Patent Document ID: 7710897
Application ID: 10926008
Patent Flag: 1

Claim One:
1. A method of automated discovery of logical network elements in a communications network, the method comprising the steps of: building a cache of protection mechanisms in the communications network using a processor operable to execute computer program instructions stored in a memory; building a network graph based on physical links of the communications network using the processor; traversing the network graph, comprising the step of, at each vertex of the network graph, determining whether there is a deterministic path that leads to a next vertex of the network graph using the processor; performing a depth first search on the network graph to determine connected components of the network graph using the processor; and creating the logical network elements based on the connected components of the network graph and associated cached protection mechanisms using the processor; wherein the communications network comprises a SONET or SDH network; and wherein the step of traversing the network graph further comprises the steps of: terminating an edge of the graph at the vertex, if no deterministic path that leads to the next vertex of the network graph is found; and continuing the traverse with the next vertex, if a deterministic path that leads to the next vertex of the network graph is found.