A layer 2 loop detection apparatus includes a unit recognizing a topology
of an L2 network at normal time by collecting MIB information including
information concerning ports of a plurality of L2 switches from the
plurality of L2 switches through SNMP communication; a unit
discriminating, based on a topology recognition processing, a blocking
port for traffic blocking and a disable port under a port disable state
each set under a Spanning Tree Protocol (STP); a unit setting each of the
blocking port and the disable port as a monitoring point and periodically
monitoring a state thereof; and a unit performing detection of an L2 loop
by re-collecting a part of the MIB information from the plurality of L2
switches through SNMP communication and re-recognizing the topology of
the L2 network, the detection of the L2 loop detection being triggered by
a change of a state of one of the blocking port and the disable port.