US 7,411,960 B1Granted

Method and apparatus for configuring network devices with subnetworks in an ATM environment and retrieving permanent virtual channel (PVC) configuration information from network devices

AssigneeCisco Technology, Inc.

InventorsDavid Langley, Gabriel Lee

Life of this patent

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Abstract

A method and apparatus retrieves and stores configuration information for network endpoint devices from other devices in the network, such as a switch adjacent to the endpoint device. When the endpoint device establishes a connection with the network, it generates a sequence of SNMP getnext commands using the ILMI interface to obtain the configuration information from the network device. If the network device sends a trap to the endpoint device indicating a change has been made to the configuration parameters stored in the network device for a PVC, a series of SNMP getrequest commands are made using the ILMI interface to retrieve the configuration information for that PVC from the network device. If the endpoint device detects an interruption in communication with the network device, the endpoint device discards the information retrieved previously.

Claims18

Dependent claims

An apparatus for retrieving Permanent Virtual Circuit (PVC) configuration information from a network device in a communications network, wherein the PVC configuration information specifies one or more PVCs defined for the network device, the apparatus comprising:

a request generator configured to generate and provide to the network device
a request for PVC configuration information stored in the network device;
a physical interface logically configured into a logical main interface and a plurality of logical sub-interfaces, the physical interface being configured to receive a message containing both the PVC configuration information stored in the network device and a Virtual Path Identifier (VPI), wherein the VPI and a VCI uniquely identify a PVC associated with the PVC configuration information;
a comparator configured to compare the VPI from the message to a first logical sub-interface number of a first logical sub-interface from the plurality of logical sub-interfaces;
and
if the VPI from the message matches the first logical sub-interface number of the first logical sub-interface, then cause the PVC configuration information from the message to be selectively stored into a first portion of a PVC configuration information storage that is designated for the first logical sub-interface;
and
if the VPI from the message does not match the first logical sub-interface number of the first logical sub-interface, then cause the PVC configuration information from the message to be selectively stored into a second portion of the PVC configuration information storage that is designated for the logical main interface.

5 more elements

a request generator means configured to generate and provide to the network device a request for PVC configuration information stored in the network device;
a physical interface means logically configured into a logical main interface and a plurality of logical sub-interfaces, the physical interface means being configured to receive a message containing both the PVC configuration information stored in the network device and a Virtual Path Identifier (VPI), wherein the VPI and a VCI uniquely identify a PVC associated with the PVC configuration information;
a comparator means configured to compare the VPI from the message to a first logical sub-interface number of a first logical sub-interface from the plurality of logical sub-interfaces;
and
if the VPI from the message matches the first logical sub-interface number of the first logical sub-interface, then cause the PVC configuration information from the message to be selectively stored into a first portion of a PVC configuration information storage means that is designated for the first logical sub-interface;
and
if the VPI from the message does not match the first logical sub-interface number of the first logical sub-interface, then cause the PVC configuration information from the message to be selectively stored into a second portion of the PVC configuration information storage means that is designated for the logical main interface means.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 10/812,595Filed 29 Mar 2004 · continuation
Priority: 22 Dec 1997
Granted: 12 Aug 2008
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification10 codes

H04L 41/0889
Configuration management of networks or network elements: techniques to speed-up the configuration process
H04L 12/5601
Packet switching systems: transfer mode dependent, e.g. ATM
H04L 41/0213
Standardisation; Integration: standardised network management protocols, e.g. simple network management protocol [SNMP]
H04L 41/0816
Characterised by the conditions triggering a change of settings: the condition being an adaptation, e.g. in response to network events

Family

Application08/996,118Parent of this division · filed 22 Dec 1997
Application10/010,811Parent of this continuation · filed 13 Nov 2001
US 6,714,972 B1Parent of this continuation
US 6,700,890 B1Parent of this division
Application10/010,811Parent of this division
US 7,411,960 B1This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.

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