Patent ID: 7313633

Claim:
A method comprising: receiving a data message from a source device having an internet protocol address; in response to receiving the data message, determining whether an address resolution table is being searched in regard to a message to be transmitted; if it is determined that the address resolution table is not being searched in regard to a message to be transmitted, searching the address resolution table in regard to the source device and updating an entry in the address resolution table to indicate in the entry in the address resolution table a timing at which the data message was received, the entry corresponding to the source device; and if it is determined that the address resolution table is being searched in regard to a message to be transmitted: (a) storing data indicative of the source device in a FIFO memory; (b) retrieving the data from the FIFO memory at a time when the address resolution table is not being searched in regard to a message to be transmitted and in a manner to give priority to searches of the address resolution table to support transmission of outbound data messages; and (c) in response to the retrieval of the data from the FIFO memory, searching the address resolution table in regard to the source device and updating the entry in the address resolution table to indicate in the entry in the address resolution table a timing at which the data message was received.