Patent ID: 6061505
Filing Date: 2000-05-09
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
An apparatus for providing connectivity information about a network, said network including a plurality of devices, the apparatus comprising:a storage device;a plurality of physical connectivity records stored on said storage device, said plurality of physical connectivity records including:1) a plurality of device records, wherein each device record of said plurality of device records uniquely represents a physical device on said network,2) a plurality of physical connection records, wherein each physical connection record of said plurality of physical connection records represents a physical line;a plurality of pointers connecting said plurality of device records of said plurality of physical connection records, wherein said pointers connect each device record of said plurality of device records to the physical connections records of said plurality of physical connection records connected;a plurality of logical connectivity records stored on said storage device, said plurality of logical connectivity records representing logical devices that correspond to said plurality of devices;said storage access unit coupled to said storage device, said storage access unit coupled to receive a request for connectivity information, said request being a request for physical connectivity information or logical connectivity information;said storage access unit acccessing said plurality of physical connectivity records on said storage device and generating a signal containing physical connectivity information when said request is a request for physical connectivity information; andsaid storage access unit accessing said containing of logical connectivity records on said storage device and generating a signal containing logical connectivity information when said request is a request for logical connectivity information.