Abstract: An apparatus comprising a node configured to maintain a plurality of downloaded forwarding states for a plurality of link state based services that are associated with the node and a plurality of other nodes in a network comprising the node, and a plurality of advertised service identifiers (IDs) that correspond to the link state based services, wherein the service IDs are ordered in sequence from higher priority to lower priority link state based services, and wherein work is instantiated at the node according to the ordered sequence from higher priority to lower priority link state based services.

Abstract: Routes may be installed across multiple link state protocol controlled Ethernet network areas by causing ABBs to leak I-SID information advertised by BEBs in a L1 network area into an L2 network area. ABBs will only leak I-SIDs for BEBs where it is the closest ABB for that BEB. Where another ABB on the L2 network also leaks the same I-SID into the L2 network area from another L1 network area, the I-SID is of multi-area interest. ABBs will advertise I-SIDs that are common to the L1 and L2 networks back into their respective L1 network. Within each L1 and L2 network area, forwarding state will be installed between network elements advertising common interest in an ISID, so that multi-area paths may be created to span the L1/L2/L1 network areas. The L1/L2/L1 network structure may recurse an arbitrary number of times.

Abstract: Routes may be installed across multiple link state protocol controlled Ethernet network areas by causing ABBs to leak I-SID information advertised by BEBs in a L1 network area into an L2 network area. ABBs will only leak I-SIDs for BEBs where it is the closest ABB for that BEB. Where another ABB on the L2 network also leaks the same I-SID into the L2 network area from another L1 network area, the I-SID is of multi-area interest. ABBs will advertise I-SIDs that are common to the L1 and L2 networks back into their respective L1 network. Within each L1 and L2 network area, forwarding state will be installed between network elements advertising common interest in an ISID, so that multi-area paths may be created to span the L1/L2/L1 network areas. The L1/L2/L1 network structure may recurse an arbitrary number of times.

Abstract: A method implemented by a hypervisor located in a first network device (ND), the method comprising sending to and receiving from a second ND a first type of packet, wherein each packet of the first type of packet comprises media access control (MAC) layer information of a client; and sending to and receiving from a third ND a second type of packet, wherein each packet of the second type of packet contains no client MAC layer information.

Abstract: Routes may be installed across multiple link state protocol controlled Ethernet network areas by causing ABBs to leak I-SID information advertised by BEBs a L1 network area into an L2 network area. ABBs will only leak I-SIDs for BEBs where it is the closest ABB for that BEB. Where another ABB on the L2 network also leaks the same I-SID into the L2 network area from another L1 network area, the I-SID is of multi-area interest. ABBs will advertise I-SIDs that are common to the L1 and L2 networks back into their respective L1 network. Within each L1 and L2 network area, forwarding state will be installed between network elements advertising common interest in an ISID, so that multi-area paths may be created to span the L1/L2/L1 network areas. ABBs may summarize BEB multicast trees such that the set of trees for a given I-SID transiting the ABB is condensed into a common tree.

Abstract: An apparatus comprising a node configured to maintain a plurality of downloaded forwarding states for a plurality of link state based services that are associated with the node and a plurality of other nodes in a network comprising the node, and a plurality of advertised service identifiers (IDs) that correspond to the link state based services, wherein the service IDs are ordered in sequence from higher priority to lower priority link state based services, and wherein work is instantiated at the node according to the ordered sequence from higher priority to lower priority link state based services.

Abstract: An apparatus comprising a first edge node configured to populate a learned table using a first frame received from a remote node via a second edge node, wherein the learned table comprises a remote node address and a first forwarding address associated with the remote node address, and wherein the first forwarding address is for the second edge node, receive a second frame destined for the remote node, and determine that the second frame should be sent to the second edge node using the learned table, wherein the first edge node is further configured to replace the first forwarding address in the learned table with a second forwarding address when the second edge node fails, and wherein the second forwarding address is for a third edge node.