Intel Corporation

Michael Anello

Fazil Ismet Osman

Christopher H Bracken

An apparatus and method that allows a layer,&ldquo;spanning&rdquo; switch to switch data packets between subnets based upon layer,packet addresses. The &ldquo;spanning&rdquo; switch on a subnet can offer itself as a destination for data packets crossing to another subnet. Through a configuration process, a layer,switch is taught how to forward data packets between two stations on different subnets. The switch can then teach the two stations how to communicate via the layer,switch. The layer,switch is allocated a &ldquo;virtual&rdquo; IP address on each subnet for each station that wants to be involved in cross-subnet communications. More particularly, the invention includes a method for switching data packets between subnets of a network having frame and packet addresses, comprising the steps of: configuring a switching device coupled to each subnet to have a virtual packet address on each subnet associated with a packet address of a station on another subnet; providing a designated station on each subnet with the virtual packet address on such subnet and with an address for the associated station on another subnet; providing a frame address of a destination station on another subnet in response to requests from a designated station on a subnet relating to transmitting data packets to the destination station; and switching data packets from such designated station to the destination station through the switching device in response to the presence of the frame address in such data packets. The invention includes related apparatus and computer programs.

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Del Mar, CA, United States of America

Michael Anello