Abstract: A method for assisting media access control (MAC) address learning is disclosed. The method includes receiving, at a first provider edge (PE) device, a data packet from a core network, the data packet identifying an Ethernet Segment (ES) from which the data packet originated and identifying a first MAC address as the destination MAC address; determining, at the first PE device, whether the first PE device has an Ethernet connection in the ES identified by the data packet and whether the first PE device has learned the first MAC address; and, upon positive determination, sending an announcement message to the core network, the announcement message identifying the first MAC address.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for assisting Ethernet Segment (ES)-aware media access control (MAC) address learning is disclosed. The method includes receiving, at a provider edge (PE) device, a data packet from a core network, the data packet identifying an ES from which the data packet originated and identifying a MAC address as a source MAC address; determining whether the PE device has an Ethernet connection in the ES identified by the data packet; and, upon positive determination, associating the MAC address identified as the source MAC address of the data packet to a bridge port, at the PE device, of the Ethernet connection in the ES identified by the data packet.