MAC address learning and propagation in load balancing switch protocols
US6947384B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Feb 12, 2003 |
| Grant date | Sep 20, 2005 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 1, 2023 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04L49/201
- WIPO fieldDigital communication
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A method for disseminating MAC addresses for discovered network devices through a plurality of network switches which cooperate to enable maintaining multiple active paths between such devices. Where a plurality of network switches cooperate through load balancing protocols to enable simultaneous use of multiple paths between, protocols of the present invention permit newly discovered MAC addresses attached to ports of an edge switch to be disseminated through the network switches. When an edge switch detects a device having a previously unknown MAC address, a MAC address information packet is generated and disseminated from the edge switch the other switched of the same load balance domain. The packet is preferably, in effect, broadcast using the pruned broadcast tree constructed and maintained by other protocols related to the present invention. Each intermediate switch on the broadcast tree eventually receives the MAC address information packet from a neighboring switch in the load balance domain. The received MAC address information packet is used to update MAC address tables in the receiving switch. If appropriate in accordance with the pruned broadcast tree, the received MAC …
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.