Path detection in trill networks

A switch, comprising:

• a request-transmission mechanism configured to transmit a network-testing request frame, which includes a time-to-live (TTL) field within a Transparent Interconnection of Lots of Links (TRILL) header, from a source node to a destination node;
• a mechanism configured to, in response to receiving a network-testing response frame sent from the destination node, incrementing the TTL value by 1 and re-transmitting the network-testing frame to the destination node;
• and
• a determination mechanism configured to, in response to receiving a network-testing response frame sent from the destination node, determining a path between the source node and the destination node;
• wherein the network-testing request or response frames is not processed on an Internet Protocol (IP) layer.

An apparatus, comprising:

• means for transmitting a network-testing request frame, which includes a time-to-live (TTL) field within a Transparent Interconnection of Lots of Links (TRILL) header, from a source node to a destination node;
• means for, in response to receiving a network-testing response frame sent from an intermediate node, incrementing the TTL value by 1 and re-transmitting the network-testing frame to the destination node;
• and
• means for, in response to receiving a network-testing response frame sent from the destination node, determining a path between the source node and the destination node;
• wherein the network-testing request or response frames is not processed on an Internet Protocol (IP) layer.