System and method for locating offending network device and maintaining network integrity

摘要

A system and method detects within an IP network an offending network device that has been adversely affecting the IP network performance. A discovery protocol frame is propagated to successive network switches and is formed as a field having a query for inquiring within each network switch to which the frame is propagated whether the network switch has a database entry regarding the MAC address and switch port for the offending network device to locate the offending network device. This discovery protocol frame includes a command for any network switch that has the offending network device connected thereto to disable the switch port to which the offending network device is connected or block all data traffic from the MAC address of the offending network device.