Method and apparatus of testing modems in a networking environment

A digital system for use in a packet switching network including:

• a processing unit;
• and
• a plurality of modem devices coupled to said processing unit for transferring digital information between a transmission link and communication equipment, the plurality of modems being organized into one or more groups of modems wherein within each group, a modem is tested relative to each of the remaining modems in the same group, a count is maintained for the number of tested modem devices that have passed the test for each of the modem devices within a group, based upon the count, said processing unit for determining a ‘leader’ modem device, the ‘leader’ modem device having the highest number of successful tests within each group, said processing unit for further testing the modems of each group relative to the ‘leader’ modem within the respective group, and for isolating those modem devices within each group that failed the further testing relative to the ‘leader’ modem during operation of the digital system.