Fujitsu Corporation

Akira Miyasaka

Koichi Saiki

Masaki Deguchi

Junichi Shimada

Youichi Konuma

In a virtual LAN, a packet forwarding apparatus forwards IP packets and L2 packets using a single switch. The packet forwarding apparatus includes a switch that switches a media access control (MAC) packet using a MAC address of the MAC packet, and a packet format converter. The packet format converter converts a packet from an input and output unit into a packet having a MAC address according to information from the input and output unit, and converts a packet output from the switch to the input and output unit to a packet format compatible with the input and output unit according to the information of the input and output unit.

Packet forwarding apparatus

A transmission device is connected to a layerswitch through a transmission path at one side, and to a relay transmission path at the other side. The transmission path includes a transmission path of a active system and a transmission path of a stand-by system. When failure occurs in the transmission path of the active system, the transmission device forcibly shuts down the transmission path of the active system upon detection of link down, to stop packet transmission, and causes the layerswitch to perform MAC address flush. The transmission device then switches the transmission path of the stand-by system to the active system, and transmits packets through the transmission path that has become the active system as a result of switching. The layerswitch performs MAC address learning to set a port, thereby maintaining communication even after occurrence of the failure.

Growing community of inventors

Kawasaki, Japan

Akira Miyasaka