Patent ID: 8665739
Filing Date: 2014-03-04
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A method comprising: switching layer two (L2) packet data units (PDUs) with a local network device between a local L2 network, coupled by an attachment circuit for a Virtual Private Local Area Network (LAN) Service (VPLS) instance to the local network device, and one or more remote L2 networks to provide the VPLS instance to the local and remote L2 networks, wherein the local network device terminates one or more pseudowires that operate over a layer three (L3) packet-switched network (PSN) to carry the PDUs in pseudowire packets to connect, for the VPLS instance, the local network device to one or more corresponding remote network devices that each serves at least one of the remote L2 networks; and incrementing, with the local network device, a respective unicast receipt counter for each of one or more remote service endpoints of the VPLS instance only for the PDUs that are known unicast PDUs within the respective remote network device of the corresponding remote service endpoint from which the PDU was received, wherein each of the known unicast PDUs received by the local network device for the VPLS instance is a unicast PDU that includes an indicator that the remote network device from which the unicast PDU was received currently maps the destination L2 address of the unicast PDU to a corresponding outbound interface of the remote network device and selects only the corresponding outbound interface of the remote network device for forwarding the unicast PDU.