Patent ID: 6363051
Filing Date: 2002-03-26
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
A method for restoring Permanent Virtual Circuits (PVCs) linking frame relay switches in a frame relay network following isolation and mitigation of a fault, comprising the steps of:prior to the occurrence of the fault, periodically polling each of the frame relay switches by a main configuration controller via an out-of-band connection separate from the PVCs and from signaling links between the frame relay switches to obtain information about cross-connects between the frame relay switches and to collect information from each switch regarding its PVCs; storing at the main configuration controller the PVC information for each switch obtained from each polling operation to overwrite the stored PVC information obtained from a previous polling operation; following isolation and mitigation of a fault, downloading the stored polling information from the main configuration controller to each corresponding frame relay switch via the out-of-band connection to cause each switch to reconnect the PVCs in accordance with the downloaded PVC information; storing at each switch prior to the occurrence of a fault, an image table indicative of the PVCs originating at said switch; following receipt of the downloaded PVC information received at said switch, comparing the PVCs indicated by said downloaded information to the PVCs indicated by said image table; and effecting a change in any PVC specified in said image table that differs from said downloaded information.