Patent ID: 6662208
Filing Date: 2003-12-09
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
A method of determining a history of at least one of a set of network devices coupled to a network, the set of network devices utilizing a channel based protocol, the current status of each of the set of network devices being stored in a registration memory, the method comprising:recording, in a history memory at selected times, the current status of the at least one of the set of network devices that is stored in the registration memory, to collect recordings in the history memory that provide a history for the at least one of the set of network devices; receiving an inquiry message requesting information about the at least one of the set of network devices; and generating a reply message having device data representing at least one of the current status and history of the at least one of the set of network devices, the device data being retrieved from the history memory in response to the receipt of the inquiry message.