Patent ID: 8531941
Filing Date: 2013-09-10
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A method comprising: learning, by a first provider edge (PE) device of an autonomous system (AS), media access control (MAC) addresses of a plurality of other PE devices of the AS, the learning being performed as a control plane function with the MAC addresses being stored in a table, the control plane function being performed via Bridge Gateway Protocol (BGP); and receiving, by the first PE device from a first customer edge (CE) device, a packet data unit (PDU) encapsulated in a first frame, the first frame including a first MAC destination address associated with a second CE device; encapsulating, by the first PE device, the first frame in a second frame, the second frame including a second MAC destination address associated with a second PE device; performing a lookup, by the first PE device, in the table to determine a port associated with the second MAC destination address; and forwarding the PDU, by the first PE device, to one of the other PE devices over a Multi-Protocol Label Switching (MPLS) tunnel connected to the port without using a pseudowire.