Network with MAC table overflow protection

A method of operating a bridge node in a network system, the bridge node comprising a plurality of ports, the method comprising:

• receiving a frame, from a device in the network system and other than the bridge node, at a port in the plurality of ports, the frame comprising a source network address;
• responsive to at least one condition associated with the port, storing the source address in a forwarding table associated with the bridge if the at least one condition is satisfied;
• wherein the at least one condition comprises whether the frame was received within a time window Tw of when a threshold number of previous frames were received at the port and their respective source network addresses were stored in the table;
• wherein the bridge determining whether a plurality of source addresses in the forwarding table are authentic, wherein in response to the determining step, the steps of:
• providing an authentic indication in the table for each source address in the table determined to be authentic;
• and
• permitting an overwriting of each source address in the table determined to be unauthentic;
• and
• wherein the at least one condition further comprises whether a number of source addresses having an inauthentic indication in the table exceed a threshold.

A method of operating a bridge node network system, the bridge node comprising a plurality of ports, the method comprising:

• receiving a frame, from a device in the network system and other than the bridge node, at a port in the plurality of ports, the frame comprising a source network address;
• responsive to at least one condition associated with the port, storing the source address in a forwarding table associated with the bridge if the at least one condition is satisfied;
• wherein the at least one condition comprises whether the frame was received within a time window Tw of when a threshold number of previous frames were received at the port and their respective source network addresses were stored in the table;
• wherein the bridge determining whether a plurality of source addresses in the forwarding table are authentic;
• responsive to the at least one condition associated with the port, storing a set of parameters associated with the frame, the set of parameters consisting of an identifier of the port and an identifier of a time of receipt of the frame.

A method of operating a bridge node in a network system, the bridge node comprising a plurality of ports, the method comprising:

• receiving a frame, from a device in the network system and other than the bridge node, at a port in the plurality of ports, the frame comprising a source network address;
• conditioned on whether the source address is different from each and any source address, previously-received in a respective frame at the port, already stored in a forwarding table, storing the source address in the forwarding table associated with the bridge;
• wherein the storing step is further conditioned on whether tie frame was received within a time window Tw of when a threshold number of previous frames were received at the port and their addresses were stored in the table;
• adjusting the time window Tw at different times;
• determining whether a plurality of source addresses in the forwarding table are authentic;
• and
• in response to the determining step, the steps of:
• providing an authentic indication in the table for each source address in the table determined to be authentic, and
• permitting an overwriting of each source address in the table determined to be unauthentic;
• and
• wherein the at least one condition further comprises whether a number of source addresses having, an inauthentic indication in the table exceeds a threshold.

A method of operating a bridge node in a network system, the bridge node comprising a plurality of ports, the method comprising:

• receiving a frame, from a device in the network system and other than the bridge node, at a port in the plurality of ports, the flame comprising a source network address;
• conditioned on whether the source address is different from each and any source address, previously-received in a respective frame at the port, already stored in a forwarding table, storing the source address in the forwarding table associated with the bridge;
• determining whether a plurality of source addresses in the forwarding table are authentic;
• and
• in response to the determining step, the steps of:
• providing an authentic indication in the table for each source address in the table determined to be authentic;
• and
• permitting an overwriting of each source address in the table determined to be unauthentic;
• and
• wherein the at least one condition further comprises whether a number of source addresses having an inauthentic indication in the table exceed a threshold.