Message handling in a local area network having redundant paths

1. A method for message handling in a local area network having redundant paths, comprising:

providing a peer group having a first peer switch and a second peer switch such that the first and second peer switches provide redundant paths in the network, the second peer switch having a plurality of clients, wherein the plurality of clients comprise all end stations reachable by the second peer switch;

providing a third switch;

sending a station message announcement by the first peer switch for each of the plurality of clients of the second peer switch, wherein the station message announcement is sent by the first peer switch out of every one of its ports other than the one through which a respective client communicates;

the first peer switch inserting in each station message announcement a source address of the respective client; and

receiving the station message announcement by the third switch, the third switch configured to treat the station message announcement as though the station message announcement came from the respective client identified in the source address.

2. The method according claim 1 wherein the source address is comprised of an Ethernet MAC address.

3. The method according claim 1 further comprising maintaining a forwarding table that pairs hardware stations and ports to which a switch should forward a received frame.

4. The method according claim 3 further comprising transferring a load from the second peer switch to the first peer switch, the second peer switch having the plurality of clients and the load comprised of a subset of the plurality of clients; and

wherein the sending a station message announcement is sent for the subset of the plurality of clients.

5. The method according claim 3 further comprising detecting that the second switch failed.

6. The method according claim 1 further comprising monitoring the second peer switch by the first peer switch to determine if the second peer switch has failed.

7. The method according claim 1 further comprising transferring a load from the second peer switch to the first peer switch, the second peer switch having the plurality of clients, the load comprising of a subset of the plurality of clients; wherein the sending a station message announcement is sent for the subset of the plurality of clients.

8. The method according claim 1 further comprising detecting that the second peer switch failed, the second peer switch having the plurality of clients, wherein the sending a station message announcement sends a station message announcement for each of the plurality of clients of the failed second peer switch.

9. A method for message handling in a communications network having redundant paths, comprising:

providing a peer group having a first peer switch and a second peer switch such that the first and second peer switches provide redundant paths in the network, the second peer switch having a plurality of clients, wherein the plurality of clients comprise all end stations reachable by the second peer switch;

providing a third switch not in the peer group;

maintaining a forwarding table of the second peer switch by the first peer switch, the table having a source addresses of the plurality of clients;

sending a station message announcement by the first peer switch for each of the plurality of clients of the second peer switch, wherein the station message announcement is sent by the first peer switch out of every one of its ports other than the one through which a respective client communicates;

the first peer switch inserting in the station message announcement the source address of the respective client; and

receiving the station message announcement by the third switch, the third switch treating the station message announcement as though the station message announcement came from the respective client identified in the source address such that the third switch learns a new path for the respective client that comprises the first peer switch.

10. The method according claim 9 , wherein the sending, the inserting, and the receiving are performed for a subset of the plurality of clients of the failed second peer switch.

11. An apparatus for message handling in a local area network including a plurality of switches and a plurality of clients, comprising:

a first peer switch that monitors the status of a second peer switch, the second peer switch having a plurality of clients, wherein the plurality of clients comprise all end stations reachable by the second peer switch; and

a redundant path provided by the first and second peer switches via which the plurality of clients are connected through the network,

wherein the first peer switch is configured to create a station message announcement for each of the plurality of clients of the second peer switch, each station message announcement sent by the first peer switch having a source address of a respective client of the second peer switch,

wherein each station message announcement is sent by the first peer switch out of every one of its ports other than the one through which the respective client communicates, and

wherein the station message announcement is configured such that a third switch that receives that station message announcement treats the station message announcement as though the station message announcement came from the respective client such that the third switch learns a new path for the respective client that comprises the first peer switch.

12. The apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein the first and second peer switches are OSI layer 2 packet switches.

13. The apparatus according to claims 11 wherein the network is a virtual local area network.

14. The apparatus according to claims 11 wherein the network is partitioned into logical networks including a Core Network and an access network.

15. The apparatus according to claim 14 further comprising a wireless server connected to at least one of the first peer switch and the second peer switch.