Multiplex communications – Data flow congestion prevention or control – Control of data admission to the network
Reexamination Certificate
1998-08-24
2001-05-22
Hsu, Alpus H. (Department: 2662)
Multiplex communications
Data flow congestion prevention or control
Control of data admission to the network
C370S390000, C370S401000, C370S432000, C709S235000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06236641
ABSTRACT:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
This application claims priority to WO 96/38956, filed May 30, 1996, entitled “Storm Protection Mechanism”, naming Anne O'Connell as an inventor.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to computer network devices and more particularly to bridges or such devices having bridge-like characteristics.
DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART
It is customary in computer networks for every device to have a unique address associated with it. Usually networks are designed to allow a one-to-one communication between ports of the network to which the devices are attached, but it is often the case that one port wishes to broadcast the same message to all other ports within the network. While this is acceptable, one has to guard against the possibility of a so-called storm of such broadcast data occurring in view of the fact that this would normally jam buffer stores associated with each port and also with the fact that the whole network would be slowed down.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention proposes that a switch or bridge monitors traffic through it, and utilizes certain parameters of the statistics related to the traffic through the bridge or switch in order to detect the onset of a storm condition and takes action to control the level of such traffic within limits.
Preferably, each port has associated with it one bit which can be controlled in order to prevent a storm of multicast/broadcast data being forwarded to all the ports of the switch and jamming the system.
The switch or bridge can simply identify from previous receptions of requests for multicasts or broadcasts that it will become overloaded and thus refuse to handle any further request for multicasts or broadcasts until a suitable time.
In order that the present invention be more readily understood, an embodiment thereof will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
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patent: 0 477 448 A1 (1992-04-01), None
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Creedon Tadhg
O'Connell Anne
3Com Technologies
Hsu Alpus H.
McDonnell & Boehnen Hulbert & Berghoff
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