Abstract: Techniques and architecture are described for providing connectivity and monitoring the connectivity of a fabric network controller/control plane with external and extended network controllers/control planes. The techniques and architecture provide a method that includes provisioning a control plane of a first network with a control plane of a second network. The method also includes establishing a session between the control planes of the first and second networks. The method further includes registering nodes of the first network with the control plane of the second network and providing, by the control plane of the first network to the control plane of the second network, information related to endpoints within the first network. The method also includes monitoring, reporting, and possibly taking corrective actions, by the control plane of the second network, with respect to connectivity/status between the control plane of the first network and the control plane of the second network.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method comprises receiving traffic to send from a router to a host in the fabric edge network, wherein the fabric edge network comprises a plurality of switches and an inter-switch link (ISL); and sending the traffic from the router to the host via at least one of the switches based on the downlink connectivity of the host. Sending the traffic from the router to the host is performed without sending the traffic through the ISL. Sending the traffic from the router to the host comprises sending the traffic through the ISL when there is a link failure on a path between the router and the host.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method comprises receiving traffic to send from a router to a host in the fabric edge network, wherein the fabric edge network comprises a plurality of switches and an inter-switch link (ISL); and sending the traffic from the router to the host via at least one of the switches based on the downlink connectivity of the host. Sending the traffic from the router to the host is performed without sending the traffic through the ISL. Sending the traffic from the router to the host comprises sending the traffic through the ISL when there is a link failure on a path between the router and the host.