Patent ID: 6647509
Filing Date: 2003-11-11
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
An internetwork apparatus which is coupled to a plurality of networks and relays a packet received from each of the plurality of networks, comprising:a plurality of ports respectively coupled to the plurality of networks, the plurality of ports including a first port and a second port respectively coupled to a first network and a second network of the plurality of networks; a relay unit which relays a packet received from each of the plurality of ports; a storage unit which stores statistical information of packets transmitted from and received by each of the plurality of ports; and a control unit which, when receives a request message requesting the statistical information from an arbitrary one of the plurality of networks thorough a corresponding one of the plurality of ports and the relay, reads the statistical information stored in the storage unit and transmits a response message including the statistical information thus read to the arbitrary one of the plurality of networks, wherein when the control unit receives, from the arbitrary one of the plurality of networks, a first request message requesting statistical information of packets transmitted from and received by the first network through the first port, the control unit transmits a second request message requesting the statistical information of packets transmitted from and received by the first network to another internetwork apparatus coupled to the first and second networks through the second port, and wherein when the control unit receives a first response message including a statistical information requested by the second request message from the another internetwork apparatus, the control unit obtains a sum of the statistical information thus read and the statistical information thus received and transmits a second response message including the sum of the statistical information to the arbitrary one of the plurality of networks.