Patent ID: 8737198

Claim:
A method for controlling a plurality of Ethernet nodes interconnected by links to form a closed loop, the closed loop including a root node having a data port block applied to prevent all data traffic from flowing through said block, the method comprising the steps of: detecting, by each Ethernet node, an operational status of the links on the closed loop to which the corresponding Ethernet node attaches; upon detection of a failure of a link: transmitting, by an Ethernet node adjacent to the failure, an Ethernet Failure Indication Message (FIM) to all Ethernet nodes; upon receipt of an Ethernet FIM by said root node, unblocking the data port block to allow data traffic to traverse that port; and upon receiving the Ethernet FIM at each Ethernet node, each Ethernet node at least partially flushing a forwarding database (FDB) such that traffic is steered by each node to traverse the closed loop in a direction away from the failed link upon receipt of said Ethernet FIM.