METHOD FOR PERFORMING LAYER 3 TRANSFER IN NETWORK

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a network in which a function of layer 3 transfer is distributed over a plurality of switches within the network and none of the plurality of switches is required to be a router. SOLUTION: In the method of performing layer 3 transfer within the network having at least one router by means of a network element having a plurality of ports, the method of performing layer 3 transfer within the network has: a step (A) of identifying the other port as a downstream side port of the router with respect to the routers within the network; and a step (B) of performing layer 3 transfer when a packet in which the destination of a layer 2 is the router is received. COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO