Abstract: Method and system for providing distributed domains in a fiber channel fabric including determining a domain configuration of a resource, retrieving one or more current domain configuration parameters, determining a list of domains in a fiber channel fabric, and generating an updated domain list for the resource in the fabric is disclosed.

Abstract: A system and method runs a multiple spanning tree protocol (MSTP) in a computer network having a very large number of bridge domains. The computer network includes a plurality of intermediate network devices, each having a plurality of ports for forwarding network messages. Within each device, a plurality of bridge domains are defined, each bridge domain is identified by a Virtual Local Area Network (VLAN) Identifier (VID), and one or more device ports. For each port, a separate mapping of VIDs to Multiple Spanning Tree Instances (MSTIs), based on the bridge domains defined at the port, is established. Each mapping is converted to a port-based configuration digest, which is entered into Spanning Tree Protocol (STP) control messages sent from the respective port. Ports receiving STP control messages whose configuration digest values that match the configuration digests values computed for the ports are said to be in the same Multiple Spanning Tree region.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods and apparatus for restarting a first network device having a plurality of ports for receiving and transmitting layer 2 data is disclosed. The first network device belongs to a network of network devices. When a restart of at least a portion of the first network device is imminent whereby the restarting network device portion can no longer alter a spanning tree protocol (STP) state of one or more of the ports and such ports that remain in a fixed state during the restart are referred to as restarting ports, a current state (such as forwarding) of each restarting port is maintained during the restart under predefined conditions. During the restart, each of the restarting ports of the restarting network device portion cooperate with its peer port of a second non-restarting network device that is a neighbor of the first network device so as to prevent layer 2 loops in the network.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods and apparatus for restarting a first network device having a plurality of ports for receiving and transmitting layer 2 data is disclosed. The first network device belongs to a network of network devices. When a restart of at least a portion of the first network device is imminent whereby STP is no longer functioning for the first network device during the restart and can no longer alter a spanning tree protocol (STP) state of one or more of the ports and such ports that remain in a fixed state during the restart are referred to as restarting ports, a current state (such as forwarding) of each restarting port is maintained during the restart under predefined conditions. During the restart, each of the restarting ports of the restarting network device portion cooperate with its peer port of a second non-restarting network device that is a neighbor of the first network device so as to prevent layer 2 loops in the network.

Abstract: A system and method for automated switching of data traffic in a network are described. Data is transmitted along a first virtual circuit among multiple virtual circuits in a network. Next, a failure is detected on the first virtual circuit. As a result, transmission of data is switched from the first virtual circuit to a second virtual circuit among the multiple virtual circuits in the network.