Patent ID: 8259718
Filing Date: 2012-09-04
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A network relay apparatus, comprising: multiple ports, each being provided to send and receive a frame to and from each of multiple external devices; a MAC address storage configured to have registry of a transmit port selected among the multiple ports to be assigned to transmission of a frame to one of the multiple external devices, in correlation with a MAC address of the external device; a flooding indication storage configured to have registry of an information group or combination of information of correlating a key item to requirement or non-requirement of a flooding operation, wherein the key item is used for deletion of information of correlating the transmit port to the MAC address from the MAC address storage; a plane number management storage configured to have registry of identification information of identifying each information group, in correlation with the key item; a table manager configured to utilize the plane number management storage to specify current identification information being currently used and next identification information to be used next, with regard to a preset element of the key item for identifying a target of deletion of the information of correlating the transmit port to the MAC address from the MAC address storage, the table manager setting the requirement of the flooding operation in registry of a certain information group in the flooding indication storage having the preset element and being correlated to the current identification information, and the table manager setting the non-requirement of the flooding operation in registry of a certain information group in the flooding indication storage having the preset element and being correlated to the next identification information; and a frame processor configured to utilize the flooding indication storage to perform the flooding operation.