Method and apparatus for filtering and forwarding messages in a computer

Abstract

A system which uses per-port last source address registers, which are part of the repeater function, for making filtering/forwarding decisions, which are part of the bridging function. The system includes a single repeater collision domain divided into segments, one or more transceivers for each segment, a master management device/bridge for the first segment, and one or more slave management devices for the remaining segments. A local signal which allows the forwarding/filtering decision to be distributed is attached to the master management device and all slave management devices. A remote bridge interface is attached to the master management device. A management interface for each management device, either master or slave, is used to attach each management device to its respective transceiver for the ports which controlled by the management device. The master management device/bridge uses a media access control (MAC) function to act as a two-port ethernet bridge, with a repeater collision domain acting as one virtual port and a remote bridge interface acting as the second port.