Value-added features for the spanning tree protocol

A computer readable medium containing executable program instructions for use by an intermediate network device having a plurality of ports for receiving and forwarding network messages, the executable program instructions comprising program instructions for:

• configuring one or more ports as access ports, wherein an access port is a port that does not provide connectivity to switches or bridges coupled to other portions of a computer network, but instead connects to a Local Area Network (LAN), a server or an end station;
• configuring one or more access ports as rapid forwarding ports;
• identifying all ports that have been configured as access ports with rapid forwarding;
• and
• upon initialization of the device, placing each identified access port with rapid forwarding directly to a forwarding spanning tree port state, without transitioning such identified ports between any intermediary spanning tree port states,
• wherein an end station is not coupled to a selected one of the access ports configured with rapid forwarding until after the respective access port is placed in the forwarding spanning tree port state.

A method comprising:

• configuring one or more ports of a network device as access ports wherein an access port is a port that does not provide connectivity to switches or bridges coupled to other portions of a computer network, but instead connects to a Local Area Network (LAN), a server or an end station;
• configuring one or more access ports to have a rapid forwarding designation;
• identifying the ports that have been configured as access ports with rapid forwarding designation;
• and
• upon initialization of the network device, placing each identified access port with rapid forwarding designation directly into a forwarding spanning tree port state, without transitioning such identified ports between any intermediary spanning tree port states,
• wherein each access port configured with rapid forwarding designation is placed in the forwarding state prior to a link-up signal being received at the respective port.

An apparatus comprising:

• a port configuration entity operable to maintain configuration data that indicates one or more ports of the apparatus are access ports, wherein an access port is a port that does not provide connectivity to switches or bridges coupled to other portions of a computer network, but instead connects to a Local Area Network (LAN), a server or an end station, the configuration data to also indicate that one or more of the access ports have a rapid forwarding designation;
• an enhanced spanning tree entity operable to query the port configuration entity and to identify the ports that have been configured as access ports with rapid forwarding designation;
• and
• a state machine engine operable to place each identified access port with rapid forwarding designation directly into a forwarding spanning tree port state, without transition of such identified ports between any intermediary spanning tree port states,
• wherein the state machine engine is operable to place each identified access port with rapid forwarding designation into the forwarding spanning tree port state prior to a physical layer link-up signal being received at the respective port.

An apparatus comprising:

• means for configuring one or more ports of a network device as access ports, wherein an access port is a port that does not provide connectivity to switches or bridges coupled to other portions of a computer network, but instead connects to a Local Area Network (LAN), a server or an end station;
• means for configuring one or more access ports to have a rapid forwarding designation;
• means for identifying the ports that have been configured as access ports with rapid forwarding designation;
• and
• means for placing each identified access port with rapid forwarding designation directly into a forwarding spanning tree port state upon initialization of the device, without transitioning such identified ports between any intermediary spanning tree port states,
• wherein an end station is not coupled to a selected one of the access ports configured with rapid forwarding designation until after the respective access port is placed in the forwarding spanning tree port state.

An apparatus comprising:

• a port configuration entity operable to maintain configuration data that indicates one or more ports have been configured with a management protocol to have a rapid forwarding designation;
• an enhanced spanning tree entity operable to query the port configuration entity and to identify the ports that have been configured with rapid forwarding designation;
• and
• a state machine engine operable to place each identified port with rapid forwarding designation directly into a forwarding spanning tree port state, without transition of such identified ports between any intermediary spanning tree port states,
• wherein the state machine engine is operable to place each identified port with rapid forwarding designation into the forwarding spanning tree port state prior to a physical layer link-up signal being received at the port.

A method comprising:

• configuring one or more ports of a network device as access ports;
• configure one or more access ports to have a rapid forwarding designation by selecting with a management protocol, by a network administrator, the one or more access ports to have rapid forwarding designation;
• identifying the ports that have been configured as access ports with rapid forwarding designation;
• and
• upon initialization of the network device, placing each identified access port with rapid forwarding designation directly into a forwarding spanning tree port state, without transitioning such identified ports between any intermediary spanning tree port states,
• wherein each access port configured with rapid forwarding designation is placed in the forwarding state prior to a physical layer link-up signal being received at the respective port.

An apparatus comprising:

• a port configuration entity operable to maintain configuration data that indicates one or more ports have been configured with a management protocol to have a rapid forwarding designation;
• an enhanced spanning tree entity operable to query the port configuration entity and to identify the ports that have been configured with rapid forwarding designation;
• and
• a state machine engine operable to place each identified port with rapid forwarding designation directly into a forwarding spanning tree port state, without transition of such identified ports between any intermediary spanning tree port states,
• wherein the state machine engine is operable to place each identified access port with rapid forwarding designation into the forwarding spanning tree port state while the respective port is uncoupled from any end station.