Patent ID: 9178717
Filing Date: 2015-11-03
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A multi-node tree network, comprising: a first node at an edge of the multi-node tree network, the first node having a plurality of ports and configured to receive via one of the ports an Ethernet data packet having a header and payload data, the header having a tag protocol identifier (TPID) field comprising a first value, the first node configured to adjust the TPID field thereby changing the first value to a second value based on whether the one port of the first node is a root port or a leaf port such that the TPID field indicates a leaf status of the data packet; and a second node at an edge of the multi-node tree network, the second node having a plurality of ports, including at least a first port and a second port, the second node configured to receive the Ethernet data packet from the first node via the first port and to forward the Ethernet data packet to the second port based on the TPID field adjusted by the first node, wherein the second node is configured to insert the first value into the TPID field, wherein the Ethernet data packet ingresses into the multi-node network via the first node and egresses from the multi-node tree network via the second node.