Patent ID: 8325629

Claim:
In an intermediate network device having a plurality of ports for forwarding network messages within a computer network, a method for preventing the formation of loops within the computer network, the method comprising: executing a spanning tree protocol (STP) at the intermediate network device so as to elect a root of the computer network, and to assign a first of the device's ports to a Root Port Role and a second of the device's ports to an Alternate Port Role, and a third of the device's ports to a Backup Port Role; irrespective of receiving any STP control messages, periodically sending at least one STP control message from the first port assigned to the Root Port Role in response to expiration of a hello timer, the at least one STP control message from the first port including an identifier of a device the intermediate node considers to be the root of the computer network; irrespective of receiving any STP control messages, periodically sending at least one STP control message from the second port assigned to the Alternate Port Role in response to expiration of the hello timer, the at least one STP control message from the second port including the identifier of the device the intermediate node considers to be the root of the computer network; and irrespective of receiving any STP control messages, periodically sending at least one STP control message from the third port assigned to the Backup Port Role in response to expiration of the hello timer, the at least one STP control message from the third port including the identifier of the device the intermediate node considers to be the root of the computer network.