Patent ID: 8203970

Claim:
A method of selecting a root node for a spanning tree, the method comprising: simulating spanning trees with different nodes as the root node at a network management station; calculating an optimality criterion for each simulated spanning tree at a network management station; comparing the calculated optimality criterion for the simulated spanning trees; determining a simulated spanning tree with a best optimality criterion; calculating a secondary optimality criterion as a tie breaker if more than one node has a same best optimality criterion, wherein the best optimality criterion comprises a lowest maximum cost along any branch of the simulated spanning tree associated with the more than one node having the same best optimality criterion, and wherein the secondary optimality criterion comprises a lowest average cost along any branch of the simulated spanning tree associated with each of the more than one node having the same optimality criterion; selecting a corresponding node corresponding to the best optimality criterion or the secondary optimality criterion as the root node; selecting a corresponding node corresponding to the best optimality criterion or the secondary optimality criterion as the root node; creating a pruned network topology by removing the selected root node; and selecting a backup root node based on the pruned network topology.