Abstract: A method for automatically generating a network subnet configuration, monitors IP Address Resolution Protocol (ARP) frames on the network and builds and maintains a table which includes a list of learned subnets, the ports or forwarding domain associated with each of the learned subnets and a mask associated with each learned subnet for identifying hosts belonging to the subnet. The from and to IP addresses from intercepted IP ARP frames are examined to determine if the IP addresses belong in any of the learned subnets. If neither IP address belongs to an existing learned subnet a new learned subnet is established. The subnet includes the common prefix bits of both IP addresses, a mask identifying those bits and the port over which the ARP frame was received. If only one IP address belong to a learned subnet, the mask associated with that subnet is modified to include the common prefix bits of both IP addresses and the forwarding domain is adjusted.

Abstract: Provided are a method and system for achieving enhanced performance in communications between a plurality of emulated networks overlaid onto at least one base network, wherein the communications involve one or more source route bridges. The method and system accomplish their objects via the following. Determining when communication is to occur, through the one or more source route bridges, and between at least two entities where a first of the at least two entities is a member of a first emulated network and where a second of the at least two entities is a member of another of the plurality of emulated networks. Informing the at least one of the at least two entities of one or more addresses consonant with the protocols of the at least one base network wherein the one or more addresses identify one or more base network entities closely correspondent to at least one of the at least two entities.

Abstract: Mechanism for use in an internetworking device incorporating a translational bridging function to provide load balancing across multiple instances of the same destination address. Traffic originating with clients in the transparently bridged domain is distributed over multiple communication paths to the multiple instances of the destination address in the source route bridging domain. The internetworking device sends an explorer frame over each interface in the source route bridging domain to discover all parallel paths to the destination address. The internetworking device receives a response from each instance of the destination address over all possible paths. The routing information contained in the responses is used to create entries in a cache in the internetworking device. Load balancing is performed by using the source address of the transparently bridged clients as a key to select a specific path for each such client.

Abstract: A communication network having a plurality of routers, each connected to host systems by LAN networks and interconnected by a switched network uses a shared or common IP and MAC address in the routers. Host systems on the same subnet use the shared or common IP address as their default gateway address when accessing host systems on another subnet.

Abstract: A large flat IP network is created in a switched layer-2 network by adjusting the subnet masks of hosts such that these hosts can communicate directly with other hosts without the use of an intermediate router. The layer-2 switches are configured with user-selected IP subnets and monitor and analyze multicast packets to learn the mapping between IP subnets and switch ports. The layer-2 switches selectively forward the mulitcast packets based on the learned mappings between IP subnets and ports. After the destination host responds to the forwarded multicast, a direct connection is established between the source and destination hosts using the media access control addresses of both hosts.

Abstract: Provided are a method and system for use within at least one network wherein broadcast occurs. The method and system achieve their objects as follows. In response to reception of a data frame with at least one destination indicator ordinarily requiring broadcast to a first defined group of stations, at least one attribute of the received data frame is examined. In response to the step of examining, the received data frame is transmitted to a defined second group of stations, smaller in number than the first group of stations.

Abstract: A large flat IP network is created in a switched layer-2 network by adjusting the subnet masks of hosts such that these hosts can communicate directly with other hosts without the use of an intermediate router. The layer-2 switches are configured with user-selected IP subnets and monitor and analyze multicast packets to learn the mapping between IP subnets and switch ports. The layer-2 switches selectively forward the mulitcast packets based on the learned mappings between IP subnets and ports. After the destination host responds to the forwarded multicast, a direct connection is established between the source and destination hosts using the media access control addresses of both hosts.

Abstract: A method and system for improving communications in data communications networks which provide network emulation. The method and system accomplish their objects via communications equipment adapted to do the following: implant a number of distributed-redundant gateways in an emulated network; and dynamically assign access to operational distributed-redundant gateways. In one embodiment, the network emulation is an Asynchronous Transfer Mode Emulation Local Area Network (ATM ELAN), and the distributed-redundant gateways operate as default Internet Protocol (IP) gateway utilized by LAN Emulation Clients (LE Clients) of the ATM ELAN. Also in one embodiment, the dynamic assignment of access is done such that the data communications loading associated with the default IP gateway is distributed throughout a data communications network.

Abstract: A communication network having a plurality of routers, each connected to a host system by a LAN network and interconnected by a switched network, the common network using a shared or common IP and MAC address in the routers forming a subnet. Host systems on the same subnet use the shared or common IP address as their default gateway address when accessing host systems on another subnet.

Abstract: An ATM communications network with several ELANs allows steady-state data to be passed between ATM attached devices which bypasses intermediate LECs and bridges. Connected to the ATM communications network is a bridge unit which includes a bridge and associated LECs. Also, an origination ATM attached device and a destination ATM attached device are attached to the ATM communications network via a first by a first ELAN and a second ELAN, respectively. The origination ATM attached device sends a request for an ATM address associated with the destination ATM attached device to the bridge, via the first ELAN. After some processing, the bridge returns the ATM address associated with the destination ATM attached device to the origination ATM attached device. This allows the origination ATM attached device to establish a shortcut VCC with the destination ATM attached device using the ATM address associated with the destination ATM attached device, thereby bypassing intermediate bridges and LECs.