Bridging subnet broadcasts across subnet boundaries

• US 20040213270A1
• Filed: 04/24/2003
• Published: 10/28/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/24/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Jarrett, Robert J., Su, Philip Ti-Fei
• Granted Patent: US 7,525,963 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/401
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1836 with heterogeneous network architecture

Abstract

Methods for bridging subnet broadcasts across subnet boundaries include: (a) receiving a first broadcast message that originates in a first subnet; (b) sending the first broadcast message to a second subnet; and (c) broadcasting the first broadcast message on the second subnet, wherein the first broadcast message is not sent from the second subnet back to the first subnet and/or it is not rebroadcast on the first subnet. Other methods of processing broadcast messages include: (a) receiving a first broadcast message on a first subnet; (b) determining whether the first broadcast message originated in the first subnet; and (c) when the first broadcast message originated in the first subnet, sending the first broadcast message to a second subnet. Such methods may further include, at least in some examples, marking the first broadcast message to indicate that it originated from the first subnet. Example systems for performing various bridging methods, including the bridging methods described above, may include, for example: (a) a receiver adapted to receive a first broadcast message, wherein the first broadcast message originates in a first subnet; (b) a repeater adapted to send the first broadcast message to a second subnet; and (c) a replicator adapted to broadcast a second broadcast message originating from a subnet other than the first subnet on the first subnet. All subnets involved in the communication may include this type of structure to enable cross communication of broadcast message data between the subnets.

Claims

1. A system for bridging subnet broadcasts across subnet boundaries, comprising:

a receiver adapted to receive a first broadcast message, wherein the first broadcast message originates in a first subnet;

a repeater adapted to send the first broadcast message to a second subnet; and

a replicator adapted to broadcast a second broadcast message originating from a subnet other than the first subnet on the first subnet.

2. A system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a port for receiving the second broadcast message.

3. A system according to claim 1, wherein the repeater will not send the second broadcast message to the subnet from which it originated.

4. A system according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the first broadcast message and the second broadcast message is a UDP broadcast message.

5. A system according to claim 1, wherein the second broadcast message originates from the second subnet.

6. A bridging system for bridging subnet broadcasts between a first subnet and a second subnet, comprising:

a first receiver adapted to receive a first broadcast message that originates in the first subnet;

a second receiver adapted to receive a second broadcast message that originates in the second subnet;

a first repeater adapted to send the first broadcast message to the second subnet;

a second repeater adapted to send the second broadcast message to the first subnet;

a first replicator adapted to broadcast the second broadcast message on the first subnet; and

a second replicator adapted to broadcast the first broadcast message on the second subnet.

7. A bridging system according to claim 6, further including:

a first port for receiving the second broadcast message; and

a second port for receiving the first broadcast message.

8. A bridging system according to claim 6, wherein the first repeater will not send the second broadcast message to the second subnet and the second repeater will not send the first broadcast message to the first subnet.

9. A bridging system according to claim 6, wherein at least one of the first broadcast message and the second broadcast message is a UDP broadcast message.

10. A bridging system according to claim 6, wherein the first receiver, the first repeater, and the first replicator form a first bridge member, and the second receiver, the second repeater, and the second replicator form a second bridge member in communication with the first bridge member.

11. A method for bridging subnet broadcasts across subnet boundaries, comprising:

receiving a first broadcast message that originates in a first subnet;

sending the first broadcast message to a second subnet; and

broadcasting the first broadcast message on the second subnet, wherein the first broadcast message is processed in at least one manner selected from the group of;

the first broadcast message is not sent from the second subnet back to the first subnet, and the first broadcast message is not rebroadcast on the first subnet.

12. A method according to claim 11, further comprising:

marking the first broadcast message to indicate that it originated from the first subnet.

13. A method according to claim 11, further comprising:

sending the first broadcast message to a third subnet; and

broadcasting the first broadcast message on the third subnet, wherein the first broadcast message is processed in at least one manner selected from the group of;

the first broadcast message is not sent from the third subnet back to the first subnet, and the first broadcast message is not rebroadcast on the first subnet.

