Patent ID: 8223668
Filing Date: 2012-07-17
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A method of installing connectivity across two or more network areas interconnected by a plurality of Area Boundary Bridges (ABBs), the method comprising the steps of: advertising first community of interest identifiers by a first set of Backbone Edge Bridges (BEBs) in a first network area, the first network area being a link state protocol controlled Ethernet network having a first plurality of network elements implementing a first control plane, receiving the first community of interest identifiers by a first ABB interconnecting the first network area with a second network area, the second network area having a second plurality of network elements implementing a second control plane separate from the first control plane; leaking the first community of interest identifiers by the first ABB from the first network area into the second network area; listening, by the first ABB, for second community of interest identifiers leaked by other ABBs into the second network area; comparing the first community of interest identifiers and the second community of interest identifiers to find matching community of interest identifiers; and advertising by the first ABB a subset of the first community of interest identifiers into the first network area that have been leaked by other ABBs into the second network area; wherein routes that span across the two or more network areas are associated with the matching community of interest identifiers.