# US 2010/0165884 A1 · Ethernet Spanning Tree Provision

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- Number: US 2010/0165884 A1
- Document ID: US20100165884A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 12/595,776
- Filed: 2007-04-13
- Published: 2010-07-01
- Earliest claimed: 2007-04-13
- Inventors: Janos Farkas; Csaba Antal; Attila Takacs; Panagiotis Saltsidis
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20100165884A1

## CPC

- H04L 12/462: {LAN interconnection over a bridge based backbone}
- H04L 45/02: Topology update or discovery
- H04L 45/12: Shortest path evaluation
- H04L 45/42: Centralised routing
- H04L 45/48: Routing tree calculation
- H04L 45/50: using label swapping, e.g. multi-protocol label switch [MPLS]
- H04L 45/66: {Layer 2 routing, e.g. in Ethernet based MAN's}
- H04L 47/13: {in a LAN segment, e.g. ring or bus}
- H04L 47/70: Admission control; Resource allocation
- H04L 47/724: at intermediate nodes, e.g. resource reservation protocol [RSVP]
- H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M)

## Abstract

A method and apparatus for providing a Spanning Tree to nodes on an Ethernet network. A Spanning Tree topology is calculated, and a Resource Reservation Protocol Traffic Extension path message is generated. The path message contains at least a part of the Spanning Tree topology. The path message is sent to bridges on the Ethernet network. The bridge nodes that receive the path message configure their port states depending on the information contained in the path message, and may also configure port Virtual Local Area Network membership.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of providing a Spanning Tree to nodes on an Ethernet network, the method comprising:
calculating a Spanning Tree topology;
generating a Resource Reservation Protocol Traffic Extension path message, the message containing at least a part of the Spanning Tree topology; and
sending the path message to bridge nodes on the Ethernet network.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, further comprising, at the bridge nodes, configuring port states based on information contained in the path message.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The method according to claim 2, further comprising, at the bridge nodes, configuring port Virtual Local Area Network membership.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the message contains the Spanning Tree topology for the entire Ethernet network.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the message contains either a Spanning Tree instance identifier or a General Control Plane Identifier.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the message contains a Virtual Local Area Network Identifier, the Virtual Local Area Network Identifier being associated with either a Spanning Tree instance identifier or a General Control Plane Identifier

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the path message comprises a type-length-value object included in a Label Switched Path object.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the Spanning Tree topology is calculated by a dedicated node disposed on the Ethernet network.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the Spanning Tree topology is calculated by a root bridge node of the Spanning Tree.

### Claim 10

A node in an Ethernet network, having a Path Computational Element (PCE) comprising:
processing means for calculating a Spanning Tree topology for the Ethernet network;
means for generating a Resource Reservation Protocol Traffic Extension path message, the message containing at least a part of the Spanning Tree topology; and
a transmitter for sending the path message to bridge nodes on the Ethernet network.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The node according to claim 10, wherein the node is a root bridge.

### Claim 12

A bridging node in an Ethernet network, the bridging node comprising:
a receiver for receiving a Resource Reservation Protocol Traffic Extension path message, the message containing at least a part of a Spanning Tree topology;
means to set port states to Discarding or Forwarding depending on the Spanning Tree topology contained in the message.

### Claim 13 (depends on 10)

The bridging node according to claim 10, further comprising means to set port Virtual Local Area Network (VLAN) membership.

### Claim 14

An Ethernet network system comprising:
calculating means for calculating a Spanning Tree topology;
means for generating a Resource Reservation Protocol Traffic Extension path message, the message containing at least a part of the Spanning Tree topology;
transmission means for transmitting the path message to bridge nodes on the Ethernet network; and
means for configuring bridge node port states based on the information contained in the path message.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The Ethernet network system according to claim 14, further comprising means to set bridge node port Virtual Local Area Network (VLAN) membership.