Patent ID: 7787369
Filing Date: 2010-08-31
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A method of minimizing congestion on a desired port in a layer-2 bridge, said desired port being contained in a plurality of ports comprised in said layer-2 bridge, said layer-2 bridge using an address table containing a plurality of entries, each of said plurality of entries specifying one of said plurality of ports on which packets containing a corresponding destination address are to be forwarded, said method comprising: receiving a packet on an incoming port, said packet containing a destination address and a source address; searching said address table to determine a destination port associated with said destination address on which to forward said packet; if said destination port is not determined by said searching: determining whether said incoming port equals said desired port; flooding said packet on all of said ports except said desired port if said incoming port is determined to be equal to said desired port; and flooding said packet on all of said ports except said incoming port and said desired port if said incoming port is determined to be not equal to said desired port.