Patent ID: 6094682
Filing Date: 2000-07-25
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
A method of constructing a path in a network management system which collects data held by network elements constituting a network, uses this data to construct path information specifying a path which exists in the network, and manages the path information, said method comprising the steps of:transmitting a path-trace transmission value from an originating network element, which is a starting point of a path, to the next network element in response to transition to a in-service state, said path-trace transmission value having:(1) an identifier of the originating network element;(2) an identifier of an originating facility; and(3) an identifier of a network element which transmits the path-trace transmission value;changing in a network element that has received this path-trace transmission value, the identifier of (3) above to its own identifier and transmitting the resulting path-trace transmission value to the next network element;similarly transmitting a path-trace transmission value from succeeding network elements up to a network element at an end point;holding in each network element, as path-information constructing data, cross-connect information for specifying an incoming-side facility and an outgoing-side facility of the network element and the path-trace transmission value that has been received;transmitting the path-information constructing data from each network element to the network management system in response to a request from the network management system; andconstructing in the network management system, path information using the cross-connect information and the path-trace transmission value contained in path-information constructing data that has been collected.