Network extension groups of global VLANs in a fabric switch

1. A switch, comprising:

network extension circuitry configured to:

maintain a mapping between a information associated with a tenant and an aggregate global virtual local area network (VLAN) identifier of a network extension group associated with the tenant, wherein the network extension group comprises a set of edge global VLAN identifiers for individual VLAN identifiers of the tenant and the aggregate global VLAN identifier corresponding to the tenant;

include the aggregate global VLAN identifier in a packet belonging to the tenant based on the mapping; and

forwarding circuitry configured to determine an egress port for the packet based on a destination switch identifier of the packet and the aggregate global VLAN identifier;

wherein a respective global VLAN identifier is persistent in a respective switch of a first network of interconnected switches, wherein the first network of interconnected switches is identified by a first fabric identifier.

2. The switch of claim 1 , wherein the switch is an aggregate switch for one or more edge switches in the first network of interconnected switches.

3. The switch of claim 1 , wherein the egress port is associated with a network extension interface, wherein a second network of interconnected switches is reachable via the network extension interface and identified by a second fabric identifier.

4. The switch of claim 3 , further comprising tunnel management circuitry configured to encapsulate the packet in a tunnel encapsulation header, wherein the network extension interface is a tunnel interface for a tunnel between the first and second networks of interconnected switches.

5. The switch of claim 3 , wherein the network extension group is persistent in the second network of interconnected switches and represents a virtual forwarding domain in the second network of interconnected switches.

6. The switch of claim 3 , wherein the network extension circuitry is further configured to identify a media access control (MAC) address from a payload of a notification message, wherein the MAC address is learned at a switch in the second network of interconnected switches.

7. The switch of claim 1 , wherein the switch is an aggregate switch for one or more aggregate switches in a remote network of interconnected switches, wherein the aggregate global VLAN identifier corresponds to a plurality of global VLANs of the remote network of interconnected switches.

8. The switch of claim 1 , further comprising a packet processor configured to decapsulate an encapsulation header of a second packet, wherein the encapsulation header includes an edge global VLAN identifier in the network extension group.

9. The switch of claim 1 , wherein a respective switch of the first network of interconnected switches is associated with the first fabric identifier.

10. The switch of claim 1 , wherein the mapping maps the information of the tenant to an internal identifier, and maps the internal identifier to the aggregate global VLAN identifier; and

wherein the internal identifier is internal and local to the switch, and is distinct from a VLAN identifier.

11. A method, comprising:

maintaining, by a switch, a mapping between a information associated with a tenant and an aggregate global virtual local area network (VLAN) identifier of a network extension group associated with the tenant, wherein the network extension group comprises a set of edge global VLAN identifiers for individual VLAN identifiers of the tenant and the aggregate global VLAN identifier corresponding to the tenant;

including the aggregate global VLAN identifier in a packet belonging to the tenant based on the mapping; and

determining an egress port for the packet based on a destination switch identifier of the packet and the aggregate global VLAN identifier;

wherein a respective global VLAN identifier is persistent in a respective switch of a first network of interconnected switches, wherein the first network of interconnected switches is identified by a first fabric identifier.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the switch is an aggregate switch for one or more edge switches in the first network of interconnected switches.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the egress port is associated with a network extension interface, wherein a second network of interconnected switches is reachable via the network extension interface and identified by a second fabric identifier.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising encapsulating the packet in a tunnel encapsulation header, wherein the network extension interface is a tunnel interface for a tunnel between the first and second networks of interconnected switches.

15. The method of claim 13 , wherein the network extension group is persistent in the second network of interconnected switches and represents a virtual forwarding domain in the second network of interconnected switches.

16. The method of claim 13 , further comprising identifying a media access control (MAC) address from a payload of a notification message, wherein the MAC address is learned at a switch in the second network of interconnected switches.

17. The method of claim 11 , wherein the switch is an aggregate switch for one or more aggregate switches in a remote network of interconnected switches, wherein the aggregate global VLAN identifier corresponds to a plurality of global VLANs of the remote network of interconnected switches.

18. The method of claim 11 , further comprising decapsulating an encapsulation header of a second packet, wherein the encapsulation header includes an edge global VLAN identifier in the network extension group.

19. The method of claim 11 , wherein a respective switch of the first network of interconnected switches is associated with the first fabric identifier.

20. The method of claim 11 , wherein the mapping maps the information of the tenant to an internal identifier, and maps the internal identifier to the aggregate global VLAN identifier; and

wherein the internal identifier is internal and local to the switch, and is distinct from a VLAN identifier.