Patent ID: 7792058
Filing Date: 2010-09-07
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A method comprising: sharing among multiple virtual local area networks (VLANs) a host network address space associated with a network segment, routing packets to a first VLAN of the multiple VLANs from outside the shared host network address space with layer-3 routing based on an address of the corresponding default network gateway address and a VLAN identifier associated with the first VLAN; routing packets originating inside the shared host network address space to a second VLAN of the multiple VLANs sharing the host network address space with layer-2 forwarding based on a VLAN identifier associated with the second VLAN; and segregating broadcast packets local to a third VLAN based on a broadcast address shared among all the VLANs sharing the host network address space and a VLAN identifier associated with the third VLAN, to broadcast the packets only within the third VLAN, and not to another VLAN sharing the host network address space.