Patent ID: 9019973
Filing Date: 2015-04-28
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A method comprising: by a first network device, sending a capability advertisement to one or more peer network devices, wherein the capability advertisement specifies a static layer two (L2) address identification capability indicating that the first network device has an ability to process routine protocol control messages conforming to a static L2 address identification message type; by the first network device, receiving a control message at an interface of the first network device, wherein the control message is received from a second network device, wherein the first network device and the second network device use a multipoint service that provides L2 connectivity to transport L2 communications for a plurality of L2 networks through an intermediate network coupling the plurality of L2 networks, wherein the control message specifies one or more L2 addresses of network devices that are positioned within the L2 networks and reachable through the second network device, wherein the control message identifies the L2 addresses as static L2 addresses that are to be persistently maintained at the first network device as reachable by the interface; and in response to receiving the control message and by the first network device, identifying the control message as conforming to the static L2 address identification message type and storing the L2 addresses as persistently maintained static L2 addresses being reachable by the interface of the first network device at which the control message was received.