Patent ID: 6661787
Filing Date: 2003-12-09
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
A method of operating a network device in a communication system for the transmission of data packets which include network addresses identifying sources and destinations of data, the network device being capable of both bridging and routing decisions and including a forwarding database by means of which a packet including network address data can be forwarded to at least one port and thereby to at least one network path identified by a network address, and packets can be forwarded to at least one port in response to a media access control address, the method comprising:establishing a data table which contains entries each comprising a destination network address of an end station to which a packet is destined, a respective media access control address and an identification of at least one port to which the packet will be directed within the device; determining whether to access said data table to retrieve said identification on the basis of a destination media access control address in a received packet or on the basis of a destination network address in said packet; and accessing said data table in response to either said destination network address or said destination media access control address in dependence on the determination whether to access said data table to retrieve said identification on the basis of the destination media access control address or the destination network address, whereby the same table can be used for both routing and bridging decisions.