Patent ID: 6801506
Filing Date: 2004-10-05
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
In an intermediate network device having a non-volatile memory, a plurality of ports and at least one spanning tree state machine engine configured to transition the ports among a plurality of spanning tree port states, a method for re-starting a spanning tree protocol, the method comprising the steps of:storing spanning tree parameter information and spanning tree port states for the ports in the non-volatile memory; in response to a re-start of the spanning tree protocol, generating and sending test Bridge Protocol Data Unit (BPDU) messages from the ports so as to cause one or more BPDU messages to be received at the intermediate device; comparing information in the received BPDU messages with the spanning tree parameter information stored at the non-volatile memory; and adopting the spanning tree port states from the non-volatile memory provided that the information in the received BPDU messages matches the spanning tree parameter information in the non-volatile memory.