Patent ID: 6199172
Filing Date: 2001-03-06
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
A method of determining the responsiveness or non-responsiveness of a second network device in a network including a plurality of interconnected network devices, the method comprising:when a first network device cannot communicate with the second network device along any of at least one predefined communication path between the first and second network devices in the network, the first network device requesting that a proxy network device verify the responsiveness or non-responsiveness of the second network device;in response to the request from the first network device, the proxy network device attempting to communicate with the second network device; andthe proxy network device sending to the first network device one of:an indication that the second network device is responsive because the proxy network device successfully communicated with the second network device; andan indication that the second network device is non-responsive because the proxy network device did not successfully communicate with the second network device.