Patent ID: 6937576

Claim:
A method of creating multiple spanning trees within a computer network, each spanning tree defining a loop-free path among a plurality of intermediate devices within the network, the network configured with a plurality of virtual local area network (VLAN) designations, the method comprising the steps of: receiving a plurality of multiple instance spanning tree protocol bridge protocol data unit (MI-STP BPDU) messages at one or more of the intermediate devices from remaining ones of the intermediate devices, each MI-STP BPDU containing a spanning tree instance identifier; processing the received MI-STP BPDU messages at the one or more intermediate devices so as to define a loop-free path for each spanning tree instance identifier; mapping, in response to defining a loop-free path for each spanning tree instance identifier, each VLAN designation of the computer network to a spanning tree instance identifier; and distributing messages tagged with a given VLAN designation across the loop-free path for the spanning tree instance identifier to which the given VLAN designation is mapped.