Patent ID: 8203933

Claim:
A method for automatically identifying a failure in a logical circuit in a data network, the method comprising: polling first and second switches in the logical circuit of the data network based on a predetermined schedule to retrieve status information associated with a failure status of at least one of a first network-to-network interface or a second network-to-network interface, wherein the logical circuit connects a host device to a remote device via first and second local access and transport areas and an inter-exchange carrier, wherein the host device is in communication with the first local access and transport area, wherein the first local access and transport area is in communication with the inter-exchange carrier via the first switch in the first local access and transport area forming the first network-to-network interface, wherein the inter-exchange carrier is in communication with the second local access and transport area via the second switch in the second local access and transport area forming the second network-to-network interface, and wherein the second local access and transport area is in communication with the remote device; and identifying a failure of the logical circuit based on the status information without manual intervention, wherein identifying the failure of the logical circuit comprises determining if at least one frame has been discarded.