Patent ID: 8792397

Claim:
A method comprising: sending an enumeration request message from a switch capable of being coupled to one or more network devices via physical communication links to a first input/output device for a first network device from among the one or more network devices, the enumeration request message including a request for a count of communication ports supported by input/output devices maintained at the first network device; receiving an enumeration response message from the first input/output device that includes the count; allocating unique identifiers based on the count included in the enumeration response message; sending a request message to the first input/output device, the request message to include the allocated unique identifiers and also includes a request for forwarding a response message from each communication port capable of being coupled to the switch via separate physical communication links; receiving response messages forwarded from one or more communication ports capable of being coupled to the switch via the separate physical communication links, each response message to include a unique identifier from among the allocated unique identifiers and information associated with an input/output device supporting the communication port via which the respective response message was forwarded; and generating an interconnection map based on the received response messages.