Methods, aggregation devices, and computer program products for distinguishing between sub-networks coupled to aggregation device ports by using an independent sub-network identifier domain space for each port
View Patent ↗An aggregation device that connects a plurality of internal sub-networks processes a packet that is destined for one of the plurality of sub-networks. The aggregation device receives the packet and determines an internal sub-network identification value based on the combination of an external sub-network identification value that is in the packet, and a port of the aggregation device to which the one of the plurality of internal sub-networks is connected. The aggregation device may also determine an external sub-network identification value based on an internal sub-network identification value that is associated with a port of the aggregation device to which one of the plurality of internal sub-networks is connected. The external sub-network identification value is stored in the packet and the packet is transmitted on the port of the aggregation device to which the one of the plurality of internal sub-networks is connected.
1. A method of processing a packet in an aggregation device that connects a plurality of internal sub-networks, comprising:
receiving a packet that is destined for one of the plurality of internal sub-networks; and
determining an internal sub-network identification value based on an external sub-network identification value stored in the packet and a port of the aggregation device to which the one of the plurality of internal sub-networks is connected.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the internal sub-network identification value comprises:
associating a data structure with the port, the data structure associating external sub-network identification values with internal sub-network identification values.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the data structure is a table, and wherein determining the internal sub-network identification value comprises:
using the external sub-network identification value to index the table to obtain the internal sub-network identification value.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the internal sub-network identification value comprises:
storing internal sub-network identification values in a hash table; and
accessing the hash table using a combination of the port and the external sub-network identification value as a key to obtain the internal sub-network identification value.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the internal sub-network identification value comprises:
providing a content addressable memory (CAM); and
using a combination of the port and the external sub-network identification value to access a memory location in the CAM to obtain the internal sub-network identification value stored thereat.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of internal sub-networks comprise a plurality of virtual local area networks (VLANs), respectively, and wherein the external sub-network identification value is a VLAN tag value.
7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the plurality of VLANs communicate with the aggregation device using the Ethernet networking standard.
8. The method of claim 7 , wherein receiving the packet comprises:
receiving the packet that is destined for one of the plurality of internal sub-networks, the packet comprising an EtherType protocol value indicating that the packet is to be treated as if it does have a VLAN tag value.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the aggregation device is a router.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the aggregation device is a switch.
11. A method of processing a packet in an aggregation device that connects a plurality of internal sub-networks, comprising:
determining an external sub-network identification value used in a carrier network based on a port of the aggregation device to which the one of the plurality of internal sub-networks is connected and based on an internal sub-network identification value that is associated with the port;
storing the external sub-network identification value in the packet; and
transmitting the packet on the carrier network.
12. The method of claim 11 , wherein determining the external sub-network identification value comprises:
associating internal sub-network identification values with external sub-network identification values in a data structure.
13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the data structure is a table, and wherein determining the external sub-network identification value comprises:
using the internal sub-network identification value to index the table to obtain the external sub-network identification value.
14. The method of claim 11 , wherein determining the external sub-network identification value comprises:
storing external sub-network identification values in a hash table; and
accessing the hash table using a combination of the port and the internal sub-network identification value as a key to obtain the internal sub-network identification value.
15. The method of claim 11 , wherein determining the external sub-network identification value comprises:
providing a content addressable memory (CAM); and
using a combination of the port and the internal sub-network identification value to access a memory location in the CAM to obtain the external sub-network identification value stored thereat.
16. The method of claim 11 , wherein the plurality of internal sub-networks comprise a plurality of virtual local area networks (VLANs), respectively, and wherein the external sub-network identification value is a VLAN tag value.
17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the plurality of VLANs communicate with the aggregation device using the Ethernet networking standard.
18. The method of claim 17 , further comprising:
setting an EtherType protocol to a value indicating that the packet is to be treated as if it does have a VLAN tag value.
19. The method of claim 11 , wherein the aggregation device is a router.
20. The method of claim 11 , wherein the aggregation device is a switch.
21. An aggregation device that connects a plurality of internal sub-networks, comprising:
means for receiving a packet that is destined for one of the plurality of internal sub-networks; and
means for determining an internal sub-network identification value based on an external sub-network identification value stored in the packet and a port of the aggregation device to which the one of the plurality of internal sub-networks is connected.
