Patent ID: 7095741

Claim:
A method for isolating a plurality of ports sharing a single virtual local area network (VLAN) on a layer 2 switch, wherein the single VLAN is a group of devices within a local area network, at least one device in the group not belonging to any other VLAN, the method comprising: configuring each of said plurality of ports by a user on said layer 2 switch as a protected port or a non-protected port; matching a destination address on a data packet with a physical address on said layer 2 switch, said data packet received by an ingress port; generating a forwarding map for said data packet based upon said destination address on said data packet, wherein the generating further includes allowing said data packet to be forwarded from a protected port to a non-protected port while preventing said data packet from being forwarded to another of said protected ports; and sending said data packet to said plurality of ports pursuant to said forwarding map.