Abstract: The present application discloses a packet forwarding method and apparatus. An access device receives a first packet, where the first packet is an Ethernet packet, searches an equal-cost multi-path forwarding entry for a matched equal-cost path according to a destination MAC address of the Ethernet packet, where the equal-cost multi-path forwarding entry includes: a virtual MAC address corresponding to a gateway aggregation group, an identifier of each gateway device in the gateway aggregation group, and an outbound interface corresponding to the identifier of each gateway device, where the identifier is used to uniquely identify a gateway device in a large layer 2 network; and if N matched equal-cost paths are found, encapsulates the first packet into a second packet according to a first path in the N matched equal-cost paths, and forwards the second packet according to an outbound interface of the first path.

Abstract: A packet forwarding method and system. A first network device encapsulates a to-be-forwarded packet as a first packet, and sends the first packet to a second network device, where the first packet carries a destination Media Access Control (MAC) address encapsulation instruction, the destination MAC address encapsulation instruction is used to instruct the second network device to encapsulate a destination MAC address for the first packet, the to-be-forwarded packet carries a destination internet protocol (IP) address, and the destination MAC address is a MAC address of a destination host corresponding to the destination IP address; the second network device generates a second packet containing the destination MAC address according to the destination MAC address encapsulation instruction carried by the received first packet, and forwards the second packet to the destination host corresponding to the destination MAC address.

Abstract: The present application discloses a packet forwarding method and apparatus. An access device receives a first packet, where the first packet is an Ethernet packet, searches an equal-cost multi-path forwarding entry for a matched equal-cost path according to a destination MAC address of the Ethernet packet, where the equal-cost multi-path forwarding entry includes: a virtual MAC address corresponding to a gateway aggregation group, an identifier of each gateway device in the gateway aggregation group, and an outbound interface corresponding to the identifier of each gateway device, where the identifier is used to uniquely identify a gateway device in a large layer 2 network; and if N matched equal-cost paths are found, encapsulates the first packet into a second packet according to a first path in the N matched equal-cost paths, and forwards the second packet according to an outbound interface of the first path.

Abstract: The present application provides a method and an apparatus for avoiding interruptions in an on-going service. A LAN bridge intercepts a trusted port connected to a first routing bridge; determines whether the first routing bridge is forwarding or has a permission to forward data flow from a C-VLAN according to a result of the interception; and if the first routing bridge is not forwarding or no longer has the permission to forward the data flow from the C-VLAN, broadcasts the data flow from the C-VLAN to a second routing bridge so that the second routing bridge forwards the data flow from the C-VLAN. With the method provided in the embodiments of the present application, a forwarding path can be rapidly switched when a designated routing bridge is faulty and cannot carry out a traffic forwarding function or an appointed forwarder of a customer VLAN is changed.

Abstract: A packet forwarding method and system. A first network device encapsulates a to-be-forwarded packet as a first packet, and sends the first packet to a second network device, where the first packet carries a destination Media Access Control (MAC) address encapsulation instruction, the destination MAC address encapsulation instruction is used to instruct the second network device to encapsulate a destination MAC address for the first packet, the to-be-forwarded packet carries a destination internet protocol (IP) address, and the destination MAC address is a MAC address of a destination host corresponding to the destination IP address; the second network device generates a second packet containing the destination MAC address according to the destination MAC address encapsulation instruction carried by the received first packet, and forwards the second packet to the destination host corresponding to the destination MAC address.

Abstract: The present application provides a method and an apparatus for avoiding interruptions in an on-going service. A LAN bridge intercepts a trusted port connected to a first routing bridge; determines whether the first routing bridge is forwarding or has a permission to forward data flow from a C-VLAN according to a result of the interception; and if the first routing bridge is not forwarding or no longer has the permission to forward the data flow from the C-VLAN, broadcasts the data flow from the C-VLAN to a second routing bridge so that the second routing bridge forwards the data flow from the C-VLAN. With the method provided in the embodiments of the present application, a forwarding path can be rapidly switched when a designated routing bridge is faulty and cannot carry out a traffic forwarding function or an appointed forwarder of a customer VLAN is changed.