Apparatus for providing for automatic topology discovery in an ATM network or the like

• US 5,586,267 A
• Filed: 06/07/1995
• Issued: 12/17/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 10/13/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Constellation Technologies LLC (Rockstar Consortium Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Bay Networks, Inc. (Nortel Networks Corporation)
• Inventors: Chatwani, Dilip, Subramanian, Rajan, Chiang, