Patent ID: 7260648
Filing Date: 2007-08-21
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A method for identifying a physical address associated with a virtual address, wherein said physical address is associated with a network interface of a network device, wherein said virtual address is also associated with said network device, comprising: forming a request message at a first virtual networking device connected to a first virtual network, which is an MPLS network, and a second virtual network, which is an Ethernet, which share a physical link, and hosts on each network both use a same IP address, said request message including said virtual address and a virtual network identifier value, wherein said virtual network identifier value is stored in a field within a header of said request message separate from said virtual address, said virtual network identifier value associated with the first virtual network, said virtual network having a private address space including said virtual address; transmitting said request message over a communication link to a second virtual network device of the second virtual network which uses the virtual network identifier value to determine a virtual router responsible for responding to the request message; receiving a response to said request message at the first virtual network, said response including said physical address associated with said network interface of said network device; storing said physical address of said network device associated with said virtual address in an entry in a data structure, wherein said entry further includes said virtual network identifier and said virtual address; and translating IP addresses associated with the first virtual network to Ethernet/MAC addresses associated with the second virtual network with an address resolution table generated and maintained by the first virtual network device.