Patent ID: 8085790
Filing Date: 2011-12-27
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A method comprising: assigning, with a networking device, a unique Provider Virtual Local Area Network tag (S-TAG) to a group of ports and a different unique IEEE 802.1Q tag header (C-TAG) to each port in the group of ports to implement a N:1 Virtual Local Area Network (VLAN) allocation scheme, wherein the S-TAG is configured to identify a type of VLAN frame that is associated with the group of ports, wherein the group of ports are included in the networking device that communicatively connects a Customer Edge (CE) device to a Provider Edge (PE) device; receiving, with the networking device, a frame from the PE device, the frame including the S-TAG assigned to the group of ports and a C-TAG assigned to a particular port in the group of ports; and forwarding, with the networking device, the frame from the particular port to the CE device based upon both the S-TAG and the C-TAG in the frame.