Optimizations and enhancements to the IEEE RSTP 802.1w implementation
View Patent ↗In an embodiment, a method for supporting dynamic configuration changes, includes: receiving a message from a current root bridge; comparing the bridge media access control (MAC) address of a receiving port to the bridge MAC address of the received message; if the bridge MAC addresses are not the same, then comparing a current priority value to a previous priority value of the current root bridge; if the current priority value is inferior, then determining if the port receiving the message is a qualified root port; and if the port is a qualified root port, then returning a superior designated message to permit each bridge to execute a rapid spanning tree calculation for use in a dynamic configuration change.
1. A method comprising:
at a network device configured to perform a bridging function, examining a message comprising a first bridge media access control (MAC) address of a current root bridge;
if the first bridge MAC addresses and a second bridge MAC address currently held by a receiving port of the network device are not the same, then comparing a current priority value to a previous priority value of the current root bridge;
if the current priority value is inferior to the previous priority value, then determining if the port receiving the message is a qualified root port; and
if the port is a qualified root port, then returning a superior designated message to permit each bridge to execute a rapid spanning tree calculation for use in a dynamic configuration change.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein the message is a bridge protocol data unit (BPDU) packet.
3. A network device comprising:
a memory; and
a state machine configured to:
examine a message comprising a first bridge media access control (MAC) address of a current root bridge;
if the first bridge MAC address and a second bridge MAC address currently held by a receiving port of the network device are not the same, then compare a current priority value to a previous priority value of the current root bridge;
if the current priority value is inferior to the previous priority value, then determine if the port receiving the message is a qualified root port; and
if the port is a qualified root port, then return a superior designated message to permit each bridge to execute a rapid spanning tree calculation for use in a dynamic configuration change.
4. The network device of claim 3 wherein the message is a bridge protocol data unit (BPDU) packet.
5. An article of manufacture, comprising:
a machine-readable medium having stored thereon instructions to:
examine a message comprising a first bridge media access control (MAC) address of a current root bridge;
if the first bridge MAC address and a second bridge MAC address currently held by a receiving port of the network device are not the same, then compare a current priority value to a previous priority value of the current root bridge;
if the current priority value is inferior to the previous priority value, then determine if the port receiving the message is a qualified root port; and
if the port is a qualified root port, then return a superior designated message to permit each bridge to execute a rapid spanning tree calculation for use in a dynamic configuration change.
6. An apparatus comprising:
means for, at a network device configured to perform a bridging function, examining a message comprising a first bridge media access control (MAC) address of a current root bridge;
means for, if the first bridge MAC address and a second bridge MAC address currently held by a receiving port of the network device are not the same, then comparing a current priority value to a previous priority value of the current root bridge;
means for, if the current priority value is inferior to the previous priority value, then determining if the port receiving the message is a qualified root port; and
means for, if the port is a qualified root port, then returning a superior designated message to permit each bridge to execute a rapid spanning tree calculation for use in a dynamic configuration change.
7. A method comprising:
at a network device configured to perform a bridging function, examining a message comprising a first bridge address of a current root bridge;
if the first bridge address and a second bridge address currently held by a receiving port of the network device are not the same, then comparing a current priority value to a previous priority value of the current root bridge;
if the current priority value is inferior to the previous priority value, then determining if the port receiving the message is a qualified root port; and
if the port is a qualified root port, then returning a superior designated message to permit each bridge to execute a rapid spanning tree calculation for use in a dynamic configuration change.
8. The method of claim 7 wherein the message is a bridge protocol data unit (BPDU) packet.
9. A network device comprising:
a memory; and
a state machine configured to:
examine a message comprising a first bridge address of a current root bridge;
if the first bridge address and a second bridge address currently held by a receiving port of the network device are not the same, then compare a current priority value to a previous priority value of the current root bridge;
if the current priority value is inferior to the previous priority value, then determine if the port receiving the message is a qualified root port; and
if the port is a qualified root port, then return a superior designated message to permit each bridge to execute a rapid spanning tree calculation for use in a dynamic configuration change.
10. The network device of claim 9 wherein the message is a bridge protocol data unit (BPDU) packet.
11. An article of manufacture, comprising:
a machine-readable medium having stored thereon instructions to:
examine a message comprising a first bridge address of a current root bridge;
if the first bridge address and a second bridge address currently held by a receiving port of the network device are not the same, then compare a current priority value to a previous priority value of the current root bridge;
if the current priority value is inferior to the previous priority value, then determine if the port receiving the message is a qualified root port; and
if the port is a qualified root port, then return a superior designated message to permit each bridge to execute a rapid spanning tree calculation for use in a dynamic configuration change.
12. An apparatus comprising:
means for, at a network device configured to perform a bridging function, examining a message comprising a first bridge address of a current root bridge;
means for, if the first bridge address and a second bridge address currently held by a receiving port of the network device are not the same, then comparing a current priority value to a previous priority value of the current root bridge;
means for, if the current priority value is inferior to the previous priority value, then determining if the port receiving the message is a qualified root port; and
means for, if the port is a qualified root port, then returning a superior designated message to permit each bridge to execute a rapid spanning tree calculation for use in a dynamic configuration change.