Patent ID: 7672302

Claim:
For use in a telecommunication network, a router comprising: a switch fabric; and at least two Layer 2 modules coupled by said switch fabric, each of said at least two Layer 2 modules operable to receive data packets in Layer 2 frames and forward said received data packets using Layer 2 addresses associated with said Layer 2 frames, wherein a first one of said Layer 2 modules comprises a Layer 3 routing engine for forwarding a first received data packet through said switch fabric directly to a second one of said Layer 2 modules using a Layer 3 address associated with said first received data packet if said first Layer 2 module does not recognize a Layer 2 address associated with said first received data packet and wherein said Layer 3 routing engine comprises a forwarding table comprising a plurality of aggregated Layer 3 addresses, wherein if the Layer 3 routing engine cannot forward the data packet, the Layer 2 engine will inspect the data packet and forward the data packet according to Layer 2 protocols.