System and method for distributing addresses

Abstract

An apparatus, data structures, and method are provided for prioritizing data transmissions within a network. As applied to a switching station in a network, the method prioritizes transmissions from the network to determine which packets should be transmitted from the switching station first when multiple packets are routed to the same outgoing port of the switching station. A packet prioritization station is provided, preferably as an add-on to the switching station. The packet prioritization station has a cache in which the destination address of each incoming packet is associated with every origin from which it has received a transmission within a certain time period. The packet prioritization station operates to give priority to transmissions to those destinations that have a higher number of associated origins. Thus, packets that are probably en route to time-critical users or groups of users will be sent before those that are less time-sensitive.

1 . A computer-implemented method, comprising: 
 receiving an Internet protocol (IP) address from a first network connection;    accessing a memory medium, wherein the memory medium is operable to comprise a list of IP addresses and a list of corresponding media access control (MAC) addresses;    determining if the memory medium comprises the IP address;    if the memory medium comprises the IP address, transmitting a corresponding MAC address to the first network connection;    if the memory medium does not comprise the IP address, transmitting the IP address to a second network connection.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said transmitting the IP address to the second network connection comprises transmitting an address resolution protocol (ARP) broadcast which comprises the IP address.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 receiving, from the second network connection, a MAC address which corresponds to the IP address; and    storing the IP address in the list of IP addresses and the corresponding MAC address in the list of corresponding MAC addresses.    
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , further comprising: 
 transmitting the corresponding MAC address to the first network connection.    
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 receiving, from the second network connection, a MAC address which corresponds to the IP address; and    transmitting the corresponding MAC address to the first network connection.    
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said receiving the IP address from the first network connection comprises receiving a broadcast which comprises the IP address.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the received broadcast comprises an address resolution protocol (ARP) broadcast.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 periodically clearing the list of IP addresses and the list of corresponding MAC addresses.    
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the memory medium comprises a database which comprises the list of IP addresses and the list of corresponding MAC addresses.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the database comprises a binary tree which comprises the list of IP addresses and the list of corresponding MAC addresses.  
     
     
         11 . A device, comprising: 
 a processor;    a plurality of ports coupled to the processor, wherein each of the plurality of ports is operable to be coupled to a respective network connection; and    a memory medium coupled to the processor, wherein the memory medium is operable to store a list of Internet protocol (IP) addresses and a list of corresponding media access control (MAC) addresses, wherein the memory medium comprises program instructions executable by the processor to: 
 receive an IP address from a first port of the plurality of ports;  
 determine if the memory medium comprises the IP address;  
 if the memory medium comprises the IP address, transmit a MAC address which corresponds to the IP address to the first port; and  
 if the memory medium does not comprise the IP address: 
 transmit the IP address to a second port of the plurality of ports;  
 receive, from the second port, a MAC address which corresponds to the IP address; and  
 store the IP address the list of IP addresses and store the MAC address in the list of corresponding MAC addresses.  
 
   
     
     
         12 . The device of  claim 11 , wherein the program instructions are further executable by the processor to: 
 transmit, to the first port, the MAC address which corresponds to the IP address.    
     
     
         13 . The device of  claim 11 , wherein, to transmit the IP address to the second port, the program instructions are further executable by the processor to transmit a broadcast which comprises the IP address.  
     
     
         14 . The device of  claim 13 , wherein broadcast comprises an address resolution protocol (ARP) broadcast.  
     
     
         15 . The device of  claim 11 , wherein, to receive the IP address from the first port, the program instructions are further executable by the processor to receive a broadcast which comprises the IP address.  
     
     
         16 . The device of  claim 15 , wherein the broadcast comprises an address resolution protocol (ARP) broadcast.  
     
     
         17 . The device of  claim 11 , wherein the program instructions are further executable by the processor to: 
 periodically clear the list of IP addresses and the list of corresponding MAC addresses.    
     
     
         18 . The device of  claim 11 , wherein the memory medium comprises a database which comprises the list of IP addresses and the list of corresponding MAC addresses.  
     
     
         19 . The device of  claim 18 , wherein the database comprises a binary tree which comprises the list of IP addresses and the list of corresponding MAC addresses.  
     
     
         20 . The device of  claim 11 , wherein the device comprises a network switch.  
     
     
         21 . The device of  claim 11 , wherein the device comprises a network bridge.  
     
     
         22 . A computer-readable medium comprising program instructions which are executable by a processor to: 
 receive an Internet protocol (IP) address from a first network connection;    access a memory medium, wherein the memory medium is operable to comprise a list of IP addresses and a list of corresponding media access control (MAC) addresses;    determine if the memory medium comprises the IP address;    if the memory medium comprises the IP address, transmit a corresponding MAC address to the first network connection; and    if the memory medium does not comprise the IP address, transmit the IP address to a second network connection.