Method and apparatus for resolving conflicting unicast advertisements in a transport network

A non-transitory computer readable storage medium having computer readable code thereon for resolving conflicting unicast advertisements in a network, the medium including instructions in which a computer system performs operations comprising:

• designating a particular Backbone Virtual Local Area Network (BVLAN) as a first BVLAN on a first network device in a transport network;
• receiving, at said first network device, a first message from a second network device advertising a first Backbone Media Access Channel (BMAC) on said first BVLAN;
• receiving, at said first network device, a second message from a third network device advertising said first BMAC on said first BVLAN;
• detecting a conflict due to said first BMAC on said first BVLAN being advertised by said second network device and said third network device;
• recognizing that said particular BVLAN is said first BVLAN;
• and
• assigning said first BMAC on said first BVLAN to the device of said second network device and said third network device having a lower Identifier (ID) value on said first BVLAN.

A computer system comprising:

• a memory;
• a processor;
• a communications interface;
• an interconnection mechanism coupling the memory, the processor and the communications interface;
• and
• wherein the memory is encoded with an application for resolving conflicting unicast advertisements in a Shortest Path Bridging (SPB) Network, that when performed on the processor, provides a process for processing information, the process causing the computer system to perform the operations of:
• designating a particular Backbone Virtual Local Area Network (BVLAN) as a first BVLAN on a first network device in a transport network;
• receiving, at said first network device, a first message from a second network device advertising a first Backbone Media Access Channel (BMAC) on said first BVLAN;
• receiving, at said first network device, a second message from a third network device advertising said first BMAC on said first BVLAN;
• detecting a conflict due to said first BMAC on said first BVLAN being advertised by said second network device and said third network device;
• recognizing that said particular BVLAN is said first BVLAN;
• and
• assigning said first BMAC on said first BVLAN to the device of said second network device and said third network device having a lower Identifier (ID) value on said first BVLAN.