Daisy-Chained Ethernet Loop Port State Persistence
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Solution Overview
Problem
Ethernet networks face challenges in handling loops, leading to packet overload and communication disruption, especially in audio networks where daisy-chained configurations require rapid redundancy and loop detection, with existing protocols like Spanning Tree and Rapid Spanning Tree taking significant time to reconfigure the network topology.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a method for a stable daisy-chained Ethernet loop with devices having three ports, using the Bridge Protocol and RSTP to maintain communication paths during reboots and firmware updates by keeping port states persistent and increasing the BPDU hello time to ensure network convergence within a second, preventing loop detection and minimizing communication loss.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If Spanning Tree Protocol or Rapid Spanning Tree Protocol is used for loop detection and network reconfiguration, then network topology stability is improved, but network reconfiguration time increases significantly (STP takes more than 30 seconds, RSTP takes 2 seconds or less)
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by maintaining persistent port states and pre-configuring bridge devices with stored port state information before network failures or reboots occur. This allows the network to resume communication almost immediately after a disruption, eliminating the need for lengthy topology detection and reconfiguration processes that traditional protocols require.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the operational parameters of bridge devices by implementing a mechanism that stores and persists port state information across reboots and firmware updates. By modifying how bridge devices manage their state (from transient to persistent), the system achieves rapid network recovery without the time-consuming topology detection required by conventional protocols.
2Reliability
If loop detection protocols are implemented to prevent packet overload, then network reliability is improved, but communication continuity deteriorates due to link isolation until topology is correctly detected
Solution Approach 1:
The system ensures continuity of useful action by maintaining persistent port states that allow communication to continue uninterrupted during device reboots and firmware updates. The bridge devices retain their port state information in non-volatile memory, enabling them to resume forwarding traffic immediately without isolating links or interrupting communication, thus achieving both reliability and continuous productivity.
3Productivity
If devices are kept in forwarding states to maintain communication paths during reboots, then communication continuity is improved, but loop formation risk increases until RSTP is fully operational
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses copying by storing and persisting port state information in non-volatile memory, creating a backup copy of the operational state that survives reboots and firmware updates. This copied state information allows devices to rapidly restore their forwarding states without forming loops, as the stored state includes the necessary topology information to maintain loop-free configurations while enabling immediate communication resumption.
Data Source
Figure 1
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AI summary
The invention provides for a method for running a computer networkand such a computer network. The computer network comprises a number of devices being arranged in a stable daisy-chained loop, wherein each device comprises a bridge having at least three ports, whereby during running the computer network each device can take different states to avoid a loop, and whereby in case of rebooting the ports of at least one of the devices keep their current port states.