Patent ID: 8432789

Claim:
A method in which a network device performs operations comprising: returning, by a first network device, to a fully active state; starting, by said first network device, a multicast hold-down timer; sending, by said first network device to a second network device, a first message indicating at least one Split Multi Link Trunk (SMLT) Virtual Local Area Network (VLAN) Identifier (ID) correlating to said multicast hold-down timer, wherein said second network device is a peer to said first network device, and wherein said first network device and said second network device are in a SMLT relationship and wherein said first network device and said second network device communicate with each other via an Inter Switch Trunk (IST); receiving, by said first network device, an acknowledgment of said first message from said second network device; and forwarding, by said first network device, multicast data traffic to said second network device.