Apparatus and method for reducing frame loss in route switched networks

A method for reducing frame loss in an asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) communications network, comprising:

• registering an association between a router MAC address of a router associated with a MAC/ATM address pair, and an intersubnet shortcut virtual channel connection (VCC), the MAC/ATM address pair having a MAC address and an ATM address;
• receiving a data frame being sent from a first station to a second station, wherein the second station is addressed using the MAC address and the data frame has a destination MAC address equivalent to the MAC address;
• and
• replacing the destination MAC address of the data frame with the router MAC address, wherein the data frame can now be delivered.

A method for preventing a first station from having to wait to send data to a second station over a newly created intersubnet shortcut virtual channel connection (VCC), comprising:

• registering an association between a MAC/ATM address pair and an intersubnet shortcut virtual channel connection (VCC), the MAC/ATM address pair having a MAC address and an ATM address;
• receiving a flush request message from an edge device on an emulated local area network (ELAN), wherein the flush request message has a destination ATM address equal to the ATM address of the MAC/ATM address pair;
• and
• sending a flush response message to the edge device, where upon receiving the flush response message, the edge device starts sending data from the first station to the second station over the newly created intersubnet shortcut VCC.

An asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) communications network, comprising:

• a emulated local area network (ELAN) connected to a local area network emulation server (LES), a broadcast and unknown server (BUS), a server, and a LAN switch, with a first station being attached to the LAN switch;
• a second station connected to the ATM communications network, the second station having a MAC address and an ATM address;
• the ATM communications network being operable in a first mode of operation, wherein
• the server registers an association between a MAC/ATM address pair and an intersubnet shortcut virtual channel connection (VCC), the MAC/ATM address pair having the MAC address and the ATM address of the second station;
• the first station sends a first data frame destined for the second station that is received by the BUS;
• the BUS creates a second data frame in response to receiving the first data frame, wherein the second data frame has as a source address the MAC address;
• and
• the BUS sends the second data frame to the first station, wherein devices associated with the first station learn an origination point for the second station and can issue messaging necessary to establish the intersubnet shortcut VCC.

An asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) communications network, comprising:

• a emulated local area network (ELAN) connected to a local area network emulation server (LES), a broadcast and unknown server (BUS), a server, and a LAN switch, with a first station being attached to the LAN switch;
• a second station connected to the ATM communications network, the second station having a MAC address an ATM address;
• the ATM communications network being operable in a first mode of operation, wherein
• the server registers an association between a router MAC address of a router associated with a MAC/ATM address pair, and an intersubnet shortcut virtual channel connection (VCC), the MAC/ATM address pair having the MAC address and the ATM address of the second station;
• the first station sends a data frame destined for the second station that is received by the BUS;
• and
• the LES replaces the destination MAC address of the data frame with the router MAC address, wherein the data frame can now be delivered.

An asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) communications network, comprising:

• an emulated local area network (ELAN) connected to a local area network emulation server (LES), a broadcast and unknown server (BUS), a server, and a LAN switch, with a first station being attached to the LAN switch;
• a second station connected to the ATM communications network, the second station having a MAC address and an ATM address;
• the ATM communications network being operable in a first mode of operation, wherein
• the server registers an association between a MAC/ATM address pair and an intersubnet shortcut virtual channel connection (VCC), the MAC/ATM address pair having the MAC address and the ATM address of the second station;
• the BUS receives a flush request message from the LAN switch, wherein the flush request message has a destination ATM address equal to the ATM address of the MAC/ATM address pair;
• and
• the BUS sends a flush response message to the LAN switch, where upon receiving the flush response message, the LAN switch starts sending data from the first station to the second station over the intersubnet shortcut VCC.