Patent ID: 6556574
Filing Date: 2003-04-29
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
A method of updating route information for a Route Information Field (RIF) in a Source Routing Bridge (SRB) subnet having at least one bridge and at least one leg, comprising:transmitting an Address Resolution Protocol (ARM) Explorer request packet by a source station connected to said SRB subnet, said ARP Explorer request packet being copied onto each leg of said subnet at each bridge in said subnet; receiving a first ARP Explorer response packet by said source station, said first ARP Explorer response packet transmitted by an end station in response to said end station receiving said ARP Explorer request packet, and in response to receiving said first ARP Explorer response packet using RIF information found in said first ARP Explorer response packet as the path between said source station and said end station; initiating a timer by said source station, in response to receiving said first ARP Explorer response packet, said timer expiring after a predetermined timing interval; rejecting any subsequent ARP Explorer response packet received by said source station, and rejecting any RIF information contained in said subsequently received ARP Explorer response packet, which is received after initiating said timer and before expiration of said timing interval; and receiving a next received ARP Explorer response packet from said end station after expiration of said timing interval.