22. The aggregation device of claim 21 , wherein the means for determining the internal sub-network identification value comprises:
means for associating a data structure with the port, the data structure associating external sub-network identification values with internal sub-network identification values.
23. The aggregation device of claim 22 , wherein the data structure is a table, and wherein the means for determining the internal sub-network identification value comprises:
means for using the external sub-network identification value to index the table to obtain the internal sub-network identification value.
24. The aggregation device of claim 21 , wherein the means for determining the internal sub-network identification value comprises:
means for storing internal sub-network identification values in a hash table; and
means for accessing the hash table using a combination of the port and the external sub-network identification value as a key to obtain the internal sub-network identification value.
25. The aggregation device of claim 21 , wherein the means for determining the internal sub-network identification value comprises:
means for providing a content addressable memory (CAM); and
means for using a combination of the port and the external sub-network identification value to access a memory location in the CAM to obtain the internal sub-network identification value stored thereat.
26. The aggregation device of claim 21 , wherein the plurality of internal sub-networks comprise a plurality of virtual local area networks (VLANs), respectively, and wherein the external sub-network identification value is a VLAN tag value.
27. The aggregation device of claim 26 , wherein the plurality of VLANs communicate with the aggregation device using the Ethernet networking standard.
28. The aggregation device of claim 27 , wherein the means for receiving the packet comprises:
means for receiving the packet that is destined for one of the plurality of internal sub-networks, the packet comprising an EtherType protocol value indicating that the packet is to be treated as if it does have a VLAN tag value.
29. The aggregation device of claim 21 , wherein the aggregation device is a router.
30. The aggregation device of claim 21 , wherein the aggregation device is a switch.
31. An aggregation device that connects a carrier network to a plurality of internal sub-networks, comprising:
means for determining an external sub-network identification value used in a carrier network based on a port of the aggregation device to which the one of the plurality of internal sub-networks is connected and based on an internal sub-network identification value that is associated with the port;
means for storing the external sub-network identification value in the packet; and
means for transmitting the packet on the carrier network.
32. The aggregation device of claim 31 , wherein the means for determining the external sub-network identification value comprises:
means for associating internal sub-network identification values with external sub-network identification values in a data structure.
33. The aggregation device of claim 32 , wherein the data structure is a table, and wherein the means for determining the external sub-network identification value comprises:
means for using the internal sub-network identification value to index the table to obtain the external sub-network identification value.
34. The aggregation device of claim 31 , wherein the means for determining the external sub-network identification value comprises:
means for storing external sub-network identification values in a hash table; and
means for accessing the hash table using a combination of the port and the internal sub-network identification value as a key to obtain the internal sub-network identification value.
35. The aggregation device of claim 31 , wherein the means for determining the external sub-network identification value comprises:
means for providing a content addressable memory (CAM); and
means for using a combination of the port and the internal sub-network identification value to access a memory location in the CAM to obtain the external sub-network identification value stored thereat.
36. The aggregation device of claim 31 , wherein the plurality of internal sub-networks comprise a plurality of virtual local area networks (VLANs), respectively, and wherein the external sub-network identification value is a VLAN tag value.
37. The aggregation device of claim 36 , wherein the plurality of VLANs communicate with the aggregation device using the Ethernet networking standard.
38. The aggregation device of claim 37 , further comprising:
means for setting an EtherType protocol to a value indicating that the packet is to be treated as if it does have a VLAN tag value.
39. The aggregation device of claim 31 , wherein the aggregation device is a router.
40. The aggregation device of claim 31 , wherein the aggregation device is a switch.
41. A computer program product for processing a packet in an aggregation device that connects a plurality of internal sub-networks, comprising:
a non-transitory computer readable storage medium having computer readable program code embodied therein, the computer readable program code comprising:
computer readable program code configured to receive a packet that is destined for one of the plurality of internal sub-networks; and
computer readable program code configured to determine an internal sub-network identification value based on an external sub-network identification value stored in the packet and a port of the aggregation device to which the one of the plurality of internal sub-networks is connected.
