Port aggregation protocol
US5959968A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jul 30, 1997 |
| Grant date | Sep 28, 1999 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jul 30, 2017 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04L45/02
- WIPO fieldDigital communication
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A port aggregation protocol (PAGP) dynamically aggregates redundant links between two neighboring devices in a computer network through the exchange of aggregation protocol data unit (AGPDU) frames between the two devices. Each AGPDU frame contains a unique identifier corresponding to the device sourcing the frame and a port number corresponding to the port through which the frame is forwarded. The exchange of AGPDU frames and the information contained therein allows the neighboring devices to identify those ports corresponding to the redundant links. Each device then dynamically aggregates its ports corresponding to the redundant links into a logical aggregation port (agport) which appears as a single, high-bandwidth port or interface to other processes executing on the device.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.