Patent ID: 7684353

Claim:
An management apparatus for managing data traffic over a network, said apparatus operatively coupled to a plurality of other apparatuses over a network, wherein each of said plurality of other apparatuses includes a plurality of functioning modules and a storage medium containing node data that identify the apparatus and reception information including connection data, said connection data of each apparatus identifying a connection between one of the functioning modules of each apparatus itself and one of the functioning modules of another one of said plurality of other apparatuses, wherein each of said plurality of other apparatuses selectively receives packet data transmitted over the network based on the respectively stored reception information, said management apparatus comprising: a display; and a controller, wherein the controller is programmed to perform the steps of: fetching node data from at least two of said plurality of other apparatuses; displaying the fetched node data on said display; in response to user instructions, selecting two of the displayed fetched node data, selecting a first and a second apparatus specified by the respective fetched node data; instructing the first apparatus to transmit, to the management apparatus, the reception information stored in said first apparatus; receiving the transmitted reception information from said first apparatus; and transmitting to the second apparatus the received reception information.