Multi-bridge LAN aggregation

1. A system comprising:

an intermediate network device, wherein

the intermediate network device comprises

a first physical port,

a second physical port, and

a multi-bridge engine,

the multi-bridge engine is configured to provide forwarding functionality and pass-through functionality,

the multi-bridge engine comprises

a tunnel engine, and

a bridge forwarding engine,

the bridge forwarding engine is configured to

forward data received by the intermediate network device between ports of the intermediate network device by processing the data received by the intermediate network device according to one or more protocols,

the second physical port is configured as a bridge interconnect port,

the first physical port is mapped as a destination of the bridge interconnect port, and

when the intermediate network device is operating as a tunneling network device in a link aggregation configuration,

the tunnel engine is configured to tunnel data between the bridge interconnect port and the first physical port, without the data being processed by the bridge forwarding engine.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the multi-bridge engine further comprises:

an aggregated bridge port coupled to the bridge interconnect port and to a third physical port.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein

the bridge forwarding engine is coupled to the bridge interconnect port, to the aggregated bridge port and to a fourth physical port.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the tunnel engine is further configured to transmit a frame directly from the first physical port to the bridge interconnect port.

5. The system of claim 3 , wherein the tunnel engine is configured to transmit a frame directly from the bridge interconnect port to the first physical port.

6. The system of claim 3 , wherein the bridge interconnect port comprises:

a multiplexer coupled to an inter-link bridge; and

a plurality of sub-ports coupled to the multiplexer.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the plurality of sub-ports are a plurality of virtual ports.

8. The system of claim 6 , wherein

the bridge interconnect port is configured to encapsulate a frame with a multi-bridge tag, and

the multi-bridge tag comprises a sub-port identifier, wherein

the sub-port identifier identifies the sub-port which is to receive the frame.

9. The system of claim 3 further comprising:

a second intermediate network device coupled to the intermediate network device via an inter-bridge link; and

a host, wherein

a first network interface of the host is coupled to the intermediate network device via a first local area network (LAN), and

a second network interface of the host is coupled to the second intermediate network device via a second LAN.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the host comprises:

a virtual network interface, wherein

the virtual network interface is assigned an internet protocol address, and

the virtual network interface comprises the first network interface, and the second network interface.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein

the second physical port of the second intermediate network device is Link Aggregated with the bridge interconnect port of the second intermediate network device, and

the first network interface of the host is Link Aggregated with the second network interface of the host.

12. The system of claim 11 , further comprising:

a logical LAN, wherein

the logical LAN comprises

the first LAN,

the second LAN, and

the inter-bridge link.

13. The system of claim 1 , wherein the intermediate network device is a bridge.

14. The system of claim 1 , wherein

the data is received via the bridge interconnect port, and

the data is to be output via the first physical port.

15. The system of claim 1 , wherein

the multi-bridge engine is configured to provide the pass-through functionality by virtue of the tunnel engine being configured to tunnel the data via a pass-through path between the bridge interconnect port and the first physical port.

16. The system of claim 1 , wherein

the multi-bridge engine is configured to provide the forwarding functionality by virtue of the bridge forwarding engine being configured to forward the data received by the intermediate network device between ports of the intermediate network device.