Patent ID: 8792333

Claim:
An apparatus, comprising: a plurality of ports in mutual operative communication via a plurality of associated links interconnecting the plurality of ports; routing logic coupled with the plurality of ports, the routing logic selectively routing data to the plurality of ports via the plurality of associated links; wherein the routing logic obtains data representative of a first port configuration for the plurality of ports, the first port configuration comprising data representative of a status for a set of individual ports selected from the plurality of ports, the status indicating whether an individual port selected from the plurality of ports is an open port, an alternate port, or a failed port; wherein the routing logic forwards the data in accordance with the first configuration; and wherein the routing logic obtains data representative of an alternate port configuration for the plurality of ports, the alternate port configuration to be employed upon determining a predefined link of the plurality of associated links has failed, the alternate configuration comprising a new status for the set of individual ports selected from the plurality of ports.