Patent ID: 8064465
Filing Date: 2011-11-22
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A packet forwarding apparatus for forwarding a packet, the packet forwarding apparatus being capable of being coupled to a plurality of physical lines, each coupled to a virtual private network (VPN) for forwarding layer 2 (L2) packets or internet protocol (IP) packets, the packet forwarding apparatus comprising: a plurality of input interfaces each coupled to at least one physical line; a plurality of output interfaces each coupled to at least one physical line; a L2-switch for performing L2-switching processing on packet data including a packet received from one of the plurality of input interfaces in accordance with a media access control (MAC) address and a VLAN address that are stored in the packet data; a permanent virtual circuit (PVC) management information table storing a user type of an accommodated user and a VLAN address for switching a packet in association with a path used by the accommodated user, the user type indicating a processing type for processing a packet received from the path and corresponding to one of a L2-VPN and an IP-VPN, the user type of routed corresponding to the IP-VPN, the user type of bridged corresponding to the L2-VPN, wherein MAC addresses used for performing switching processing on the packet data including a packet received from the path are stored in the PVC management information table in association with the path used by the accommodated user when the user type indicates routed corresponding to the IP-VPN; a receiver positioned between the L2-switch and the plurality of input interfaces, the receiver determining,based on the PVC management information table, a user type associated with a working path through which a packet has been received from one of the plurality of input interfaces; and a transmitter positioned between the L2-switch and the plurality of output interfaces, the transmitter determining, based on the PVC management information table, a user type associated with the working path, wherein when the receiver receives a first packet from a first input interface through a first path that is associated, in the PVC management information table, with the user type of routed corresponding to the IP-VPN, when the receiver receives a second packet from a second input interface through a second path that is associated, in the PVC management information table, with the user type of bridged corresponding to the L2-VPN, the receiver sends the received L2 packet to the L2-switch by setting a VLAN address that is associated with the second path in the PVC management information table, to a L2 header of the received L2 packet,