Patent ID: 6697339
Filing Date: 2004-02-24
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
A method of managing a plurality of ports according to a spanning tree algorithm, in order to set an active topology for a network, the network comprising a plurality of local area network (â€œLANâ€ ) segments coupled to the plurality of ports, in which a port is designated as a root port which is coupled to a path to a particular port on a root of the active topology, and a plurality of the ports are designated as alternate ports, the method comprising:identifying one or more ports in the plurality of alternate ports as a suitable candidate root port to be used for a path to a root, said identifying including determining that the suitable candidate root port is coupled via a path to a port on a root protocol entity other than said particular port; and managing transition of states of the candidate root port in response to a change in the active topology, including designating the candidate root port as the root port and causing a transition of the candidate root port from a blocking state into a forwarding state without requiring transition through an intermediate state.