Patent ID: 6185185
Filing Date: 2001-02-06
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
A method of controlling message storms in a network, the method comprising the steps of:classifying multiple destination messages into a plurality of broadcast message classes based upon characteristics of the broadcast messages;counting multiple destination messages transmitted for each class of broadcast messages of the plurality of classes of broadcast messages so as to provide a plurality of broadcast message class counts; andselectively transmitting multiple destination messages of a class of broadcast messages based upon the broadcast message class count for the class of broadcast messages; wherein said steps of classifying, counting and selectively transmitting comprise the steps of:receiving at a network device, a multiple destination message to be retransmitted by the network device;categorizing the received multiple destination message into one of the broadcast message classes;determining if the broadcast message class count for the broadcast message class of the received multiple destination message exceeds a predefined threshold; andretransmitting the multiple destination message if said determining step determines that the class count for the broadcast message class of the received multiple destination message does not exceed the predefined threshold.