US 11,310,150 B2 · Connectivity segment coloring

Abstract

A novel method for fully utilizing the multicast or broadcast capability of a physical network is provided. The method identifies segments of the network within which broadcast traffic, multicast traffic, or traffic to unknown recipients (BUM traffic) is allowed or enabled. The identified segment encompasses parts of the network that the BUM traffic is able reach while excluding parts of the network nodes that the BUM traffic is unable to reach. Each identified segment includes network nodes that are interconnected by physical network hardware that supports BUM traffic. The method identifies multiple BUM traffic segments in a given network that each supports its own BUM traffic. The different BUM traffic segments are interconnected by physical network hardware that does not support BUM network traffic. Each identified segment is assigned an identifier that uniquely distinguishes the identified segment from other identified segments.

Claims21

Dependent claims

A method for identifying a network segment comprising a first network node and a plurality of additional network nodes, the method to be performed by the first network node, the first network node storing a first identifier as identifying the network segment, the method comprising:

sending, to the plurality of additional network nodes, a first message that indicates the first identifier as a network segment identifier;
in response to receiving a second message, sent by a first of the additional network nodes and comprising a second identifier for identifying the network segment, continuing to use the stored first identifier to identify the network segment based on the received second identifier ranking lower than the stored first identifier;
and
in response to receiving a third message, sent by a second of the additional network nodes and comprising a third identifier for identifying the network segment, replacing the first identifier with the third identifier as identifying the network segment based on the received third identifier ranking higher than the stored first identifier.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Connectivity segment coloring

Life of this patent

Connectivity segment coloring

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims21