Patent ID: 8681605

Claim:
An Ethernet switch, comprising: a processor and a memory communicatively connected to the processor, the processor configured to: receive, at the Ethernet switch, traffic intended for a second Ethernet switch; propagate a first portion of the traffic from the Ethernet switch toward the second Ethernet switch based on a first type of Ethernet tunnel endpoint object associated with a plurality of links between the Ethernet switch and the second Ethernet switch, wherein the first type of Ethernet tunnel endpoint object is configured to use a load sharing mode for distributing the first portion of the traffic across the plurality of links between the Ethernet switch and the second Ethernet switch; and propagate a second portion of the traffic from the Ethernet switch toward the second Ethernet switch based on a second type of Ethernet tunnel endpoint object associated with at least one of the plurality of links between the Ethernet switch and the second Ethernet switch, wherein the second type of Ethernet tunnel endpoint object is configured to use a protection mode.