Patent ID: 9203738
Filing Date: 2015-12-01
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A method for determining an optimal forwarding path across a network, the network including a plurality of virtual extensible local area network (“VxLAN”) gateways configured to implement networking protocols for switching packets over a Transparent Interconnect of Lots of Links (“TRILL”) fine-grained labeling (“FGL”) network and a VxLAN, the method comprising: learning one or more RBridge nicknames, each RBridge nickname being uniquely associated with one of the VxLAN gateways in the network; determining a path cost over the FGL network between each of the VxLAN gateways and a source node; determining a path cost over the VxLAN between each of the VxLAN gateways and a destination node; determining an encapsulation cost difference between switching packets over the VxLAN and switching packets over the FGL network; determining an encapsulation overhead metric associated with switching packets over the VxLAN, wherein the encapsulation overhead metric is proportional to the encapsulation cost difference; weighting the path cost over the VxLAN between each of the VxLAN gateways and the destination node by the encapsulation overhead metric; and selecting one of the VxLAN gateways as an optimal VxLAN gateway, wherein the selection is based on the path cost over the FGL network between each of the VxLAN gateways and the source node and the weighted path cost over the VxLAN between each of the VxLAN gateways and the destination node.