Patent ID: 8345567

Claim:
A system, comprising; a computer; and a network including a plurality of layer-2 apparatuses and a plurality of layer-3 apparatuses, and wherein, in response to an instruction from a user of said computer to collect data from first layer-2 apparatuses of the plurality of layer-2 apparatuses and first layer-3 apparatuses of the plurality of layer-3 apparatuses on a route to a destination apparatus, said computer transmits a first request packet to request said first layer-2 apparatuses and said first layer-3 apparatuses to transmit a first response packet including first predetermined setting data in said first layer-2 apparatuses and said first layer-3 apparatuses to said computer, and in response to an instruction from a user of said computer to collect data from second layer-3 apparatuses of the plurality of layer-3 apparatuses on a route to said destination apparatus, said computer transmits a second request packet to request said second layer-3 apparatuses to transmit a second response packet including second predetermined setting data in said second layer-3 apparatuses to said computer, and in response to said first response packet or said second response packet, said computer displays said first predetermined setting data included in said first response packet or said second predetermined setting data included in said second response packet on a display device, and in response to said first request packet, one of said first layer-2 apparatuses reads out said first predetermined setting data stored in a storage device of said one of first layer-2 apparatuses, transmits said first response packet including the read first predetermined setting data to said computer, and transmits said first request packet to said destination apparatus, and in response to said first request packet, one of said first layer-3 apparatuses reads out said first predetermined setting data stored in a storage device of said one of said first layer-3 apparatuses, transmits said first response packet including the read first predetermined setting data to said computer, and transmits said first request packet to said destination apparatus, and in response to said second request packet, one of said second layer-3 apparatuses reads out said second predetermined setting data stored in said storage device of said one of second layer-3 apparatuses, transmits said second response packet including the read second predetermined setting data to said computer, and transmits said second request packet to said destination apparatus.