Patent ID: 7778266
Filing Date: 2010-08-17
Classification: H04L,H04Q

Abstract:
1. A switch, comprising: a packet forwarding processing unit that accumulates a received frame, extracts header information from said frame to send to a packet classifying unit, receives an output port from a packet destination decision unit, and sends the accumulated frame from the output port; said packet classifying unit that decides a type of said frame based on said header information, extracts a destination MAC address from said header information, and sends to said packet destination decision unit; a data base that maps the destination MAC address and the output port; and said packet destination decision unit that decides the output port from said data base by use of said destination MAC address received from said packet classifying unit, and sends to said packet forwarding processing unit, wherein said switch includes a generation unit that generates a listener discovery message, wherein said switch flashes entries of said data base upon detection of a fault in a down stream network, and sends said listener discovery message generated by said generation unit to said downstream network.