Arris Enterprises LLC

Maocheng Hu

Mei Yang

Ravindran Suresh

Arijit Bhattacharyya

An electronic device that includes a stack of multiple computer network devices (such as switches) that implement a spanning tree using a distributed spanning tree protocol (STP) is described. A given computer network device may create a virtual internal stacking port. This virtual internal stacking port is included in the spanning tree and provides stacking interface logic that allows the given computer network device to connect to a virtual hub in the stack that is common to the multiple computer network devices. Moreover, the given computer network device may run an instance of the distributed STP that controls ports in the given computer network device, where the instance of the distributed STP run by the given computer network device uses a bridge identifier that is common to the multiple computer network devices.

Distributed spanning tree protocol

One embodiment of the present invention provides a switch capable of auto-configuration of client devices for a link aggregation. The switch includes a packet processor, an auto-configuration module, and a link-aggregation management module. During operation, the packet processor extracts an identifier of a client device from a notification message received via a local port. The auto-configuration module, which is coupled to the packet processor, associates the local port with the identifier of the client device. If the packet processor recognizes the identifier of the client device in a message received from a remote switch, the link-aggregation management module forms a multi-switch link aggregation for the client device in conjunction with the remote switch.

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Union City, CA, United States of America

Maocheng Hu