Layer 3 PRP Frame Routing Without Losing Source MAC or Trailer
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Solution Overview
Problem
PRP frames cannot be routed through Layer 3 routers as they operate only at Layer 2 networks, leading to the removal of essential PRP information such as the original Source MAC Address and PRP Trailer during routing.
Innovation Solution
A Layer 3 router is equipped with a PRP module that identifies and preserves the PRP suffix, source MAC address, and Redundancy Control Trailer, and reinserts these into the frame after routing, ensuring the frame retains all relevant PRP information.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a Layer 3 router routes PRP frames using standard IP routing, then routing functionality is achieved, but PRP information (Source MAC Address and PRP Trailer) is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The router performs preliminary actions by extracting and preserving the Source MAC Address and PRP Trailer before the routing process removes them. The PRP module captures this information in advance so it can be restored after routing, thus preventing information loss while maintaining routing functionality
Solution Approach 2:
The PRP module acts as an intermediary between the standard IP routing subsystem and the PRP frame structure. It intercepts the frame, preserves critical PRP information, allows routing to proceed, and then restores the PRP trailer and Source MAC address, thus mediating between routing requirements and PRP information preservation
2Productivity
If a standard Layer 3 router processes Ethernet frames, then IP routing is performed, but the original Source MAC Address is replaced with the router's MAC Address
Solution Approach 1:
The PRP module creates a copy of the original Source MAC Address before the routing process replaces it. This copied information is preserved and used to restore the original Source MAC Address in the PRP trailer after routing, thus maintaining the original identifier without interfering with the routing process
3Adaptability or versatility
If PRP frames are routed through Layer 3 networks, then network connectivity is enabled, but the PRP protocol functionality is broken
Solution Approach 1:
The router performs preliminary extraction of the PRP trailer and Source MAC Address before routing, preserving them for later restoration. This preliminary action ensures that when the frame is reassembled after routing, the PRP protocol functionality remains intact despite traversing a Layer 3 network
Solution Approach 2:
The PRP module temporarily discards the PRP trailer and Source MAC Address information during the routing process, then recovers and reattaches them after routing is complete. This discard and recover approach allows the frame to be routed while preserving the essential PRP protocol elements needed for functionality
Data Source
AI summary
There is described a Layer 3 router and method for routing PRP frames. A first frame is received at one or more ports of the Layer 3 router. A PRP suffix of the first frame, a source MAC address of the first frame, and a Redundancy Control Trailer of the first frame are identified. The first frame is forwarded to a routing subsystem of the Layer 3 router, and a second frame including a source IP address is received from the routing subsystem. The source MAC address of the first frame is assigned to the second frame in response to associating the source IP address with the source MAC address, and the Redundancy Control Trailer is appended to the second frame. The second frame is transmitted from the port or ports of the Layer 3 router.