Patent ID: 8036134

Claim:
A method implemented by a network device, the method comprising: determining, by a processor in the network device, that a disabled timer condition is present in one of a plurality of links in a link aggregation group (LAG); enabling, by the processor and in response to determining that the disabled timer condition is present in the one of the plurality of links, a disabled timer state for the one of the plurality of links, where the disable timer state is associated with a particular period of time, and where enabling the disabled timer state includes preventing network data from being transmitted via the one of the one of the plurality of links; performing maintenance on the one of the plurality of links when the disabled timer state is enabled, where the maintenance is based on the disabled timer condition; when the particular period of time expires, ending, by the processor, the disabled timer state; when, prior to expiration of the particular period of time and following completion of performing the maintenance, the disabled timer condition is determined to be no longer present on the one of the plurality of links, ending, by the processor, the disabled timer state; and in response to a determination that none of the plurality of links in the LAG is active, prior to expiration of the particular period of time and prior to completion of performing the maintenance, ending, by the processor, the disabled timer state.