REDUCING PROPAGATION OF MESSAGE FLOODS IN COMPUTER NETWORKS

摘要

A computer network (400) includes a first switch (435) and a neighboring switch (440), wherein the first switch (435) floods the computer network (400) as a result of a forwarding table miss and the neighboring switch (440) acts as a barrier to prevent the flood from propagating into unrelated areas of the computer network (400). A method of reducing flooding within a computer network (400) includes intentionally flooding the computer network when a new forwarding table entry is made by a first network switch (435), such that information contained within the new forwarding table entry is recorded by a neighboring network switch (440) which subsequently blocks messages which are received on a proper destination port.