METHODS AND DEVICES FOR PROVIDING SERVICE CLUSTERING IN A TRILL NETWORK

The methods and devices discussed herein provide service clustering within a TRILL network without relying on an additional service insertion framework. A TRILL network can include one or more flow distribution RBridges for distributing flows to service nodes. Each flow distribution RBridge can have a virtual base identifier and one or more virtual cluster identifiers. An example method can include maintaining N service cluster load balancing structures and receiving a packet that is encapsulated with an inner header (source/destination addresses) and an outer header (ingress/egress RBridge identifiers). The method can include determining whether the egress RBridge identifier is a virtual cluster identifier, and if so, applying a hash function to a predetermined flow tuple and selecting a service node associated with the hash value from one of the N service cluster load balancing structures. The method can include forwarding the packet to the selected service node.