Transparent Interconnection of Lots of

Links (TRILL)
Overview
TRILL protocol combines the functionalities of routing
and switching
TRILL run on Routing bridges (Rbridges)
Normal bridged LAN is treated as a second-layer link

Rbridges can communicate with each other using

multiple paths
IS-IS routing protocol is used instead of STP

Distribution trees are used for flooding , multicasting and

broadcasting
MAC addresses are either learned or advertised using
End-Station Address Distribution Information (ESADI)
protocol

Transparent Interconnection of Lots of

Links (TRILL)
Data Forwarding
Utilizes IS-IS Equal Cost Multi-Path (ECMP) Routing
A

IS-IS PDUs

Data flow

E
F

Transparent Interconnection of Lots of

Links (TRILL)
TRILL packet format
Addresses for sending the packet
across a link
Outer Ethernet Header Dest. MAC addr., Source. MAC addr.
Outer VLAN Tag
TRILL Header
Inner Ethernet Header

M, Hop Count, Egress RB nickname

Ingress RB nickname, options
Dest. MAC addr., Source. MAC addr.
Inner VLAN Tag
Ethernet Payload
Ethernet FCS

Transparent Interconnection of Lots of

Links (TRILL)
Example
Nickname=R1
MAC Addr. = RB1

Nickname=R2
MAC Addr. = RB2

Nickname=R3
MAC Addr. = RB3

A->B, tag=10

RB1->RB2, tag=5

RB2-> RB2, tag=7

R1->R3

R1-> R3

A->B, tag=10

A->B, tag=10

A->B, tag=10

Transparent Interconnection of Lots of

Links (TRILL)
Dynamical Address Learning
Backward learning
The ingress Rbridge records the inner source MAC address
and input port
The egress Rbridge records the inner source MAC address
and the nickname of the ingress Rbridge
Nickname:R1
MAC: RB1

Distribution Tree

1
MAC: A
2
A port 1
A->B

2
1

MAC: B
A R1

Transparent Interconnection of Lots of

Links (TRILL)
End-Station Address Distribution Information (ESADI)
Rbridge can use ESADI to advertise or withdraw end
stations MAC addresses
The ESADI frames are flooded through a distribution tree
ESADI frames carry VLAN-x MAC address advertisement are
only processed by Rbridges which are forwarder of VLAN-x

MAC: A Nickname:R1
MAC: RB1

Distribution Tree
ESAI(R1: A, B)

1
2
MAC: B

MAC table
A
B

R1
R1

Transparent Interconnection of Lots of

Links (TRILL)
Interconnecting Classical Ethernet (CE) and TRILL
A CE LAN is treated as one logical link by the attached
Rbridges
All TRILL packets transmitted across a CE belong to the
designated VLAN of that CE
Designated VLAN=5

Nickname: R2 B
MAC: M2

Nickname: R1
MAC: M1
1

1. TRILL Frame: Outer header=M1>M2, 5

TRILL header=R1->R2
Inner header=A->B, 10

Spannin
g Tree

Transparent Interconnection of Lots of

Links (TRILL)
CE native VLAN traffic is forwarded by a VLAN forwarder
One VLAN forwarder per VLAN per CE LAN
B
3

VLAN 10
forwarder

TRILL domain

1. CE frame: VLAN 10
2. CE frame: VLAN 20
3. TRILL frames

3 VLAN 20
forwarder

A
2 bridges
Spannin
g Tree

Transparent Interconnection of Lots of

Links (TRILL)
RBs do not participate in STP computation
They listen to BPDU to detect possible merging of two CE
networks
When a RB loses its role as a VLAN forwarder, it sends TCN
BPDU
Old forwarder
of VLAN 10

TCN
1

VLAN 10
A

Spannin
g Tree

TRILL domain
New forwarder
of VLAN 10

Transparent Interconnection of Lots of

Links (TRILL)
Designated Routing bridge (DRB) is responsible to
assign VLAN forwarders and designated VLAN
The DRB is elected based on the configured priority and
the MAC address
The election information is exchanged using IS-IS hello
Forwarder
Forwarder
mechanism
VLANs 21-30,
Designated VLAN 10

VLANs 31=40,
Designated VLAN 10

IS-IS hellos
DRB
Priority = 100
MAC= 123

Priority = 100
Priority = 50
MAC= 456
MAC= 789
Forwarder for VLANs 1-20

Transparent Interconnection of Lots of

Links (TRILL)
Distribution Tree
Use for flooding, multicasting and broadcasting
Bi-directional tree computed from the IS-IS database
Multiple distribution trees can be created
Root for Tree 1

Root for Tree 2

Distribution Tree 1
Distribution Tree 2

Transparent Interconnection of Lots of

Links (TRILL)
Support per VLAN prunning

VLAN10

VLAN20

VLAN10

VLAN20

MVRP Join message

of VLAN 10

Fabricpath
Comparisons Between Fabricpath and TRILL
Similarities
Use IS-IS to derive equal cost multiple paths.
Data forwarding is based on MAC addresses
Multidestination Trees are used for flooding, broadcast and
multicasting

Differences
Fabricpath switches are only connected by point-to-point
link
Conversational address learning
Multiple Topologies can be defined

Fabricpath
Packet Format

Fabricpath
header

Outer MAC
Ftag

Inner Ethernet Header

Egress Switch Address

Ingress Switch Address
Ftag
TTL
Dest. MAC addr., Source. MAC addr.
Inner VLAN Tag
Ethernet Payload
Ethernet FCS

Fabricpath
Data forwarding

Fabricpath Domain

FA1

FA2

FA3

Host A

A->B, tag=10

Host B

FA1-> FA3

FA1->FA3

Ftag = ..

Ftag= ..

A->B,
tag=10

A>B,tag=1
0

A->B, tag=10

Fabricpath
Conversational Learning
Fabricpath switch only learn addresses of hosts that
communicate with its attached hosts
Host C

1
FA1, Multicast

A
Host A

Ftag = 1

A-> B

FA1

Host D

B
A

Host B
1
-

FA1

Fabricpath
Fabricpath Topology Characteristics
All Fabricpath switches (FSes) are connected by point-topoint links
Fabricpath domain acts like a backbone that connects all
the CE networks

Fabricpath Domain

CE
domain

CE
Domain

CE
Domain

No native CE traffic
Will be generated from
The Fabricpath domain

Fabricpath
Fabricpath domain is the root bridge of all Spanning
trees
All Fabricpath switches have the same Bridge ID
Two Fabricpath domains cannot be connected by a CE
domain
BPDUs will not be forwarded between CE domains
Exception: TCN will be forwarded within the Fabricpath
domain
Fabricpath Domain

Spanning Tree

Fabricpath
Fabricpath VLANs and CE VLANs
Fabricpath VLAN traffic will be transport in the Fabricpath
domain
Traffic from CE VLANs which are not the Fabricpath VLANs
remains in the CE domain
Fabricpath Domain

VLANS 1-20 traffic

Fabricpath VLANs 1-20
CE VLANs 1-40

Fabricpath VLANs 1-20

CE VLANs 1-40
Spanning Tree