Abstract: Provided are request-for-quote (RFQ) systems and methods in which quotes received in response to a RFQ are held until a condition is met and only released for display when that condition is met.

Abstract: In a method for enabling facilitation of re-convergence, designation information for a first port of each one of a plurality of bridges in a multi-bridge ring is received and designation information for a second port of each one of a plurality of bridges in a multi-bridge ring is received. The first port of each one of a plurality of bridges is a first direction Ring Rapid Spanning Tree Protocol (RRSTP) port and the second port of each one of a plurality of bridges is a second direction RRSTP port. The first direction around the ring (e.g., a forward direction) is opposite the second direction around said ring (e.g., a backward direction). A first reserved RRSTP MAC address is associated with the first direction port of each one of the bridges and a second reserved MAC address is associated with the second direction port of each one of the bridges.

Abstract: A node (bridge, switch, router) and method are described herein that implement a loop prevention mechanism for Ethernet ring protection. In one embodiment, the loop prevention mechanism can enhance the current draft of the standard ITU-T G.8032 Ethernet Ring Protection Switching.

Abstract: The present invention features embodiments of alleviating the impact to a system of stack switches, as well as to neighboring nodes communicating with such a system, when a primary master switch to secondary master switch failover occurs. The features of the present invention, generally enables a system of stack switches to retain, for a fixed or indefinite period of time, its stack address even when multiple primary master to secondary master failovers occur. This way recalculation of certain protocols—e.g., spanning trees and link aggregations—and updating of certain tables—e.g., address resolution protocol (ARP) and routing tables—are minimized.

Abstract: A method for providing Topology Change functionality in a Local Area Network (LAN) comprises a plurality of operations. An operation is performed for determining that a Multiple Spanning Tree Instance (MSTI) Master port on a Bridge of a LAN has transitioned to Forwarding state from a corresponding Common Internal Spanning Tree Instance (CSTI) Root port state and an operation is performed for transitioning a Port Transmit state machine of the Bridge from an Idle state to a Transmit state for enabling issuance of a Topology Change (TC) BPDU message from the MSTI Master port. The operation of transitioning the Port Transmit state machine is performed in response to performing the operation of determining that the Multiple Spanning Tree Instance (MSTI) Master port has transitioned to Forwarding state.

Abstract: In a method for enabling facilitation of re-convergence, designation information for a first port of each one of a plurality of bridges in a multi-bridge ring is received and designation information for a second port of each one of a plurality of bridges in a multi-bridge ring is received. The first port of each one of a plurality of bridges is a first direction Ring Rapid Spanning Tree Protocol (RRSTP) port and the second port of each one of a plurality of bridges is a second direction RRSTP port. The first direction around the ring (e.g., a forward direction) is opposite the second direction around said ring (e.g., a backward direction). A first reserved MAC address is associated with the first direction port of each one of the bridges and a second reserved MAC address is associated with the second direction port of each one of the bridges.

Abstract: A method is described herein for configuring a computer network managed by the IEEE Std 802.1s™-2002 MSTP standard or any other equivalent standard such as IEEE Std 802.1Q™-2003 in a fully- or semi-automatic manner such that: (1) if at all possible and in the case of a failure in the MSTP-based computer network affecting a Multiple Spanning Tree Instance (MSTI), MSTP reestablishes connectivity in that MSTI by preferably activating links whose activation ensures that the connectivity within a Virtual Local Area Network (VLAN) mapped onto and associated with that MSTI is not lost; and (2) a VLAN is mapped onto a MSTI whose active topology covers the topology of this VLAN, this being ensured by setting up that MSTI depending on the desired VLAN topology.

Abstract: An exemplary method directs client devices client devices in a computing network to a remediation node. A subset of the client devices to receives remediation services is identified with a single common label. Upon determining that one of the client devices originating a communication request packet is identified by the single common label, processing the communication request packet by routing the communication request packet to a redirection server, and transmitting from the redirection server to the one client device a hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) command specifying that the one client device redirect communications to the remediation node so that remediation services can be supplied to the one client device via the remediation node.

Abstract: A system and method of operating a set of stack elements that are stackable and connected to form a ring. In one embodiment, the stack Media Access Control (MAC) address is stored in each stack element of the ring; and responsive to an assessment that communication with a primary stack element is lost, a determination is made whether to replace the first MAC address with a second MAC address or to retain the first MAC address in each stack element remaining of the set of stack elements.

Abstract: A method comprising receiving at least one document that is associated with a life insurance policy; assigning a respective value to each of the at least one document, in which the value indicates a level of importance; determining a summation of the at least one document; determining an indication for the life insurance policy, in which the indication is based on the summation of the at least one document and at least one of the values; and displaying the indication.

Abstract: In an embodiment, a method is disclosed for operating a network having a group of bridges connected together to form a ring, each bridge having two ports assigned to the ring to form a group of ring ports. The claimed embodiment includes forwarding information through the ring according to one or more spanning tree instances, each instance designating one of the group of ring ports as a respective alternate port that is in a state of discarding. Responsive to learning of a failure by a bridge within the ring, a determination is made, for each spanning tree instance, whether the bridge contains a respective alternate port and if the bridge contains a respective alternate port, changing the state of the respective alternate port to forwarding.

