Patent ID: 8411690

Claim:
A method comprising: receiving a segment protocol message from a first segment port within a network segment, wherein the network segment comprises a plurality of network devices, the segment protocol message is received on a second segment port within the network segment, and the segment protocol message comprises a first port key, and a first port priority; in response to receipt of the segment protocol message, comparing a second port priority of the second segment port with the first port priority, and comparing a second port key of the second segment port with the first port key; in response to an outcome of the comparing the second port priority, determining whether to send a responsive segment protocol message to the first segment port; and in response to an outcome of the comparing the second port key, determining whether to operate the second segment port in a blocked state, wherein operation of the second segment port in the blocked state prevents data plane connectivity via the network segment but does not prevent control plane connectivity, and the segment protocol message is a control plane message.