How The Bridge Works; The Bridging Function - HP 10:10 LAN Bridge MB Installation And Reference Manual

How the Bridge Works

This chapter provides some reference information on how the HP 10:10 LAN Bridge MB
functions and some other points of interest. These topics are covered:

The bridging function

Automatic network verification
(why the bridge's ports must be terminated for self-test to pass)
Firmware enhancements
Network management
The Bridging Function
When the HP 10:10 LAN Bridge MB receives a data packet on either of its two ports, it
examines the packet to see if the node sending the packet (source node) is on the same LAN as
the node for which the packet is intended (destination node). If the source and destination
nodes are on the same LAN, the bridge discards the packet. If the source and destination nodes
are on opposite LANs, the bridge determines whether the packet will be forwarded to the other
port for transmission to the destination node.
The forwarding decision is determined by:
The bridge operating state
Static entries in the bridge's address table
Wildcard filters configured for the bridge
The bridge state under the spanning tree protocol
These factors all interact to influence the bridge's function. They are described next.
How the Bridge Works 6-1
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