Patent ID: 7917801

Claim:
A method of managing network communications, comprising: placing first and second management systems in active and standby modes, respectively, the first and second management systems being configured to be in communication with the second and the first management systems, respectively and with a plurality of network devices; determining a first number of the plurality of network devices in communication with the first management system at the first management system and transmitting the determined first number to the second management system; determining a second number of the plurality of network devices in communication with the second management system at the second management system and transmitting the determined second number to the first management system; making a first determination regarding whether the first number of network devices is less than the second number of network devices at the first management system; making a second determination regarding whether the first number of network devices is less than the second number of network devices at the second management system; and placing the first and second management systems in failure mode and active mode, respectively based on the first and second determinations.