Patent ID: 6985449
Filing Date: 2006-01-10
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. An apparatus for configuring a spanning tree for use in a network including a plurality of virtual LANs, said apparatus comprising: at least one bridge having a plurality of ports, said plurality of virtual LANs being configured by logically combining the plurality of ports; holding means for holding on the bridge for each of the plurality of virtual LANs configured by the bridge, a spanning tree protocol instance that is a database including: (i) a VLAN-ID that is a code for identifying a corresponding one each of the plurality of virtual LANs configured by the bridge, and (ii) an MAC address for identifying a root bridge in a spanning tree for the corresponding one of the plurality of virtual LANs; means for discriminating whether Configuration Bridge Protocol Data Units (BPDUs) received by the bridge are bundled BPDUs corresponding to a plurality of the virtual LANs in one packet, and for releasing the bundled BPDUs for each of the corresponding virtual LANs when the BPDUs are discriminated to be bundled BPDUs; means for processing the spanning tree protocol instance corresponding to the virtual LANs corresponding to the bundled BPDUs based on the corresponding released BPDU, thereby updating the spanning tree protocol instance; and means for discriminating whether a BPDU to be outputted after updating the instance is relevant to a trunk port, for bundling a plurality of BPDUs relevant to the trunk port in one packet, and for outputting the bundled plurality of BPDUs relevant to the trunk port.