Patent ID: 8274919

Claim:
A method comprising: receiving a first ring protocol control packet from a first ring network via a first ring port, wherein the first ring port is coupled to the first ring network; appending a first ring identifier identifying the first ring network to the first ring protocol control packet, in response to receiving the first ring protocol control packet via the first ring port; determining that a common ring port is associated with the first ring identifier, wherein the common ring port is coupled to a common link; sending the first ring protocol control packet and the appended first ring identifier on the common link via the common ring port; receiving a second ring protocol control packet from a second ring network via a second ring port, wherein the second ring port is coupled to the second ring network; appending a second ring identifier identifying the second ring network to the second ring protocol control packet, in response to receiving the second ring protocol control packet via the second ring port; determining that the common ring port is associated with the second ring identifier; sending the second ring protocol control packet and the appended second ring identifier on the common link via the common ring port, wherein the common link is part of the first ring network and the second ring network; receiving a first data packet via the first ring port; and forwarding the first data packet on the common link via the common ring port, wherein the first data packet is forwarded according to information in a header of the first data packet.