Patent ID: 6700890
Filing Date: 2004-03-02
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
A method of retrieving Permanent Virtual Circuit (PVC) configuration information from a network device in a communications network, wherein the PVC configuration information specifies one or more PVCs defined for the network device, the method comprising the computer-implemented steps of:generating and providing to the network device a request for PVC configuration information stored in the network device; receiving, over a physical interface logically configured into a logical main interface and a plurality of logical sub-interfaces, a message containing both the PVC configuration information stored in the network device and a Virtual Path Identifier (VPI), wherein the VPI and a VCI uniquely identify a PVC associated with the PVC configuration information; comparing the VPI from the message to a first logical sub-interface number of a first logical sub-interface from the plurality of logical sub-interfaces; if the VPI from the message matches the first logical sub-interface number of the first logical sub-interface, then causing the PVC configuration information from the message to be selectively stored into a first portion of a PVC configuration information storage that is designated for the first logical sub-interface; and if the VPI from the message does not match the first logical sub-interface number of the first logical sub-interface, then causing the PVC configuration information from the message to be selectively stored into a second portion of the PVC configuration information storage that is designated for the logical main interface.