Method and apparatus for network tree management
US8155030B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jan 18, 2008 |
| Grant date | Apr 10, 2012 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 5, 2028 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04L45/48
- WIPO fieldDigital communication
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
There is disclosed a manner of managing the active topology, that is the scheme for forwarding data, in a computer network such as an Ethernet local area network. A root bridge is selected from a plurality of bridges in the network; the root bridge calculating at least one spanning tree from a topology database that has been populated by bridge neighbor information gleaned from link state advertising messages. The root bridge may also calculate an alternate topology for implementation in the event a failure condition that affects the primary spanning tree is detected. The root bridge then advertises the spanning tree and remotely configures the port states of the bridges in the spanning tree through tree advertising messages that the bridges are arranged to process and set their ports accordingly.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.