14. A method according to claim 13, wherein the first broadcast message is sent to the third subnet from the first subnet.

15. A method according to claim 13, wherein the first broadcast message is sent to the third subnet from the second subnet.

16. A method according to claim 13, wherein when the first broadcast message is broadcasted on the third subnet, marking the first broadcast message to indicate that it did not originate on the third subnet.

17. A method according to claim 16, wherein when the first broadcast message is broadcasted on the second subnet, marking the first broadcast message to indicate that it did not originate on the second subnet.

18. A method according to claim 11, wherein when the first broadcast message is broadcasted on the second subnet, marking the first broadcast message to indicate that it did not originate on the second subnet.

19. A method according to claim 11, wherein the first broadcast message is a UDP broadcast message.

20. A method for bridging subnet broadcasts across subnet boundaries, comprising:

receiving a first broadcast message that originates in a first subnet;

receiving a second broadcast message that originates in a second subnet;

sending the first broadcast message to the second subnet;

sending the second broadcast message to the first subnet;

broadcasting the first broadcast message on the second subnet, wherein the first broadcast message is processed in at least one manner selected from the group of;

the first broadcast message is not sent from the second subnet back to the first subnet, and the first broadcast message is not rebroadcast on the first subnet; and

broadcasting the second broadcast message on the first subnet, wherein the second broadcast message is processed in at least one manner selected from the group of;

the second broadcast message is not sent from the first subnet back to the second subnet, and the second broadcast message is not rebroadcast on the second subnet.

21. A method according to claim 20, further comprising:

marking the first broadcast message to indicate that it originated from the first subnet; and

marking the second broadcast message to indicate that it originated from the second subnet.

22. A method according to claim 20, wherein when the first broadcast message is broadcasted on the second subnet, marking the first broadcast message to indicate that it did not originate on the second subnet.

23. A method according to claim 22, wherein when the second broadcast message is broadcasted on the first subnet, marking the second broadcast message to indicate that it did not originate on the first subnet.

24. A method according to claim 20, wherein at least one of the first broadcast message and the second broadcast message is a UDP broadcast message.

25. A method of processing broadcast messages, comprising:

receiving a first broadcast message on a first subnet;

determining whether the first broadcast message originated in the first subnet; and

when the first broadcast message originated in the first subnet, sending the first broadcast message to a second subnet.

26. A method according to claim 25, wherein the first broadcast message is sent to a predetermined port in the second subnet.

27. A method according to claim 26, further comprising:

broadcasting the first broadcast message over the second subnet.

28. A method according to claim 25, further comprising:

broadcasting the first broadcast message over the second subnet.

29. A method according to claim 25, further comprising:

receiving a second broadcast message on the second subnet;

determining whether the second broadcast message originated in the second subnet; and

when the second broadcast message originated in the second subnet, sending the second broadcast message to the first subnet.

30. A method according to claim 29, wherein the second broadcast message is sent to a predetermined port in the first subnet.

31. A method according to claim 29, further comprising:

broadcasting the second broadcast message over the first subnet.

32. A method according to claim 29, wherein determining whether the first broadcast message originated in the first subnet includes determining at least one of an originating IP address or an originating port number of the received first broadcast message.

33. A method according to claim 32, wherein determining whether the second broadcast message originated in the second subnet includes determining at least one of an originating IP address or an originating port number of the received second broadcast message.

34. A method according to claim 29, wherein determining whether the second broadcast message originated in the second subnet includes determining at least one of an originating IP address or an originating port number of the received second broadcast message.

35. A method according to claim 29, wherein at least one of the first broadcast message and the second broadcast message is a UDP broadcast message.

36. A method according to claim 25, wherein determining whether the first broadcast message originated in the first subnet includes determining at least one of an originating IP address or an originating port number of the received first broadcast message.

37. A method according to claim 25, wherein the first broadcast message is a UDP broadcast message.