Abstract: Methods for transmitting information from sources (7) via first network units (1) and networks (8) and second network units (2) to destinations (9) and using service identifiers such as service virtual local area network identifiers for routing the information through the networks (8) get a reduced complexity by making the service identifiers dependent on destination properties such as destination addresses and by making the service identifiers independent from source properties such as source addresses or customer identifiers.

Abstract: A method to grant a supplicant access to a data communication network and related devices is claimed. A first supplicant is associated to a Medium Access Control address and is coupled to a first port of an authenticator of the data communication network. The method comprises: a step of transmitting an authentication request by the authenticator to an authentication server being coupled thereto; and a step of making by the authentication server an authentication decision based upon predefined rules and conditions; and a step of transmitting by the authentication server the authenticator an authentication reply that comprises a result of the authentication decision. The method further comprises a step of developing by the authentication server a first registration memory that comprises entries whereby an entry comprises an association between a Medium Access Control Address of a granted supplicant and a granted password, the granted supplicant received previously a grant to the data communication network.

Abstract: A method for control of communications from an edge device (ED1) of an access network (AN), via the provisioning or the non-provisioning of at least one layer 2 destination address (MAC2) of at least one other edge device (ED2) of said access network (AN) to said edge device (ED1) by a network management module (NMM) of said access network (AN), is characterised by the fact that said at least one layer 2 destination address (MAC2) is delivered to said edge device (ED1) on request of said edge device (ED1). In a preferred embodiment said edge device (ED1) checks, upon arrival of a packet including at least one layer 2 destination address, whether said at least one layer 2 destination address is stored within a communications restriction filter (CRF) of said edge device (ED1) and generates said request including said at least one layer 2 destination address in case said at least one layer 2 destination address is not stored within said communication restriction filter (CRF).