Patent ID: 7177946

Claim:
In an intermediate network device having a plurality of ports for forwarding network messages within a bridged network, a method for efficiently transitioning the ports among a plurality of spanning tree protocol (STP) states, the method comprising the steps of: executing the STP at the intermediate network device so as to elect a root of the bridged network and to assign one of the device's ports to a Root Port Role, one or more of the device's ports to an Alternate Port Role, and one or more of the device's ports to a Designated Port Role; transitioning the ports assigned to the Root Port Role and the Designated Port Role to a forwarding STP state; transitioning the one or more ports assigned to the Alternate Port Role to a discarding STP state; receiving a bridge protocol data unit (BPDU) message, the BPDU message having a proposal flag that is asserted; and if the BPDU message was received on the port assigned the Root Port Role, leaving the one or more ports assigned to the Designated Port Role in the forwarding STP state, provided that the one or more ports assigned to the Alternate Port Role are in the discarding STP state.