Abstract: A method and apparatus is disclosed for providing gateway anycast virtual MAC reachability in extended subnets. When an extended L2 subnet spans more than one geographical location, it is desirable that the gateway MAC addresses learned in each location be the same across all IP hosts. Accordingly, the gateway MAC address may be preserved (i.e., programmed) in more than one port on a bridge, such as both a local port and a LAN extension port. The bridge may forward traffic having the anycast MAC address to the closest instance of the MAC address, rather than replicating the traffic to the multiple ports on which the anycast MAC address is programmed. If the gateway reachable on the local port goes down, the frame may be forwarded to the local gateway in the second layer 2 subnet over the LAN extension port.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is disclosed for providing gateway anycast virtual MAC reachability in extended subnets. When an extended L2 subnet spans more than one geographical location, it is desirable that the gateway MAC addresses learned in each location be the same across all IP hosts. Accordingly, the gateway MAC address may be preserved (i.e., programmed) in more than one port on a bridge, such as both a local port and a LAN extension port. The bridge may forward traffic having the anycast MAC address to the closest instance of the MAC address, rather than replicating the traffic to the multiple ports on which the anycast MAC address is programmed. If the gateway reachable on the local port goes down, the frame may be forwarded to the local gateway in the second layer 2 subnet over the LAN extension port.

Abstract: A system and method for affecting computing resources. The method includes sensing variables associated with spatially dispersed computing resources and providing sensed data in response thereto. Subsequently the spatially dispersed computing resources are selectively automatically affected based on sensed variables associated with the computing resources. In a specific embodiment, the method further includes determining if the sensed data meet a predetermined criterion or criteria and providing one or more control signals in response thereto. The specific method further includes moving virtual machines associated with computing resources that meet the predetermined criterion or criteria to computing resources that do not meet the predetermined criterion or criteria. The sensed data may include temperature, and the predetermined criteria or criterion may include a predetermined threshold beyond which temperature data is considered to meet the predetermined criterion.