US 5,729,685 A · Apparatus for determining the topology of an ATM network or the like Via communication of topology information between a central manager and switches in the network over a virtual service path

Abstract

An asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) network or the like employing a method and apparatus for automatically determining the topology of the network is described. The method and apparatus provides for each switch in the network transmitting on each of its ports link advertisement messages (without processing intervention by intermediate switches). The link advertisement messages are received by neighbor switches and forwarded to a topology manager. The topology manager constructs network topology profile information based on received link advertisement messages. Further, the topology manager is able to verify bidirection links based on the received link advertisement messages.

Claims11

Dependent claims

An apparatus for determining topology of a switching network, said apparatus comprising:

(a) a central manager coupled in communication with a first switch over a first virtual service path and a second switch over a second virtual service path;
(b) said first switch switching network topology information transmitted from said second switch over said first virtual service path;
and (c) said second switch switching network topology information transmitted by said first switch over said second virtual service path.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application

08/712,679Filed 13 Sep 1996 · continuation

Priority

29 Jun 1993

Granted

17 Mar 1998

Term ends

Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification22 codes

H04L 49/105
Asynchronous transfer mode [ATM] switching fabrics: aTM switching elements
H04L 41/12
Arrangements for maintenance, administration or management of data switching networks, e.g. of packet switching networks: discovery or management…
H04L 41/32
Arrangements for maintenance, administration or management of data switching networks, e.g. of packet switching networks: specific management…
H04L 45/02
Routing or path finding of packets in data switching networks: topology update or discovery

Apparatus for determining the topology of an ATM network or the like Via communication of topology information between a central manager and switches in the network over a virtual service path

Life of this patent

Apparatus for determining the topology of an ATM network or the like Via communication of topology information between a central manager and switches in the network over a virtual service path

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims11