Patent ID: 7054272

Claim:
A network device comprising: a physical layer subsystem for transferring network data in accordance with a physical layer protocol, said physical layer subsystem comprising a physical layer working port connected to a first physical network attachment and a cross-connection subsystem; an upper layer subsystem for transferring the network data in accordance with an upper layer protocol and coupled with the physical layer subsystem; and wherein the physical layer subsystem further includes a physical layer test port coupled to the physical layer subsystem and the upper layer subsystem and connected to a second physical network attachment, wherein said cross-connection subsystem transfers network data between the physical layer working port and the upper layer subsystem and multicasts a portion of the network data to the physical layer test port wherein said network data remains unprocessed and untranslated by said upper layer subsystem; and wherein said test port is programmed while the network device is operating to function as a working port for normal data transfer while maintaining uninterrupted service provided by said network device.