Patent ID: 8149837
Filing Date: 2012-04-03
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. An apparatus comprising: a first interface configured to transmit or receive backbone traffic via a first link, wherein the first interface is configured to remove a B-tag from the backbone traffic before the backbone traffic is transmitted over the first link or add a B-tag to the backbone traffic after the backbone traffic is received over the first link; a second interface configured to transmit or receive non-backbone traffic via a second link not aggregated with the first link, wherein the second interface neither removes a tag from the non-backbone traffic before the non-backbone traffic is transmitted over the second link nor adds a tag to the non-backbone traffic after the non-backbone traffic is received over the second link; and a third interface in communication with the first interface and the second interface, the third interface configured to multiplex or demultiplex the backbone traffic and the non-backbone traffic via a third link, wherein the backbone traffic is traffic that will be, is, or has been B-tagged.