Ethernet Architecture with Data Packet Encapsulation

Abstract

A method of encapsulating data packets for use in a distributed computer network is disclosed. The method includes providing a data packet for transmission over the distributed computer network, the data packet selected from one of a customer data packet and an OAM data packet; and encapsulating the data packet with a medium access control outer packet. The disclosed data packet handling method includes receiving a data packet from a customer facing data port, the customer facing data port within a network node of a computer network; performing medium access control (MAC) learning for the received packet; determining whether the data port is a MAC-in-MAC port; performing a packet mapping to a destination address based on a service provider destination address; and encapsulating the received data packet with a header associated with the service provider.

1 . A computer-implemented method, comprising:
 receiving, at an access node device of a service provider network, a data packet from a customer equipment device behind a customer facing port of the access node device, the customer equipment device associated with a customer medium access control (MAC) source address, the data packet including a customer MAC destination address;   determining, at the access node device, a provider MAC source address associated with the customer equipment device, wherein the provider MAC source address is different from the customer MAC source address;   determining, at the access node device, a provider MAC destination address associated with the customer MAC destination address, wherein the provider MAC destination address is different from the customer MAC destination address; and   converting the data packet into an encapsulated data packet, at the access node device, by encapsulating the data packet with a provider MAC header comprising the provider MAC source address and the provider MAC destination address,   wherein the encapsulated data packet is communicated within the service provider network based on the provider MAC source address and the provider MAC destination address.   
   
   
       2 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the encapsulated data packet is communicated from the access node device to a second access node device associated with the provider MAC destination address via one or more core node devices of the service provider network. 
   
   
       3 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 2 , wherein the second access node device extracts the customer MAC destination address from the encapsulated data packet, determines a second customer equipment device associated with the customer MAC destination address, and forwards the data packet to the second customer equipment device. 
   
   
       4 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 2 , wherein the access node device is associated with a first site that includes a first plurality of customer equipment devices with associated customer MAC addresses, and wherein the second access node device is associated with a second site that includes a second plurality of customer equipment devices with associated customer MAC addresses. 
   
   
       5 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the data packet received from the customer equipment device includes an operation, administration and maintenance (OAM) data packet. 
   
   
       6 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the data packet received from the customer equipment device includes a customer data packet. 
   
   
       7 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the provider MAC source address is determined based on a customer facing port of the access node device that receives the data packet. 
   
   
       8 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the provider MAC source address is determined based on a multi-tenant unit associated with the customer equipment device. 
   
   
       9 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the provider MAC source address is determined on a label switching service basis. 
   
   
       10 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the provider MAC header further comprises a type field that includes an Ethertype value. 
   
   
       11 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 10 , wherein the provider MAC destination address is six octets wide, the provider MAC source address is six octets wide, and the type field is two octets wide. 
   
   
       12 . An access node device, comprising:
 a customer facing port operable to receive a data packet from a customer equipment device that is associated with a customer medium access control (MAC) source address, the data packet including a customer MAC destination address;   a provider MAC and customer MAC mapping learning module operable to:
 determine a provider MAC source address associated with the customer equipment device, wherein the provider MAC source address is different from the customer MAC source address; and 
 determine a provider MAC destination address associated with the customer MAC destination address, wherein the provider MAC destination address is different from the customer MAC destination address; 
   a MAC-in-MAC encapsulation module operable to convert the data packet into an encapsulated data packet by encapsulating the data packet with a provider MAC header comprising the provider MAC source address and the provider MAC destination address; and   a communication module operable to communicate the encapsulated data packet to a core node via a service provider network,   wherein the encapsulated data packet is communicated within the service provider network based on the provider MAC source address and the provider MAC destination address.   
   
   
       13 . The access node device of  claim 12 , wherein the provider MAC source address is assigned to the customer facing port based on virtual local area network (VLAN) information. 
   
   
       14 . The access node device of  claim 13 , wherein a plurality of provider MAC source addresses are associated with the customer facing port, wherein each provider MAC source address is associated with a particular VLAN. 
   
   
       15 . The access node device of  claim 12 , wherein the communication module is further operable to receive a second encapsulated data packet, and wherein the provider MAC and customer MAC mapping learning module is further operable to extract a second customer MAC destination address from the second encapsulated data packet and to determine a particular customer equipment device associated with the second customer MAC destination address, and to forward a second data packet included within the encapsulated data packet to the particular customer equipment device via the customer facing port. 
   
   
       16 . The access node device of  claim 12 , wherein a first plurality of customer equipment devices with associated customer MAC addresses communicates with an access node device via the customer facing port. 
   
   
       17 . A system, comprising:
 a first access node device operable to:
 receive a data packet from a customer equipment device behind a customer facing port of the first access node, the customer equipment device associated with a customer medium access control (MAC) source address, the data packet including a customer MAC destination address; 
 determine a provider MAC source address associated with the customer equipment device, wherein the provider MAC source address is different from the customer MAC source address; and 
 determine a provider MAC destination address associated with the customer MAC destination address, wherein the provider MAC destination address is different from the customer MAC destination address; and 
 convert the data packet into an encapsulated data packet by encapsulating the data packet with a provider MAC header comprising the provider MAC source address and the provider MAC destination address; and 
   a core node device operable to:
 receive the encapsulated data packet via a service provider network; 
 determine a second access node device associated with the provider MAC destination address; and 
 forward the encapsulated data packet to the second access node device associated with the provider MAC destination address via the service provider network. 
   
   
   
       18 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the second access node device extracts the customer MAC destination address from the encapsulated data packet, determines a second customer equipment device associated with the customer MAC destination address, and forwards the data packet to the second customer equipment device. 
   
   
       19 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the first access node device is associated with a first site that includes a first plurality of customer equipment devices with associated customer MAC addresses, and wherein the second access node device is associated with a second site that includes a second plurality of customer equipment devices with associated customer MAC addresses. 
   
   
       20 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the encapsulated data packet is forwarded to the second access node device associated with the provider MAC destination address via at least one other core node of the service provider network.