Patent ID: 8654777
Filing Date: 2014-02-18
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A method for a bridge comprising a plurality of ports, comprising: receiving a data frame at the bridge, the bridge configured to support a logical partitioning of the ports of the bridge into a plurality of port subsets, each of the ports having associated therewith a respective port identifier that identifies other ports belonging to the port subset of the port, the data frame being received via one of the ports of the bridge, the one of the ports of the bridge being a source port of the data frame, the data frame including a destination address; comparing the destination address of the data frame with addresses of address entries of an address table, wherein a match is made for the data frame on an address entry of the address table only if an address stored in the address entry matches the destination address of the data frame and a port stored in the address entry is in the same port subset as the source port of the data frame; and communicating the data frame from the source port to a destination port on which the data frame is to be transmitted based on a determination that the source port and the destination port are part of the same port subset.