Method and apparatus for storing and restoring controller configuration information in a data communication system

A method of restoring controller configuration information in a data communications system having a plurality of data communications devices, the plurality of data communications devices having a plurality of controller configuration information pages stored therein, the method comprising:

• (a) locating a first data communications device having a first controller configuration information page;
• (b) retrieving the first controller configuration information page from the first data communications device;
• (c) determining whether the first data communications device contains an additional controller configuration information page, and for each additional controller configuration information page, if any, retrieving the additional controller configuration information page;
• (d) repeating steps (a), (b) and (c) for each data communications device of the plurality of data communications devices having any of the plurality of controller configuration information pages;
• (e) determining validity of each controller configuration information page retrieved in steps (b) through (d), inclusive, to form a plurality of valid controller configuration information pages;
• and
• (f) restoring controller configuration information to a controller from the plurality of valid controller configuration information pages.