Patent · US Active

Transient loop prevention in a hybrid layer-2 network

US8077633B2 · kind B2 · utility

5Cited by
5References
20Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMay 29, 2009
Grant dateDec 13, 2011
Priority date
Expiry dateJan 13, 2030

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH04L49/351
  • WIPO fieldDigital communication
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

In one embodiment, a first switch at a border between a first network of a first protocol (P1 network) and a first network of a second protocol (P2 network) is interconnected via the first P1 network with a second switch between a second P1 network (interconnected with the first P1 network) and a second P2 network. In response to detecting a merge of the first and second P2 networks, the first switch may: i) block data packets from traversing P1 network boundary ports of the first switch; ii) allow protocol messages to flow between the first and second P1 networks through the P1 network boundary ports of the first switch; iii) allow the first and second P1 networks to discover each other through the protocol messages and to prevent loops; and in response, iv) unblock the P1 network boundary ports of the first switch to allow traversal of data packets.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.