Patent ID: 8565072

Claim:
A method for preventing a network storm from presenting in a multi-ring Ethernet, wherein the multi-ring Ethernet includes a plurality of nodes and a plurality of links, each link connecting one node to another node, the method comprising: dividing the multi-ring Ethernet into a plurality of single rings, each single ring defining a logic area, the logic area being associated with a set of nodes, a set of links connecting the set of nodes, and the set of links including a ring protecting link; and upon detection of a failed link in the multi-ring Ethernet: identifying, among the plurality of single rings, a single ring as being associated with the failed link; determining, for the identified single ring, a logic area and a ring protecting link associated with the logic area; and unblocking the ring protecting link; wherein at most one ring protecting link is unblocked, and one link in the multi-ring Ethernet is uniquely protected by one logic area logically, or wherein at most one ring protecting link is unblocked, shared link belongs to a plurality of logic areas, but the priorities of the logic areas are different and the shared link is protected by the logic area with the highest priority.