Patent attributes
Methods and systems for configuring nodes in a redundant network configuration include identifying a master node from a plurality of nodes in the network by sending a configuration packet to each node. The configuration packet includes an identification number representing the node in the network from which the configuration packet originates, where each node in the network has a unique identification number. At each node in the network, the identification number in the configuration packet is compared to an identification number for that node. In one embodiment, the node whose identification number is greater than the identification number in the configuration packet is designated the master node. A virtual break is created in the network at the location of the master node to prevent a packet from returning to the node from which it originates.
