Patent ID: 7895300

Claim:
A method executing on a hardware computing system for configuring a switch element having a plurality of ports to operate as a test tool, the switch element being connected to a network, the method comprising the steps of: initiating a user interface with a plurality of selectable options, where a user selects one or more of the selectable options for configuring test parameters for a selected one of the ports to operate as a test port; obtaining a license key for configuring the selected port to operate as the test port; selecting a frame type for transmitting frames from the test port; specifying characteristics for the frames transmitted by the test port; determining whether the test port is online or offline; enabling a transmitter of the test port; starting a link state machine of the test port; the test port receiving an active signal or an active primitive to thereby activate the test port; the test port logging into the network; and the test port logging into a target device of the network.