Arista Networks, Inc.
Method and system for using a top of rack switch as an overlay routing intermediate point

Abstract:

A method for transmitting MAC frames between remote and/or virtual machines, across network devices (i.e., switches, multilayer switches, and routers) that conventionally do not hold capacity to address MAC rewrites to any and all possible destinations within expanding data centers. More specifically, a network device retains MAC rewrite table entries corresponding to Top of Rack (ToR) switches versus to the hosts and virtual machines that reside under those ToR switches. This use of a ToR switch as an overlay routing intermediate point may reduce the number of required MAC addresses stored on a network device for the purposes of performing rewrites, thereby once again establishing the capability for packets to reach any arbitrary destination as data centers scale.