Patent ID: 8750135

Claim:
A node in a communication network, wherein the node includes a processor coupled to a non-transitory memory, and when the processor executes computer program instructions stored on the non-transitory memory, the processor causes the node to: receive encapsulated data frames having a first destination address; determine whether the first destination address of each received data frame matches a Media Access Control (MAC) address of the node; discard the data frames having a first destination address that does not match the MAC address of the node; decapsulate the data frames having a first destination address that matches the MAC address of the node to determine a second destination address specified by a destination address field of the decapsulated data frames; query a filtering database to determine whether an egress port for carrying the decapsulated data frames to the second destination address can be identified; when an egress port for carrying the decapsulated data frames to the second destination address can be identified by the filtering database, carry each decapsulated data frame to an output multiplexer for transmission toward the second destination address; and when an egress port for carrying the decapsulated data frames to the second destination address cannot be identified by the filtering database: determine whether a bit is set indicating that flooding of the decapsulated data frames is enabled; when the bit is not set, discard the decapsulated data frames; and when the bit is set, flood each decapsulated data frame to all forwarding ports in an associated Virtual Local Area Network Identity (VID) set.