Patent ID: 7483999
Filing Date: 2009-01-27
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A network unit for use in a distributed bridging fabric, the network unit comprising: (a) a multiplicity of user ports for the transmission of data frames to and from an external network; (b) at least one fabric port for the transmission of frames between said network unit and another network unit in the distributed bridging fabric; (c) a forwarding database for containing entries each including a media access control address; (d) a lookup engine organized for the insertion of an entry into said forwarding database on receipt of a data packet at a user port and for the broadcast via each fabric port of an “address added” message identifying a respective media access control address, said lookup engine responding to such an “address added” message received from another network unit in the distributed bridging fabric to make a corresponding entry in the database; and to annotate an entry to indicate activity of an address in response to an address which is already in said database; and (e) an aging engine organized for the polling of entries in the database, said aging engine refreshing an entry for which the respective media access control address is annotated as active and organized for the selective removal of inactive entries from the database.