Method and apparatus for viewing and managing a configuration of a computer network

A method for viewing a configuration of a computer network, the method comprising:

• providing a plurality of workstations communicating by frames and packets though a plurality of links connected to a plurality of switches and a plurality of routers, each of said plurality of switches having a MAC database storing information regarding the quantity of frames received by a respective said switch and indicating where a frame received on one of said links of said respective switch is transferred to another of said links of a respective said switch, said packets having an IP address of a destination workstation, each of said plurality of routers having an IP database storing information regarding the quantity of packets received by a respective said router and indicating onto which of said links a received packet having a specific IP address is to be transferred to;
• polling said plurality of switches and routers to obtain copies of each of said MAC and IP lookup tables;
• combining said polled lookup tables;
• determining from said combined lookup tables a status of each of said links, said switches and said routers;
• graphically displaying said plurality of workstations, links, switches and routers according to physical connectivity and status, each status being displayed differently.