MAC address learning in a distributed bridge
US7593400B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | May 19, 2006 |
| Grant date | Sep 22, 2009 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 7, 2027 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04L49/354
- WIPO fieldDigital communication
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A method for communication includes configuring a network node having at least first and second line cards, the line cards having respective ports, to operate as a distributed media access control (MAC) bridge in a Layer 2 network. Each of the line cards has a respective forwarding database (FDB). Upon receiving a data packet on a port of the network node from a MAC source address, the data packet is conveyed to at least the first line card for transmission to the MAC destination address. The MAC source address of the data packet is checked against the records in the FDB of the first line card. If the FDB does not contain a record of an association of the MAC source address with the port on which the data packet was received, the record is added to the FDB of the first line card, which sends a message to at least the second line card informing the second line card of the association.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.