초록 ▼

An apparatus and method for generating a topology map representing the physical connectivity between devices on an FDDI network. A network management station constructs a connectivity table by first selecting a port which feeds a medium access controller (medium access controller) and whose external

An apparatus and method for generating a topology map representing the physical connectivity between devices on an FDDI network. A network management station constructs a connectivity table by first selecting a port which feeds a medium access controller (medium access controller) and whose external connectivity is unknown. The network management station then determines the upstream neighbor medium access controller of the medium access controller fed by the selected port. The network management station then determines the port which is fed by the output of the upstream neighbor medium access controller. The network management station then enters data into the table indicating an external connection between the selected port and the port which is fed by the output of the upstream neighbor medium access controller. The port feeding the input of the upstream neighbor medium access controller is then selected, and the process is repeated to establish the external connectivity of the port feeding the input of the upstream neighbor medium access controller. If a selected port does not directly feed a medium access controller, downstream connections are traced to determine the medium access controller directly downstream from the selected port.

대표청구항 ▼

A computer-implemented method for generating a physical topology map of a network, the method comprising the computer-implemented steps of: a) selecting a first selected port on a station in said network as a currently selected port, said first selected port having an input entity and an output enti

A computer-implemented method for generating a physical topology map of a network, the method comprising the computer-implemented steps of: a) selecting a first selected port on a station in said network as a currently selected port, said first selected port having an input entity and an output entity, said first selected port having an initially unknown external connectivity, wherein said output entity of said first selected port is known to be a first selected medium access controller; b) selecting said first selected medium access controller as a currently selected medium access controller; c) selecting a first upstream medium access controller as a currently selected upstream medium access controller, said first upstream medium access controller being an upstream neighbor medium access controller of said currently selected medium access controller, said currently selected upstream medium access controller having an input entity and an output entity, said currently selected upstream medium access controller being disposed within a station which includes one or more ports, each port of said one or more ports having an external connectivity; d) selecting a first upstream port as a currently selected upstream port, said first upstream port being said output entity of said currently selected upstream medium access controller; e) generating connection data which indicates that said currently selected upstream port is externally connected to said currently selected port; f) determining whether said input entity of said currently selected port is a master port; g) if said input entity of said currently selected port is not a master port, then determining whether said external connectivity of each port of said one or more ports is known; h) if said input entity of said currently selected port is not a master port and if said external connectivity of each port of said one or more ports is not known, then performing the steps of: h1) selecting said currently selected upstream medium access controller as said currently selected medium access controller; h2) selecting said input entity of said currently selected upstream medium access controller as said currently selected port; h3) selecting a second upstream medium access controller as said currently selected upstream medium access controller, said second upstream medium access controller being an upstream neighbor medium access controller of said currently selected medium access controller, said currently selected upstream medium access controller having an input entity and an output entity; h4) selecting a second upstream port as said currently selected upstream port, said second upstream port being said output entity of said currently selected upstream medium access controller; and h5) generating connection data which indicates that said currently selected upstream port is externally connected to said currently selected port.