Method and apparatus for determining shared broadcast domains of network switches, ports and interfaces

A network management system is used for determining the features about the physical ports or logical interface of network devices. The ports or interfaces which have a common broadcast domain, are identified from the determined features. Independent claims are also included for the following: (1) system for determining shared broadcast domains; and (2) network management system. A system for determining shared broadcast domains. The system includes a network having devices which have physical ports and/or logical interfaces, and having a network management system. The network management system having a mechanism for learning features about ports or interfaces of devices of the network. The system includes a mechanism for identifying which ports or interfaces on each device are part of a same broadcast domain from the learned features. The identifying mechanism in communication with the network management system, A network management system. A method for determining shared broadcast domains of network devices and ports or interfaces includes the steps of learning features about ports or interfaces of devices of a network by a network management system. There is the step of identifying which ports or interfaces on each device are part of a common broadcast domain from the learned features.