Patent ID: 6948101
Filing Date: 2005-09-20
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A management apparatus for managing a network including a plurality of interconnecting devices forming one or more communication paths having one or more of said interconnecting devices connected in series, each of said interconnecting devices interconnects communication between two transmission media and has a disconnect function for disconnecting communication to at least one of said transmission media in a case where communication from the other one of said transmission media has been disconnected, and one or more of said plurality of interconnecting devices having a disconnection release function for releasing a disconnection operation by said disconnect function, said management apparatus comprising: an interconnecting-device information memory operable to store interconnecting device information for identifying which of said interconnecting devices have said disconnection release function; a processing unit operable to determine, in a case where one communication path has been disconnected, which of said one or more interconnecting devices has said disconnection release function based on said interconnecting device information; a diagnosis unit operable to sequentially control said one or more interconnecting devices in said disconnected communication path having said disconnection release function to acquire corresponding communication statuses of said interconnecting devices in said disconnected communication path, and to diagnose a probable location of trouble in said disconnected communication path; and a notifying unit operable to notify, based upon said probable location of trouble diagnosed by said diagnosis unit, which of said one or more interconnecting devices and said transmission media is said probable location of trouble.