Method for reconfiguring a communications network

A packet-switched communications network, comprising:

• a first network using a first network protocol;
• a second network using a second network protocol differing from the first network protocol;
• three redundant data links, the two networks being connected by the three redundant data links, of which only one data link is activated for the exchange of data, wherein a master data link is initialized as activated, and two slave data links are initialized as inactivated;
• bridges, the bridges adapted to reconfigure a packet-switched communications network and configured to:
• detect a failure of the master data link or a failure of an activated slave data link by a master bridge of the second network, the master bridge being connected to the master data link;
• generate a first data packet by the master bridge;
• select a slave bridge of the second network according to a specifiable selection rule by the master bridge;
• transmit the first data packet to the slave bridge of the second network, the slave bridge being connected through an inactive slave data link to a port of a bridge of the first network;
• receive and process of the first data packet by the selected slave bridge,
• wherein the first data packet contains logical information to initiate a partial execution of the first network protocol on a port of the slave bridge connected to the inactive slave data link such that the selected slave bridge of the second network appears to the first network as a bridge configured according to the first network-protocol enabling activation of the slave data link by the first network protocol executed on the port of the slave bridge and changing the port of the bridge of the first network to a forwarding port for the exchange of useful data through the activated slave data link.

A master bridge of a packet-switched communications network, the master bridge adapted to reconfigure the packet switched communications network and configured to:

• detect a failure of the master data link or a failure of an activated slave data link by a master bridge of the second network, the master bridge being connected to the master data link;
• generate a first data packet by the master bridge;
• select a slave bridge of the second network according to a specifiable selection rule by the master bridge;
• transmit the first data packet to the slave bridge of the second network, the slave bridge being connected through an inactive slave data link to a port of a bridge of the first network;
• receive and process of the first data packet by the selected slave bridge,
• wherein the first data packet contains logical information to initiate a partial execution of the first network protocol on a port of the slave bridge connected to the inactive slave data link such that the selected slave bridge of the second network appears to the first network as a bridge configured according to the first network-protocol enabling activation of the slave data link by the first network protocol executed on the port of the slave bridge and changing the port of the bridge of the first network to a forwarding port for the exchange of useful data through the activated slave data link.