Patent ID: 8175009
Filing Date: 2012-05-08
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A method comprising: receiving, by a first port of a network device, a first spanning tree protocol (STP) control message including a first path-tracking field corresponding to a given spanning tree instance in a network, the first path-tracking field including a value based on one or more other network devices that have propagated the first STP control message; receiving, by a second port of the network device, a second STP control message including a second path-tracking field corresponding to the given spanning tree instance, the second path-tracking field including a value based on one or more other network devices that have propagated the second STP control message; and utilizing the values from the first path-tracking field of the first STP control message and the second path-tracking field of the second STP control message to select a root port for the given spanning tree instance from among the first port and the second port of the network device, wherein the first port and second port have a same cost for the given spanning tree instance.