Multicast snooping on layer 2 virtual private network

1. A network system that forms an L2VPN for relaying a MAC frame being forwarded among a plurality of points in a user network, comprising:

a core switch that relays a MAC-in-MAC frame in which the MAC frame is encapsulated; and

an edge switch that relays the MAC frame between the user network and the core switch with conversion between the MAC frame and the MAC-in-MAC frame,

wherein the edge switch includes:

a join message identification unit that identifies, from among MAC frames from the user network before encapsulating the MAC frame into the MAC-in-MAC frame, a join message being forwarded to a router from a host to join a multicast group; and

a marking unit that marks a header of a MAC-in-MAC frame in which the identified join message is encapsulated, with mark information indicating the identified join message,

wherein the core switch includes:

a plurality of input/output ports that performs input and output of a layer 2 frame;

a mark identification unit that identifies, from among MAC-in-MAC frames which are input through the plurality of input/output ports, a MAC-in-MAC frame in which a header is marked with the mark information; and

a port setup unit that associates a multicast group of a join message which is encapsulated in the identified MAC-in-MAC frame, with an input/output port to which the identified MAC-in-MAC frame is input.

2. The network system according to claim 1 ,

wherein the edge switch further includes:

a multicast frame identification unit that identifies, from among MAC frames from the user network, a multicast frame being forwarded from the router; and

a multicast group labeling unit that labels a header of a MAC-in-MAC frame in which the identified multicast frame is encapsulated, with multicast group information showing a multicast group of the identified multicast frame,

wherein the core switch further includes:

a multicast group identification unit that identifies, from among MAC-in-MAC frames which are input through the plurality of input/output ports, a MAC-in-MAC frame in which a header the multicast group information is labeled; and

a port assignment unit that assigns, as a forwarding output port for outputting the MAC-in-MAC frame identified by the multicast group identification unit, an input/output port which is associated by the port setup unit with a multicast group shown by the multicast group information of the MAC-in-MAC frame identified by the multicast group identification unit.

3. The network system according to claim 1 ,

wherein the marking unit of the edge switch marks with the mark information to at least one of following storage fields in the header of the MAC-in-MAC frame in which the identified join message is encapsulated:

(a1) a storage field for storing information showing priority of processing the MAC-in-MAC frame;

(a2) a storage field for storing information showing a sender of the MAC-in-MAC frame;

(a3) a storage field for storing information showing a destination of the MAC-in-MAC frame; and

(a4) a storage field for storing information showing a protocol and/or size regarding data being transported by the MAC-in-MAC frame.

4. The network system according to claim 2 ,

wherein the multicast group labeling unit of the edge switch labels with the multicast group information to at least one of following storage fields in the header of the MAC-in-MAC frame in which the identified multicast frame is encapsulated:

(b1) a storage field for storing information showing a destination of the MAC-in-MAC frame; and

(b2) a storage field for storing information showing a user network for which a MAC frame is encapsulated in the MAC-in-MAC frame.

5. A core switch that relays a MAC-in-MAC frame in which a MAC frame is encapsulated, comprising:

a plurality of input/output ports that performs input and output of a layer 2 frame;

a mark identification unit that identifies, from among MAC-in-MAC frames which are input through the plurality of input/output ports, a MAC-in-MAC frame in which a header is marked with a mark information, wherein the mark information indicates a join message being forwarded to a router from a host to join a multicast group and which was identified before the MAC frame was encapsulated into the MAC-in-MAC frame; and

a port setup unit that associates a multicast group of a join message which is encapsulated in the identified MAC-in-MAC frame, with an input/output port to which the identified MAC-in-MAC frame is input.

6. The core switch according to claim 5 , further comprising:

a multicast group identification unit that identifies, from among MAC-in-MAC frames which are input through the plurality of input/output ports, a MAC-in-MAC frame to whose a multicast group information is labeled, wherein the multicast group information shows a multicast group of a multicast frame being forwarded from the router; and

a port assignment unit that assigns, as a forwarding output port for outputting the MAC-in-MAC frame identified by the multicast group identification unit, an input/output port which is associated by the port setup unit with a multicast group shown by the multicast group information of the MAC-in-MAC frame identified by the multicast group identification unit.

7. An edge switch that relays a MAC frame between a user network and a core switch with conversion between the MAC frame and a MAC-in-MAC frame, comprising:

a join message identification unit that identifies, from among MAC frames from the user network before encapsulating the MAC frame into the MAC-in-MAC frame, a join message being forwarded to a router from a host to join a multicast group; and

a marking unit that marks a header of a MAC-in-MAC frame in which the identified join message is encapsulated, with mark information indicating the identified join message.

8. The edge switch according to claim 7 , further comprising:

a multicast frame identification unit that identifies, from among MAC frames from the user network, a multicast frame being forwarded from the router; and

a multicast group labeling unit that labels a header of a MAC-in-MAC frame in which the identified multicast frame is encapsulated, with multicast group information showing a multicast group of the identified multicast frame.

9. A method for relaying a MAC frame being forwarded among a plurality of points in a user network, comprising:

relaying, by a core switch, a MAC-in-MAC frame in which the MAC frame is encapsulated, wherein the core switch includes a plurality of input/output ports that performs input and output of a layer 2 frame; and

relaying, by a edge switch, the MAC frame between the user network and the core switch with conversion between the MAC frame and the MAC-in-MAC frame,

wherein the relaying by the edge switch includes:

identifying, from among MAC frames from the user network before encapsulating the MAC frame into the MAC-in-MAC frame, a join message being forwarded to a router from a host to join a multicast group; and

marking a header of a MAC-in-MAC frame in which the identified join message is encapsulated, with mark information indicating the identified join message,

wherein the relaying by the core switch includes:

identifying, from among MAC-in-MAC frames which are input through the plurality of input/output ports, a MAC-in-MAC frame in which a header is marked with the mark information; and

associating a multicast group of a join message which is encapsulated in the identified MAC-in-MAC frame, with an input/output port to which the identified MAC-in-MAC frame is input.

10. The method according to claim 9 ,

wherein the relaying by the edge switch further includes:

identifying, from among MAC frames from the user network, a multicast frame being forwarded from the router; and

labeling a header of a MAC-in-MAC frame in which the identified multicast frame is encapsulated, with multicast group information showing a multicast group of the identified multicast frame,

wherein the relaying by the core switch further includes:

identifying, from among MAC-in-MAC frames which are input through the plurality of input/output ports, a MAC-in-MAC frame in which a header the multicast group information is labeled; and

assigning, as a forwarding output port for outputting the MAC-in-MAC frame identified by the multicast group information, an input/output port which is associated by the port setup unit with a multicast group shown by the multicast group information of the MAC-in-MAC frame identified by the multicast group information.