Patent ID: 9742663
Date: 2017-08-22
CPC Classifications: H04L,Y02D

Claim:
1. A switch comprising: a memory for storing instructions; a processor to read and execute the instructions; a first port coupling the switch to a first device; and a second port coupling the switch to a second device, the first device and the second device belonging to an aggregation group; wherein the switch is configured to: receive a first message from the first device, the first message comprising a protocol field set to indicate that the first device is going offline; transmit a second message to the first device, the second message comprising a protocol field set to indicate that the switch will not send any data to the first device, but will still receive data from the first device; redirect, after transmitting the second message, data to be forwarded to the first device to the second device; receive a third message from the first device, the third message comprising a protocol field set to indicate that the first device is back online and is ready to receive data; and direct, after receiving the third message, data to be forwarded to the first device to the first device.