Patent ID: 8605724

Claim:
A network element comprising: a first network interface configured to: receive a packet having a flow via a first port of the first network interface; examine the packet to determine an ingress local forwarding identifier (LFID) of the first network interface associated with the flow of the packet, the LFID comprising a forwarding identifier used to forward the packet within the first network interface; convert the ingress LFID to a global forwarding identifier (GFID) of the network element; and forward the packet to a switching element communicatively coupled to the first network interface; the switching element configured to: based on the GFID, determine a second network interface communicatively coupled to the switching element for egress of the packet; and forward the packet to the second network interface; and the second network interface configured to: convert the GFID to an egress LFID of the second network interface associated with the flow of the packet; and forward the packet to a second port of the second network interface and a flow of the second network interface based on the egress LFID.