Patent ID: 7639665

Claim:
A method for propagating information in a network, the method comprising: automatically assigning an index number to an interface of a circuit switch, wherein said circuit switch is configured to be communicatively coupled to a router; automatically transmitting said index number using said interface, wherein said automatically transmitting said index number using said interface uses a packet routing protocol, and said router is configured to communicate using said packet routing protocol; and automatically transmitting said index number using at least one additional interface of said circuit switch, wherein said automatically transmitting said index number using said at least one additional interface uses said packet routing protocol, said interface and said one additional interface are interfaces among a plurality of interfaces of said circuit switch, said interface is configured to be coupled to a link, said circuit switch is configured to store a table, and said table comprises an entry indicating said index number, an entry indicating a function of said link, and an entry indicating a predetermined number of contiguous frames that may be transmitted over said link.