US Patent 7751399 Scalable virtual private local area network service

In one embodiment, a method includes receiving a data link layer packet, such as an Ethernet packet, at a local provider edge node in a provider network from a first customer edge node of multiple customer edge nodes connected directly to the local provider edge node. A tunnel data packet for a particular tunneling protocol is generated. The tunnel data packet includes tunnel data that indicates tunnel termination at a different provider edge in the provider network. The tunnel data packet also includes customer identifier data and the data link layer packet. The customer identifier data uniquely indicates a customer associated with the first customer edge node. The tunnel data packet is sent over the provider network.