Patent ID: 7606260

Claim:
A virtual path configuration apparatus included in each of nodes in a virtual private network to interconnect a plurality of user networks via virtual paths and that is arranged in each node, comprising: a configuration information setting unit that includes an input device for receiving configuration information over a control network for inputting setting commands and information on ports accommodating user networks and nodes providing the ports, and that sets configuration information that is information about sets of the ports and the nodes; a configuration information sharing unit that shares the configuration information with the other one of the virtual path configuration apparatuses included in the other one of the nodes, by transmitting the configuration information being set by the configuration information setting unit to the other virtual path configuration apparatuses over the control network, or receiving the configuration information from the other virtual path configuration apparatuses over the control network, wherein the configuration information sharing unit also includes a synchronization determination section that receives a response message over the control network to confirm each entry is synchronized with each of the other nodes; and a virtual path configuration unit that configures the virtual paths between any combination of two of shared ports over a relay network to relay packets between user networks based on the shared configuration information.