Patent ID: 8441957
Filing Date: 2013-05-14
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. In a communications network having a first network device and a second network device, operating according to a predefined protocol, a method of transferring a management message from a local network management device that is separate from the second network device, to a remote physical layer device (PHY) of a remote network device in the first network device, the remote network device further including a remote communications interface and an independent station manager module, the method comprising: generating a management information transfer message including the management message, wherein the management message is formatted according to a message template of an Auto-Negotiation (AN) routine between the first network device and the local network management device; transmitting the management information transfer message from the local network management device to one or more management registers of the remote communications interface in the remote network device; reading the management information transfer message from the one or more management registers and unpacking the management message using the independent station manager module of the remote network device; and writing the management message to the remote PHY.