International Business Machines Corporation
METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR IMPLEMENTING A FLEXIBLE VIRTUAL LOCAL AREA NETWORK

Abstract:

A method and apparatus for implementing a virtual local area network. The method includes determining a global virtual local area network for transmitting a broadcast data frame in response to receiving the broadcast data frame at a first switch, encapsulating the broadcast data frame based at least in part on said determination and transmitting it to at least one second switch over the determined global virtual local area network. The broadcast data frame is received at the second switch and an identifier of the global virtual local area network is obtained according to the broadcast data frame. Based at least in part on the identifier of the global virtual local area network, it is determined that which local virtual local area network served by the second switch the de-capsulated broadcast data frame can be sent to.