Patent ID: 8787377

Claim:
A computer-implemented method for packet switching in a provider network, the computer-implemented method comprising: receiving a data packet at a first data switching device, the data packet having an existing header and being received from a customer network, the first data switching device being an edge node of a provider network; encapsulating the data packet using an Ethernet header, the Ethernet header having a data structure that includes a provider device address space and a virtual local area network (VLAN) indicator space; encapsulating the data packet includes setting a first portion of bits, within the provider device address space, that indicates a data switching device address that is a node within the provider network; encapsulating the data packet includes setting a second portion of bits, within the provider device address space, that indicates information distinct from the data switching device address and indicating, within the VLAN indicator space, which bits of the provider device address space indicate the data switching device address, and which bits of the provider device address space indicate the information distinct from the data switching device address; and forwarding the data packet via the provider network.