System and method for interconnecting heterogeneous layer 2 VPN applications

1. A method for operating a first provider edge node in a virtual private network, said method comprising:

providing a source forwarder in said first provider edge node wherein a target forwarder is provided at a second provider edge node of said virtual private network;

sending a request from said first provider edge node to said second provider edge node for connection of said source forwarder to said target forwarder via a pseudowire; and

including in said request an identifier of said target forwarder, said identifier comprising a portion belonging to an address space shared by forwarders that are connected to multiple attachment circuits to customer nodes and forwarders that are connected to a customer node via exactly one attachment circuit, said identifier being globally unique within said virtual private network;

wherein one of said source forwarder and said target forwarder is associated with a virtual private wire service and the other of said source forwarder and said target forwarder is associated with a virtual private local area network service.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said source forwarder comprises a virtual switching instance and said target forwarder is connected to a single attachment circuit.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said source forwarder is connected to a single attachment circuit and said target forwarder comprises a virtual switching instance.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein at least one of said source forwarder and said target forwarder comprises a colored pool.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein said virtual private network comprises a layer 2 virtual private network.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein said identifier further comprises a portion identifying a virtual private network address of said second edge node.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising:

prior to sending said request, receiving said identifier in a BGP advertisement.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein said BGP advertisement comprises an address family identifier that is common to multiple layer 2 virtual private network applications.

9. A computer-readable storage medium encoded with a computer program for operating a first provider edge node in a virtual private network, said computer program comprising:

code that provides a source forwarder in said first provider edge node wherein a target forwarder is provided at a second provider edge node of said virtual private network;

code that sends a request from said first provider edge node to said second provider edge node for connection of said source forwarder to said target forwarder via a pseudowire;

code that includes in said request an identifier of said target forwarder, said identifier comprising a portion belonging to an address space shared by forwarders that are connected to multiple attachment circuits to customer nodes and forwarders that are connected to a customer node via exactly one attachment circuit, said identifier being globally unique within said virtual private network;

wherein one of said source forwarder and said target forwarder is associated with a virtual private wire service and the other of said source forwarder and said target forwarder is associated with a virtual private local area network service.

10. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 9 wherein said source forwarder comprises a virtual switching instance and said target forwarder is connected to a single attachment circuit.

11. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 9 wherein said source forwarder is connected to a single attachment circuit and said target forwarder comprises a virtual switching instance.

12. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 9 wherein at least one of said source forwarder and said target forwarder comprises a colored pool.

13. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 9 wherein said virtual private network comprises a layer 2 virtual private network.

14. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 9 wherein said identifier further comprises a portion identifying a virtual private network address of said second edge node.

15. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 14 further comprising:

code that, prior to sending said request, receives said identifier in a BGP advertisement.

16. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 15 wherein said BGP advertisement comprises an address family identifier that is common to multiple layer 2 virtual private network applications.

17. An apparatus for operating a first provider edge node in a virtual private network, said apparatus comprising:

a processor that executes instructions; and

a memory device that stores said instructions, said instructions comprising:

code that provides a source forwarder in said first provider edge node wherein a target forwarder is provided at a second provider edge node of said virtual private network;

code that sends a request from said first provider edge node to said second provider edge node for connection of said source forwarder to said target forwarder via a pseudowire;

code that includes in said request an identifier of said target forwarder, said identifier comprising a portion belonging to an address space shared by forwarders that are connected to multiple attachment circuits to customer nodes and forwarders that are connected to a customer node via exactly one attachment circuit, said identifier being globally unique within said virtual private network;

wherein one of said source forwarder and said target forwarded is associated with a virtual private wire service and the other of said source forwarder and said target forwarder is associated with a virtual private local area network service.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein said source forwarder comprises a virtual switching instance and said target forwarder is connected to a single attachment circuit.

19. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein said source forwarder is connected to a single attachment circuit and said target forwarder comprises a virtual switching instance.

20. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein at least one of said source forwarder and said target forwarder comprises a colored pool.

21. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein said virtual private network comprises a layer 2 virtual private network.

22. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein said identifier further comprises a portion identifying a virtual private network address of said second edge node.

23. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein said instructions further comprise:

code that, prior to sending said request, receives said identifier in a BGP advertisement.

24. The apparatus of claim 23 wherein said BGP advertisement comprises an address family identifier that is common to multiple layer 2 virtual private network applications.

25. An apparatus for operating a first provider edge node in a virtual private network said apparatus comprising:

a processor that executes instructions; and

a memory device that stores said instructions, said instructions cormprising:

means for providing a source forwarder in said first provider edge node wherein a target forwarder is provided at a second provider edge node of said virtual private network;

means for sending a request from said first provider edge node to said second provider edge node for connection of said source forwarder to said target forwarder via a pseudowire; and

means for including in said request an identifier of said target forwarder, said identifier comprising a portion belonging to an address space shared by forwarders that are connected to multiple attachment circuits to customer nodes and forwarders that are connected to a customer node via exactly one attachment circuit, said identifier being globally unique within said virtual private network;

wherein one of said source forwarder and said target forwarder is associated with a virtual private wire service and the other of said source forwarder and said target forwarder is associated with a virtual private local area network service.