Patent Document ID: 7623473
Application ID: 11421186
Patent Flag: 1

Claim One:
1. A method of discovering a topology and identifying switches in a three-stage switch network comprising a plurality of interconnected switch boards, the method comprising: (i) ascertaining an intended topology of the three-stage switch network; (ii) creating a list of the plurality of switch boards that are present in the three-stage switch network; (iii) determining a connection pattern for each of the plurality of switch boards by obtaining information indicating how each of the plurality of switch boards is connected to neighboring switch boards; (iv) classifying each of the plurality of switch boards on the list of the plurality of switch boards as a node switch board (NSB), an intermediate switch board (ISB), or a jump switch board (JSB), and creating a respective NSB list of the switch boards characterized as a NSB, creating a respective ISB list of the switch boards characterized as an ISB, and creating a respective JSB list of the switch boards characterized as a JSB; (v) grouping the switch boards classified as ISBs into sectors and creating an ISB matrix; (vi) grouping the switch boards classified as NSBs into sectors and creating an NSB matrix; (vii) determining a number for each JSB, ISB, and NSB, thereby determining the topology of the three-stage switch network; and (viii) using a management server computer, executing a manger application, to perform the creating, determining and classifying steps.