Abstract: A bridge (e.g., IEEE 802.1 bridge) and a method are described herein which ensure the proper propagation of a “cut” within a bridged network (e.g., Ethernet-based bridged network). In one embodiment, the bridge has a port role transitions (PRT) state machine which uses a first condition represented as (proposed && !agree) to transit to an X_PROPOSED state and a second condition represented as (! proposed && allSynced && !agree) ? (proposed && agree) to transit to an X_AGREED state (where X represents “ROOT”, “ALTERNATE” and “MASTER”). The first condition and the second condition are both defined such that the X_PROPOSED state is always entered before the X_AGREED state which ensures the proper propagation of a “cut” within the bridged network.

Abstract: A Layer 2 device configured for providing at least one of bridging and switching functionality in a local area network comprising computer readable instructions for providing GVRP functionality and computer-readable instructions for limiting the number of dynamic VLANs that the GVRP functionality creates on a Layer 2 device of a local area network and on all ports of a data plane card of the Layer 2 device.

Abstract: A method for providing Topology Change functionality in a Local Area Network (LAN) comprises a plurality of operations. An operation is performed for determining that a Multiple Spanning Tree Instance (MSTI) Master port on a Bridge of a LAN has transitioned to Forwarding state from a corresponding Common Internal Spanning Tree Instance (CSTI) Root port state and an operation is performed for transitioning a Port Transmit state machine of the Bridge from an Idle state to a Transmit state for enabling issuance of a Topology Change (TC) BPDU message from the MSTI Master port. The operation of transitioning the Port Transmit state machine is performed in response to performing the operation of determining that the Multiple Spanning Tree Instance (MSTI) Master port has transitioned to Forwarding state.

Abstract: A Layer 2 device configured for providing at least one of bridging and switching functionality in a local area network comprising computer readable instructions for providing GVRP functionality and computer-readable instructions for limiting the number of dynamic VLANs that the GVRP functionality creates on a Layer 2 device of a local area network and on all ports of a data plane card of the Layer 2 device.

Abstract: In a method for enabling facilitation of re-convergence, designation information for a first port of each one of a plurality of bridges in a multi-bridge ring is received and designation information for a second port of each one of a plurality of bridges in a multi-bridge ring is received. The first port of each one of a plurality of bridges is a first direction Ring Rapid Spanning Tree Protocol (RRSTP) port and the second port of each one of a plurality of bridges is a second direction RRSTP port. The first direction around the ring (e.g., a forward direction) is opposite the second direction around said ring (e.g., a backward direction). A first reserved MAC address is associated with the first direction port of each one of the bridges and a second reserved MAC address is associated with the second direction port of each one of the bridges.

Abstract: In another embodiment of the present invention, a method comprises a plurality of operations. An operation is performed for receiving a data transmission unit at a boundary port of a first region bridge. The data transmission unit is transmitted from a second region bridge for reception by the first region bridge. An operation is performed for carrying out Port Information Machine (PIM) Superior_Designated state computation for a Common and Internal Spanning Tree (CIST) instance in response to receiving the data transmission unit. An operation is performed for initiating Port Role Selection (PRS) state computation for each one of a plurality of Multiple Spanning Tree Instances (MSTIs) associated with the CIST in response to initiating the operation of PIM Superior_Designated state computation being performed.

Abstract: The present invention features embodiments of alleviating the impact to a system of stack switches, as well as to neighboring nodes communicating with such a system, when a primary master switch to secondary master switch failover occurs. The features of the present invention, generally enables a system of stack switches to retain, for a fixed or indefinite period of time, its stack address even when multiple primary master to secondary master failovers occur. This way recalculation of certain protocols—e.g., spanning trees and link aggregations—and updating of certain tables—e.g., address resolution protocol (ARP) and routing tables—are minimized.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for controlling bridge protocol data unit bursts is disclosed. The invention in the preferred embodiment is a switching device with a port enabled with a link management protocol and a burst control state machine. The burst control state machine is adapted to receive BPDUs and, under certain conditions, delay responding with its own BPDU falsely advertising itself as the new root bridge. The delay is preferably long enough to enable another bridge to identity the true root bridge. The delay, e.g., a burst control delay, is preferably equal to or less than a Hello time timer value generally defined to be 2 seconds in a Rapid Spanning Tree Protocol standard, for example.

Abstract: Under Simple Multicast Extension for Mobile IP, when a mobile node arrives at a foreign wireless domain, it listens for an agent advertisement sent by a foreign agent. The foreign agent attaches a network access identifier (NAI) extension to the agent advertisement. The mobile node uses the NAI extension to decide which action to take. If the mobile node determines that it is receiving an agent advertisement message from the same foreign agent it previously was in communication with, no action is required. If the mobile node discovers that it has entered a new foreign domain, it sends a registration request to the foreign agent. If the mobile node identifies that it is still in the same domain but has moved from a previous foreign agent to a new one, it sends a multicast subscription request to the new foreign agent.