Customer Bridging Domain for LAN Extension
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing communication systems struggle to effectively extend customer premises local area networks (LANs) outside the premises into private data networks, limiting the integration and communication between customer devices and components within the private network.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a customer bridge, customer bridging domain hosted on a network gateway device, and a switching element within the private data network, which receive packets with destination addresses and determine whether to forward them through specific tunnels to either the private or public data networks, enabling the extension of customer premises LANs into private data networks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If customer premises LAN is extended into private data network using tunnels and bridging domains, then network connectivity and integration between customer devices and private network components is improved, but device complexity and network architecture complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces customer bridging domains hosted on network gateway devices as intermediary components between customer premises LANs and private data networks. These bridging domains act as mediators that forward packets between customer bridges and switching elements in the private network, enabling extended connectivity without requiring direct integration. The intermediary bridging domain simplifies the overall architecture by centralizing the extension function at the network gateway level rather than requiring complex end-to-end configurations.
2Adaptability or versatility
If packets are forwarded through multiple tunnels and bridging domains, then communication between customer devices and private network components is enabled, but forwarding decision complexity and processing overhead increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements self-service mechanisms where customer bridging domains automatically perform forwarding decisions based on destination addresses of received packets. The bridging domain examines the destination address and autonomously determines whether to forward packets through the private network tunnel or to the public network, without requiring external control plane intervention for each packet. This self-service forwarding approach reduces processing overhead and simplifies the control architecture while maintaining flexible communication capabilities.
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure discloses mechanisms for extending a local area network of a customer premises of a customer outside of the customer premises and into a private data network. The extension of a local area network of a customer premises outside of the customer premises and into a private data network may be provided using a customer bridge associated with the customer local area network, a customer bridging domain hosted on a network gateway device for the customer, and a switching element hosted in the private data network for the customer. The network gateway device may be configured to receive, at the customer bridging domain of the customer via a first tunnel associated with the customer bridging domain, a packet including a destination address and determine, based on the destination address, whether to forward the packet via a second tunnel associated with the customer bridging domain or whether to forward the packet toward a public data network.