Patent ID: 6654802
Filing Date: 2003-11-25
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
A method for determining network topology in a communications network of a plurality of network elements, the method comprising the steps of:(a) establishing connections between the plurality of network elements wherein each of the network elements comprises a plurality of ports; (b) continuously transmitting data between the plurality of network elements over the connections wherein each transmission of data comprises overhead data and payload data; (c) in the overhead data of each transmission of data, providing a network element identification that identifies one of the network elements that the data was immediately transmitted from; (d) in the overhead data of each transmission of data, providing a port identification that identifies a source port of the plurality of ports that the data was immediately transmitted from; (e) continuously receiving the data over the connections between the plurality of the network elements; and (f) determining the network topology from at least the network element identification and the port identification provided in the overhead data of each transmission of data continuously transmitted between the plurality of network elements over the connections.