Abstract: A method, apparatus, and computer instructions are provided for propagating a physical device's link status to one or more virtual devices associated with the physical device. Link status information about the physical device indicating a failure in the physical device is identified using partition management firmware. The link status information about the physical device is propagated by partition management firmware to one or more virtual devices associated with the physical device. The logical partition using the virtual device use the virtual device link status to determine if a physical link to an outside network is down, and take appropriate remedial actions as may be necessary.

Abstract: A computer implemented method, data processing system, and a computer program product are provided for managing an adapter failure. A first adapter is monitored for adapter failure. A second adapter is activated in response to detecting the adapter failure of the first adapter. In response to detecting the first adapter failure, any unsent packets located in a queue associated with the first adapter are redirected to a queue associated with the second adapter. These redirected packets form initial packets that are sent prior to sending any other packets.

Abstract: A computer implemented method, data processing system, and a computer program product are provided for processing packets in switches. A first switch receives a packet from a network that is to be directed to a host. A determination is made as to whether all of the ports connected from the first switch to the host have failed. If all of the ports from the first switch to the host have failed, the packet is sent through a backup port connected to a second switch, which sends the packet to the host.

Abstract: A method, system and network protocol that enables each host within a virtual local area network (VLAN) environment to automatically discover to which VLANs the host belongs. When a host initially sets up a communication interface, the host generates a series of probing packets, each including a different one of the range of possible VLAN IDs within the packet header. The probing packet requests a response from the switch indicating whether the corresponding VLAN (identified by the VLAN ID) is supported by the switch. The switch automatically drops any packets with a VLAN ID not recognized/supported/configured in the switch. The destination device only receives supported packets, and thus the interface only receives a response for those request packets having a VLAN ID associated with a supported VLAN. The host's interface then knows which VLAN ID(s) are supported, and the host assigns/utilizes only those VLAN IDs for outgoing traffic.

Abstract: A method, data processing system, and computer usable code are provided for protocol definition for software bridge failover. In a first aspect of the present invention, a first software bridge determines the proper working operation of a physical adapter. Limbo packets are sent to a second software bridge alerting the second software bridge that the first software bridge is no longer bridging traffic responsive to the physical adapter failure in the first software bridge. The second software bridge receives the limbo packets, and, in response to receiving the limbo packets, asserts primary control and initiates bridging of traffic. In an alternative aspect of the present invention a first software bridge sends keep-alive packets. A second software bridge monitors the keep-alive packets from the first software bridge and, in response to a failure to detect the keep-alive packets from the first software bridge, the second software bridge initiates bridging of traffic.

Abstract: A method, an apparatus, and computer instructions are provided for automatically activating standby shared Ethernet adapter in a Virtual I/O server of a logically-partitioned data processing system. A standby shared Ethernet adapter (SEA) is set up with a virtual Ethernet adapter that belongs to the same network as the primary shared Ethernet adapter (SEA). The standby SEA monitors periodically for a failure of the primary SEA. If a failure occurs, the standby SEA is activated by connecting a path between its physical adapter and virtual trunk adapter, such that the virtual trunk adapter becomes the primary SEA for the client partitions. Responsive to detecting a recovery of the primary SEA, the primary SEA determines if external communications are received from the standby SEA. If no external communications are received, the primary SEA is reactivated by connecting a path between its physical adapter and virtual trunk adapter.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, and computer instructions for negotiating a protocol for a conversation in which data packets are transmitted. Responsive to establishment of a link aggregation with an endpoint for the conversation, an algorithm for processing the data packets in the conversation is selected to form a preferred algorithm. A request is sent to the endpoint. This request indicates the preferred algorithm for processing the data packets in the conversation. A reply to the request is received from the endpoint. A determination is made as to whether a convergence has occurred. The data packets in the conversation are processed using the preferred algorithm in response to a determination that the convergence has occurred.