Patent ID: 7586855

Claim:
A method comprising: retrieving a stored key set from each storage component of a network switch in a communications network, said stored key set identifying said each storage component in relation to said switch, wherein said stored key set for each storage component includes a first storage component identifier associated with an active module and a second storage component identifier associated with a standby module; validating said stored key set of said each storage component, wherein said validating further comprises: comparing said stored key set of said each storage component to corresponding configuration information of said each storage component; and detecting that said stored key set is valid if said stored key matches said corresponding configuration information; validating equivalency between stored key sets of said each storage component; and detecting that said stored key set is invalid if said stored key of one storage component fails to match said stored key set of remaining storage components within said switch; and generating a new key set for said each storage component if said stored key set is an invalid key set.