LIGHTWEIGHT NODE BASED NETWORK REDUNDANCY SOLUTION LEVERAGING RAPID SPANNING TREE PROTOCOL (RSTP)

摘要

A method for dynamic path failover in a network with two or moreredundant and interconnected bridges, is described. A first bridge operates asa rootbridge and each node includes two ports where each port is coupled to arespectiveone of the bridges. The method includes defining a bridge identifier at a nodewhichpresents the node as a capable bridge to the two or more fully compliant, RSTPenabled MAC bridges, forwarding a BPDU message from the node that defines thenode as an inferior alternate path to the root bridge, facilitating thedynamic sensingof the absence of communication between the root bridge and the node,receiving atopology change message at the node from the second redundant bridge, andsendingan agreement message from the node to the second redundant bridge such thatthenode automatically begins receiving messages from the second redundant bridge.