A method and Bridge in a Provider Backbone Bridge Network, PBBN, for enabling frames from a Higher Layer Entity attached alternatively to a Provider Instance Port on an I-Component of a Backbone Edge Bridge or to a Customer Backbone Port on a B-Component of the Backbone Edge Bridge, to reach an intended entity in the PBBN. A Virtual Instance Port Service Access Point, VIP SAP, is configured for every VIP and every Higher Layer Entity configured on the I-Component. An Enhanced VIP Port Connectivity function utilizes the VIP SAP to tunnel customer-initiated Layer 2 Control Protocols, L2CPs. A Special Multiplexed SAP handles the frames of the Higher Layer Entity, and is assigned an I-SID value that is universally recognized to identify the L2CPs. A Service Instance Multiplex Entity utilizes the Special Multiplexed SAP to transfer frames between the Provider Instance Port or the Customer Backbone Port and the entity inside the PBBN.

In one embodiment, backbone service instance identifiers (I-SIDs) of backbone frames are modified based on flow identification of frames encapsulated therein to induce entropy into the headers of the backbone frames. Backbone packet switching devices use the modified service instance identifier to load balance the corresponding frame through the backbone network. At an exit point of the backbone network, the original backbone service instance identifier (I-SID) associated with a frame encapsulated in a backbone frame is recovered from the modified service instance identifier, with this recovery typically including determining the flow identification of the frame encapsulated in the backbone frame.

Methods, systems and computer readable media for network service type and mode advertisement are described. In some implementations, a method can include providing a network service having a service mode and a service type, and generating a network service advertisement message including a service identifier, a service mode portion and a service type portion. The method can also include populating the service mode portion with a first value corresponding to a service mode of the network service and populating the service type portion with a second value corresponding to a service type of the network service. The method can further include forwarding the network service advertisement message from a first system to one or more other systems via a network.

A method, system and computer readable medium for selective multicast processing. The method can include obtaining, using one or more processors, an association between a multicast data stream and a service identifier. The method can also include programming, using the one or more processors, a classification engine with a match that classifies a VLAN. The method can further include receiving, at the one or more processors, a data stream, and classifying, using the one or more processors, the data stream based on a mapping to a source virtual port. The method can also include deriving, using the one or more processors, a service identifier from the source virtual port.