Multiple-node communication link management

A communication system comprising:

• a management system, the management system comprising a management interface that enables management information to be exchanged with a communication node over a connection with the communication node;
• a communication link management module that exchanges the management information with the communication node, the management information comprising management information associated with the communication node and management information associated with a peer communication node that communicates with the communication node through a communication link, to manage both the communication node and the peer communication node through a connection with the communication node;
• and a display operatively coupled to the communication link management module, the communication link management module being configured to provide on the display a Graphical User Interface (GUI) comprising:
• a first graphical element representing the communication node;
• a second graphical element representing the peer communication node;
• and a third graphical element indicating a communication port of the communication node that is a source port of a current management session for managing the communication node and the peer communication node, and is currently being used to exchange the management information with the management system;
• and
• a plurality of communication nodes, the plurality of communication nodes comprising at least the communication node and the peer communication node,
• the management system managing the communication node and the peer communication node through the connection with the communication node.

A method comprising:

• establishing a connection between a communication network management system and a communication node that participates in a communication link with another communication node;
• exchanging management information between the management system and a node management module at the communication node over the connection, the management information comprising management information associated with the communication node and management information associated with the other communication node, to manage both the communication node and the peer communication node through the connection with the communication node;
• providing on a display a Graphical User Interface (GUI) comprising:
• a first graphical element representing the communication node;
• a second graphical element representing the peer communication node;
• and
• a third graphical element indicating a communication port of the communication node that is a source port of a current management session for managing the communication node and the peer communication node, and is currently being used to exchange the management information with the management system.