# US 11,310,150 B2 · Connectivity segment coloring > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,310,150 B2 - Document ID: US11310150B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/442,073 - Filed: 2017-02-24 - Published: 2017-06-15 - Granted: 2022-04-19 - Earliest claimed: 2013-12-18 - Assignees: Nicira, Inc. - Applicants: Nicira, Inc. - Inventors: Alexander Tessmer; Ram Dular Singh; Ganesan Chandrashekhar - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11310150B2 ## CPC - H04L 12/462: {LAN interconnection over a bridge based backbone} - H04L 12/4633: {Interconnection of networks using encapsulation techniques, e.g. tunneling} - H04L 12/4641: {Virtual LANs, VLANs, e.g. virtual private networks [VPN] (LAN interconnection over a bridge based backbone H04L12/462; encapsulation techniques H04L12/4633; routing of packets H04L45/00; packet switches H04L49/00; virtual private networks for security H04L63/0272)} - H04L 45/02: Topology update or discovery - H04L 45/16: Multipoint routing - H04L 45/036: Updating the topology between route computation elements, e.g. between OpenFlow controllers - H04L 45/037: Routes obligatorily traversing service-related nodes - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) ## 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. ## Claims ### Claim 1 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. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the network segment comprises network nodes with connectivity using a particular protocol. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein the first, second, and third messages are sent using the particular protocol. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, wherein the particular protocol comprises a broadcast protocol. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, wherein the particular protocol comprises a multicast protocol. ### Claim 6 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, wherein the particular protocol comprises a broadcast, unknown unicast, multicast (BUM) protocol. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the first identifier is based on a subnet address of a node in the network segment. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the rank of an identifier is based on a machine access control (MAC) address of a particular network node from which the identifier is received. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein sending the first message comprises sending the first message when a particular timer expires. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9 further comprising resetting the particular timer each time the first message is sent. ### Claim 11 A non-transitory machine readable medium storing a program which when executed on a set of processing units of a first network node identifies a network segment comprising the first network node and a plurality of additional network nodes, the first network node storing a first identifier as identifying the network segment, the program comprising sets of instructions for: sending, to the plurality of additional network nodes, a first message that indicates the first identifier as a network segment identifier; receiving a second message, sent by one of the additional network nodes, comprising a second identifier for identifying the network segment; when the received second identifier ranks higher than the stored first identifier, replacing the first identifier with the second identifier as identifying the network segment; and when the received second identifier ranks lower than the stored first identifier, continuing to use the stored first identifier to identify the network segment. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 11, wherein the network segment comprises network nodes with connectivity using a particular protocol. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 12, wherein the first and second messages are sent using the particular protocol. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 13, wherein the particular protocol comprises a broadcast protocol. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 13, wherein the particular protocol comprises a multicast protocol. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 13, wherein the particular protocol comprises a broadcast, unknown unicast, multicast (BUM) protocol. ### Claim 17 (depends on 11) The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 11, wherein the first identifier is based on a subnet address of a node in the network segment. ### Claim 18 (depends on 11) The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 11, where sending the first message comprises sending the first message when a particular timer expires. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 18 further comprising resetting the particular timer each time the first message is sent. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 19, further comprising resetting the particular timer when the second identifier of the second message is identical to the first identifier. ### Claim 21 (depends on 11) The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 11, wherein the network segment is a first network segment and a current identifier is used by at least one node in at least a second network segment (1) to identify the first network segment as being a remote network segment and (2) to select a node associated with the current identifier as a proxy for multicast forwarding in the first network segment for multicast packets originating in the second network segment.