42. The computer program product of claim 41 , wherein the computer readable program code configured to determine the internal sub-network identification value comprises:
computer readable program code configured to associate a data structure with the port, the data structure associating external sub-network identification values with internal sub-network identification values.
43. The computer program product of claim 42 , wherein the data structure is a table, and wherein the computer readable program code configured to determine the internal sub-network identification value comprises:
computer readable program code configured to use the external sub-network identification value to index the table to obtain the internal sub-network identification value.
44. The computer program product of claim 41 , wherein the computer readable program code configured to determine the internal sub-network identification value comprises:
computer readable program code configured to store internal sub-network identification values in a hash table; and
computer readable program code configured to access the hash table using a combination of the port and the external sub-network identification value as a key to obtain the internal sub-network identification value.
45. The computer program product of claim 41 , wherein the computer readable program code configured to determine the internal sub-network identification value comprises:
computer readable program code configured to provide a content addressable memory (CAM); and
computer readable program code configured to use a combination of the port and the external sub-network identification value to access a memory location in the CAM to obtain the internal sub-network identification value stored thereat.
46. The computer program product of claim 41 , wherein the plurality of internal sub-networks comprise a plurality of virtual local area networks (VLANs), respectively, and wherein the external sub-network identification value is a VLAN tag value.
47. The computer program product of claim 46 , wherein the plurality of VLANs communicate with the aggregation device using the Ethernet networking standard.
48. The computer program product of claim 47 , wherein the computer readable program code configured to receiving the packet comprises:
computer readable program code configured to receive the packet that is destined for one of the plurality of internal sub-networks, the packet comprising an EtherType protocol value indicating that the packet is to be treated as if it does have a VLAN tag value.
49. The computer program product of claim 41 , wherein the aggregation device is a router.
50. The computer program product of claim 41 , wherein the aggregation device is a switch.
51. A computer program product for processing a packet in an aggregation device that connects a plurality of internal sub-networks, comprising:
a non-transitory computer readable storage medium having computer readable program code embodied therein, the computer readable program code comprising:
computer readable program code configured to determine an external sub-network identification value used in a carrier network based on a port of the aggregation device to which the one of the plurality of internal sub-networks is connected and based on an internal sub-network identification value that is associated with the port;
computer readable program code configured to store the external sub-network identification value in the packet; and
computer readable program code configured to transmit the packet on the carrier network.
52. The computer program product of claim 51 , wherein the computer readable program code configured to determine the external sub-network identification value comprises:
computer readable program code configured to associate internal sub-network identification values with external sub-network identification values in a data structure.
53. The computer program product of claim 52 , wherein the data structure is a table, and wherein the computer readable program code configured to determine the external sub-network identification value comprises:
computer readable program code configured to use the internal sub-network identification value to index the table to obtain the external sub-network identification value.
54. The computer program product of claim 51 , wherein the computer readable program code configured to determine the external sub-network identification value comprises:
computer readable program code configured to store external sub-network identification values in a hash table; and
computer readable program code configured to access the hash table using a combination of the port and the internal sub-network identification value as a key to obtain the internal sub-network identification value.
55. The computer program product of claim 51 , wherein the computer readable program code configured to determine the external sub-network identification value comprises:
computer readable program code configured to provide a content addressable memory (CAM); and
computer readable program code configured to use a combination of the port and the internal sub-network identification value to access a memory location in the CAM to obtain the external sub-network identification value stored thereat.
56. The computer program product of claim 51 , wherein the plurality of internal sub-networks comprise a plurality of virtual local area networks (VLANs), respectively, and wherein the external sub-network identification value is a VLAN tag value.
57. The computer program product of claim 56 , wherein the plurality of VLANs communicate with the aggregation device using the Ethernet networking standard.
58. The computer program product of claim 57 , further comprising:
computer readable program code configured to set an EtherType protocol to a value indicating that the packet is to be treated as if it does have a VLAN tag value.
59. The computer program product of claim 51 , wherein the aggregation device is a router.
60. The computer program product of claim 51 , wherein the aggregation device is a switch.