Patent ID: 7969895

Claim:
A network system including a first switch apparatus and a second switch apparatus, wherein the first switch apparatus includes: a first port that is connected to the second switch apparatus and sends a first loop detection frame to detect an occurrence of a loop failure; a second port that receives the first loop detection frame; and a first controller that controls the first and second ports of the first switch apparatus, the second switch apparatus includes: a third port that sends a second loop detection frame to detect an occurrence of a loop failure; a fourth port that is connected to the first port of the first switch apparatus and receives the second loop detection frame; and a second controller that controls the third and fourth ports of the second switch apparatus, wherein the second controller detects at the fourth port an occurrence of a loop failure by receiving the second loop detection frame sent from the third port and deactivates the third port which has sent the second loop detection frame when the occurrence of the loop failure has been determined, and wherein the first controller detects at the second port an occurrence of a loop failure by receiving the first loop detection frame sent from the first port but does not deactivate the first port that has sent the first loop detection frame when the occurrence of the loop failure has been determined.