Shared spanning tree protocol
US6813250B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 22, 2000 |
| Grant date | Nov 2, 2004 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jul 26, 2022 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04L45/484
- WIPO fieldDigital communication
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A shared spanning tree protocol (SSTP) creates a plurality of spanning trees (i.e., loop-free paths) which are shared among one or more virtual local area network (VLAN) designations for data transmission within a computer network. Each shared spanning tree includes and is defined by a primary VLAN and may be associated with one or more secondary VLANs. In order to associate VLAN designation(s) with a single shared spanning tree, network devices exchange novel shared spanning tree protocol data units (SST-PDUs). Each SST-PDU corresponds to a given primary VLAN and preferably includes one or more fields which list the secondary VLAN designations associated with the given primary VLAN. The association of VLAN designations to shared spanning trees, moreover, preferably depends on which path traffic is to follow as well as the anticipated load characteristics of the various VLANs. The association of VLAN designations to shared spanning trees thus provides a degree of load balancing within the network. Data messages tagged with a particular VLAN designation are then distributed by the devices only along the shared spanning tree to which that VLAN has been associated by SSTP.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.