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: 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: 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: A local area network comprises a peripheral equipment effecting layer 2 switching and including physical link aggregation means, and first and second core equipments effecting layer 2 switching and including physical link aggregation means. The peripheral equipment is connected to the first and second core equipments by first and second physical links, and the first and second core equipments are connected to each other by a third physical link. The first and second core equipments also respectively comprise first and second management means each adapted to detect the presence of the core equipment in which they are not installed via the third physical link coupling them and in the event of mutual detection to instruct the transmission of a common identifier to the peripheral equipment so that it considers the first and second core equipments as a single layer 2 switch and its aggregation means aggregate the first and second physical links with the aggregation means of the first and second core equipments.

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 dedicated to dynamically assigning interface network identifiers for interfaces of network equipments connected to an Internet Protocol communication network including a DHCP network identifier server. In this method, when a network equipment requires an interface network identifier for one of its interfaces, designated by an interface identifier and connected to a link: i) there is generated in the network equipment and sent to the server a request for the assignment of an interface network identifier specifying the identifier of the interface that is the subject of the request and the identifiers of the other interfaces connected to the link; ii) on receipt of the request in the server, there is determined for the interface that is the subject of the request an interface network identifier common to all the interfaces connected to the same link; iii) the interface network identifier thus determined is sent to the network equipment that requested it so that it can configure the interface.

Abstract: A local area network comprises a peripheral equipment effecting layer 2 switching and including physical link aggregation means, and first and second core equipments effecting layer 2 switching and including physical link aggregation means. The peripheral equipment is connected to the first and second core equipments by first and second physical links, and the first and second core equipments are connected to each other by a third physical link. The first and second core equipments also respectively comprise first and second management means each adapted to detect the presence of the core equipment in which they are not installed via the third physical link coupling them and in the event of mutual detection to instruct the transmission of a common identifier to the peripheral equipment so that it considers the first and second core equipments as a single layer 2 switch and its aggregation means aggregate the first and second physical links with the aggregation means of the first and second core equipments.

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.