METHODS, SYSTEMS, AND APPARATUSES FOR DYNAMICALLY TAGGING VLANS

1 . (canceled)

2 . A method for dynamically tagging VLAN network traffic using a network switch having a processor and a memory therein, the method comprising:

receiving a packet including an indication of a source Media Access Control (MAC) address and an indication of a first Virtual Local Area Network (VLAN), wherein the indication of the first VLAN corresponds to a VLAN that is non-existent on the network switch;

modifying the packet to include an indication of a second VLAN, the second VLAN being different from the first VLAN, wherein the second VLAN is associated with a Virtual Metro Area Network (VMAN);

adding, to a MAC forwarding database, an entry that associates the source MAC address with the second VLAN; and

transmitting the modified packet to the VMAN in accordance with the entry in the MAC forwarding database.

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein modifying the packet to include the indication of the second VLAN comprises performing a push operation to add the indication of the second VLAN to an outer end of a tag stack.

4 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the method further comprises determining that no MAC forwarding database entry exists for the modified packet.

5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein determining that no MAC forwarding database entry exists for the modified packet comprises performing, using processing circuitry, a database lookup operation using a key characterized by the source MAC address and the indication of the second VLAN.

6 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the method further comprises creating a VLAN on the network switch to receive packets that include the indication of the first VLAN.

7 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the method further comprises configuring an ingress port as being tagged for the first VLAN, wherein the ingress port was used to receive the packet.

8 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the indication of the second VLAN is a Service VLAN Identifier (SVID) tag.

9 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the method further comprises:

creating a VMAN that is operative on one or more ingress ports of the network switch; and

designating the one or more ingress ports as untagged ports.

10 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the VMAN processes one or more packets that include indications of a VLAN that does not correspond to any VLAN existent on the network switch, wherein processing the one or more packets prevents the network switch from dropping the one or more packets due to a lack of forwarding information.

11 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the method further comprises validating, using an outside policy profile, that the source MAC address and the indication of the first VLAN represent a valid dynamically tagged VLAN.

12 . A network switch, for dynamically tagging VLAN network traffic, comprising:

a memory configured to store a MAC forwarding database;

processing circuitry configured to:

receive, using an ingress port, a packet including an indication of a source Media Access Control (MAC) address and an indication of a first Virtual Local Area Network (VLAN), wherein the indication of the first VLAN corresponds to a VLAN that is non-existent on the network switch;

modify the packet to include an indication of a second VLAN, the second VLAN being different from the first VLAN, wherein the second VLAN is associated with a Virtual Metro Area Network (VMAN);

add, to the MAC forwarding database, an entry that associates the source MAC address with the second VLAN; and

transmit the modified packet to the VMAN in accordance with the entry in the MAC forwarding database.

13 . The network switch of claim 12 , wherein the packet includes a tag stack, wherein modifying the packet to include the indication of the second VLAN comprises performing a push operation to add the indication of the second VLAN to an outer end of the tag stack.

14 . The network switch of claim 12 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to determine that no MAC forwarding database entry exists for the modified packet.

15 . The network switch of claim 14 , wherein determining that no MAC forwarding database entry exists for the modified packet comprises performing a database lookup operation using a key characterized by the source MAC Address and the indication of the second VLAN.

16 . The network switch of claim 12 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to create a VLAN on the network switch to receive packets that include the indication of the first VLAN.

17 . The network switch of claim 12 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to configure the ingress port as being tagged for the first VLAN.

18 . The network switch of claim 12 , wherein the indication of the second VLAN is a Service VLAN Identifier (SVID) tag.

19 . The network switch of claim 12 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to:

create a VMAN that is operative on one or more ingress ports of the network switch; and

designate the one or more ingress ports as untagged ports.

20 . The network switch of claim 12 , wherein the system further comprises a VMAN packet catcher that processes one or more packets that include indications of a VLAN that does not correspond to any VLAN existent on the network switch, wherein processing the one or more packets prevents the network switch from dropping the one or more packets due to a lack of forwarding information.

21 . The network switch of claim 12 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to validate, using an outside policy profile, that the source MAC address and the indication of the first VLAN represent a valid dynamically tagged VLAN.