Patent ID: 7586854

Claim:
An apparatus comprising: a configuration determining module for determining a configuration of a data path link that is operatively coupled to a data path interface of a plurality of communication equipment data path interfaces; and a data path component configuration module, operatively coupled to the configuration determining module, for determining whether a configurable data path component, which is configurable to exchange data with the data path link and with another data path link that is operatively coupled to another data path interface of the plurality of data path interfaces, is configured compatibly with the determined configuration of the data path link, for configuring the configurable data path component to exchange data with the data path link where the configurable data path component is not configured compatibly with the determined configuration, and for allowing the configurable data path component to exchange data with the other data path link during the configuring, wherein the configuration determining module determines whether the data path link is bonded to form a single logical data path with a further data path link that is operatively coupled to a further data path interface of the plurality of data path interfaces, wherein, where the data path link is bonded to form a single logical data path with a further data path link, the data path component configuration module determines whether the configurable data path component is configured to exchange data with the data path link and the further data path link as a single logical data path, and wherein, where the configurable data path component is not configured to exchange data with the data path link and the further data path link as a single logical data path, the data path component configuration module configures the configurable data path component to exchange data with the data path link and the further data path link as a single logical data path, and allows the configurable data path component to exchange data with the other data path link during the configuration.