
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein:
 assigning the MAC address to the host device further comprises assigning the MAC address belonging to a same MAC address segment as the aggregated MAC address; and   the access layer device sending the assigned MAC address to the host device via a Data Center Bridge Exchange (BCBX) protocol message with a Type-Length-Value (TLV) field carrying the assigned MAC address.   
     
     
         25 . A network device for message forwarding in a network, wherein the network device is at a first site, the network device comprising a processor to:
 learn Media Access Control (MAC) address information received from a second network device at a second site, wherein the MAC address information includes: a VLAN identifier (ID), an aggregated MAC address and an aggregated MAC address mask configured at the second site;   receive a message addressed to the VLAN ID and a destination MAC address; and   forward the message to the second network device according to the MAC address information.   
     
     
         26 . The network device of  claim 25 , wherein the destination MAC address belongs to a same MAC address segment as the aggregated MAC address, and to forward the message to the second network device, the processor is to search for the MAC address information based on the aggregated MAC address mask. 
     
     
         27 . The network device of  claim 25 , wherein the network device is a first aggregation device layer, and the processor is further to:
 learn local MAC address information received via an interface of the first aggregation layer device from an access layer device at the first site, wherein the local MAC address information includes: a VLAN ID of a VLAN whose traffic is allowed to pass through a port of the access layer device, and an aggregated MAC address and an aggregated MAC address mask configured on the access layer device;   disable a hardware MAC address learning function of the interface of the first aggregation layer device; and   send the local MAC address information to the second network device.   
     
     
         28 . The network device of  claim 26 , wherein the processor is further to:
 receive a message addressed to a VLAN ID and a destination MAC address from the second network device, wherein the destination MAC address belongs to a same MAC address segment as the aggregated MAC address in the local MAC address information;   de-encapsulate the received message;   based on the VLAN ID and destination MAC address, search for the local MAC address information by way of mask matching using the aggregated MAC address mask in the local MAC information and forward the de-encapsulated message to the access layer device at the first site network according to the local MAC address information.   
     
     
         29 . The network device of  claim 26 , wherein the processor is to:
 receive the local MAC address information from the first access layer device via a Link Layer Discovery Protocol (LLDP) protocol message with a Type-Length-Value (TLV) field that includes the VLAN ID, aggregated MAC address and aggregated MAC address mask.   
     
     
         30 . The network device of  claim 25 , wherein:
 the VLAN ID in the MAC address information received from the second network device is a VLAN ID that is allowed to pass through a port of a second access layer device connected to the second network device; and   the aggregated MAC address information and aggregated MAC address mask are configured on the second access layer device.   
     
     
         31 . A network device for message forwarding in a network comprising:
 an aggregated MAC address and an aggregated MAC address mask; and   a processor to:   assign a MAC address to a host device connected to the network device, wherein the MAC address belongs to a same MAC address segment as the aggregated MAC address.