Patent ID: 6269076
Filing Date: 2001-07-31
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
A method of creating and subsequently re-uniting a split Virtual Local Area Network (VLAN) in the event of a physical break in an Emulated Local Area Network (ELAN) consisting of a plurality of network devices, said ELAN including a primary LAN Emulation Configuration Server (LEC), a primary LAN Emulation Server (LES) and one or more LAN Emulation Clients (LECs), said method comprising the steps of:detecting the occurrence of a physical split in said ELAN;configuring a second LECS to reply to LEC initialization requests with the address of a secondary LES, thus creating a split VLAN, wherein said secondary LECS and said primary LES operate on one side of said split and said secondary LES and secondary LES operate on an opposite side of said split;detecting the repair of said physical split in said ELAN;configuring said secondary LECS to reply to LEC initialization requests with the address of said primary secondary LES;terminating connections between said secondary LES and any LECs connected thereto; andresetting all LECs whose connections to said secondary LES were terminated so as to cause the establishment of connections between said primary LES and LECs whose connections to said secondary LES were terminated, thus re-uniting said split VLAN.