Patent ID: 8098605

Claim:
A method of adding a new distribution point to a network of distribution points, the method comprising: maintaining, at an existing distribution point, a pool of IP addresses and a pool of ATM addresses; establishing a connection between the new distribution point and at least the existing distribution point in the network of distribution points, wherein the new distribution point comprises an IP/ATM switch; assigning to the new distribution point an IP address from the pool of IP addresses and an ATM address from the pool of ATM addresses; receiving, at the new distribution point, a new pool of IP addresses and a new pool of ATM addresses to assign to clients of the new distribution point; forming a peer-to-peer relationship at an OSI network layer between the new distribution point and at least the existing distribution point; and forming a peer-to-peer relationship at an OSI data link layer between the new distribution point and at least the existing distribution point.