Abstract: A first network device for a first virtual network identifier (VNI) domain may be coupled to a second network device for a second VNI domain via an interconnect network. When serving as the downstream network device for processing network traffic from the first VNI domain to the second VNI domain, the second network device may perform remote VNI to local VNI translation for the network traffic, thereby facilitating proper network traffic handling even in network configurations in which the first network device is not configured to perform downstream VNI translation. If desired, instead of or in addition to performing VNI translation for its own VNI domain, the second network device may serve as a service device to perform VNI translation for a third VNI domain.

Abstract: A method for supporting virtual machine (VM) mobility between network devices connected to a network includes: selecting a first type of route for interconnecting VMs that are connected to the network devices; and adding a feature of a second type of route to the first type of route to enable the network devices to execute proxy address resolution protocol (ARP) for transmitting network traffic between the VMs without requiring each of the network devices to store a physical address of each of the VMs in respective ones of a network address table.

Abstract: A method for initializing the border gateway protocol (BGP) on network devices. The method includes predicting, by the network device, using a set of prediction heuristics, a first possible internet protocol version 6 (IPv6) address of a first peer network device. The method further includes sending, by the network device, a first neighbor discovery protocol (NDP) request for the first possible IPv6 address, and receiving, by the network device, from the first peer network device, in response to the NDP request, a first media access control (MAC) address. The method also includes establishing, after receiving the first MAC address, a BGP session with the first peer network device and exchanging route updates with the first peer network device, and processing a packet. The processing of the packet is delayed until the first MAC address is received.

Abstract: A method for initializing the border gateway protocol (BGP) on network devices. The method includes predicting, by the network device, using a set of prediction heuristics, a first possible internet protocol version 6 (IPv6) address of a first peer network device. The method further includes sending, by the network device, a first neighbor discovery protocol (NDP) request for the first possible IPv6 address, and receiving, by the network device, from the first peer network device, in response to the NDP request, a first media access control (MAC) address. The method also includes establishing, after receiving the first MAC address, a BGP session with the first peer network device and exchanging route updates with the first peer network device, and processing a packet. The processing of the packet is delayed until the first MAC address is received.