Patent ID: 9692686
Date: 2017-06-27
CPC Classifications: H04L,Y02D

Claim:
1. A method of implementing a multi-chassis link aggregation group (MLAG) in a network, the method comprising: receiving a packet at one of a plurality of physical bridging devices from one of a plurality of servers, each of the plurality of physical bridging devices advertising connectivity to a logical bridging device, the logical bridging device comprising the plurality of physical bridging devices and having a logical bridging device identifier that collectively refers to the plurality of physical bridging devices; determining whether the packet was received at a port associated with the MLAG using a lookup table, the lookup table including the logical bridging device identifier that collectively refers to the plurality of physical bridging devices and a physical bridging device identifier, the logical bridging device identifier being selected if a source media access control (MAC) address indicates that the packet was received at the port associated with the MLAG and the physical bridging device identifier being selected if the source MAC address indicates the packet was received at a port not associated with the MLAG; encapsulating the packet with a first header including the logical bridging device identifier, which collectively refers to the plurality of physical bridging devices, and forwarding the encapsulated packet toward its destination if the packet was received at the port associated with the MLAG; and encapsulating the packet with a second header including the physical bridging device identifier and forwarding the encapsulated packet toward its destination if the packet was received at the port not associated with the MLAG.