Intelligent selection of multicast filtering modes for switch ports

A method for intelligently selecting the multicast filtering mode of a port in a switch, said method comprising the steps of:

• a) determining whether a client is coupled to said port of said switch;
• b) provided a client is coupled to said port, monitoring said client to determine if said client is 802.1p compliant;
• c) provided said client is 802.1p compliant, selecting a Filter Unregistered Groups mode for said port to which said client is coupled;
• and
• d) provided said client is not 802.1p compliant, selecting a Forward All Groups mode for said port to which said client is coupled.

A method for intelligently selecting the multicast filtering mode of a port in a switch, said method comprising the steps of:

• a) determining whether a plurality of clients are coupled to said port of said switch;
• b) provided said plurality of clients are coupled to said port, monitoring said plurality of clients to determine if each of said plurality of clients are 802.1p compliant;
• c) provided each of said plurality of clients are 802.1p compliant, selecting a Filter Unregistered Groups mode for said port to which said plurality of clients are coupled;
• and
• d) provided at least one of said plurality of clients is not 802.1p compliant, selecting a Forward All Groups mode for said port to which said plurality of clients are coupled.

In a computer system having a processor coupled to a bus, a computer readable medium coupled to said bus and having stored therein a computer program that when executed by said processor causes said computer system to implement a method for intelligently selecting the multicast filtering mode of a port in a switch, said method comprising the steps of:

• a) determining whether a client is coupled to said port of said switch;
• b) provided a client is coupled to said port, monitoring said client to determine if said client is 802.1p compliant;
• c) provided said client is 802.1p compliant, selecting a Filter Unregistered Groups mode for said port to which said client is coupled;
• and
• d) provided said client is not 802.1p compliant, selecting a Forward All Groups mode for said port to which said client is coupled.