Patent ID: 7471647

Claim:
A bridged network system, comprising: a plurality of bridge nodes; wherein each bridge node in the plurality of bridge nodes is connected to communicate with at least one other neighboring bridge node in the plurality of nodes; and wherein each bridge node in the plurality of bridge nodes comprises; circuitry for communicating with at least one of either another bridge node in the plurality of nodes or a network server; and circuitry for storing, as received from the at least one of another bridge node in the plurality of nodes and the network server, at least one spanning tree parameter of a neighboring bridge node; wherein each bridge node in the plurality of bridge nodes is programmed to perform the steps of; receiving a first control message from a neighboring bridge node port; transmitting to a network server a message in response to the first control message; receiving a response from the network server, wherein the response comprises the at least one spanning tree parameter of the neighboring bridge node; storing the at least one spanning tree parameter of the neighboring bridge node in a table that corresponds the at least one spanning tree parameter to the neighboring bridge node port; and communicating the at least one spanning tree parameter to the neighboring bridge node port; wherein each bridge node in the plurality of bridge nodes is further programmed to perform the steps of: receiving a second control message from a neighboring bridge node port, wherein the second control message comprises at least one specified spanning tree parameter; and comparing the at least one specified spanning tree parameter to a previously-stored value that corresponds to the neighboring bridge node port; and wherein each bridge node in the plurality of bridge nodes is further programmed to perform, after the comparing step and in response to the comparing step making a first determination, requesting from the neighboring node an authority check.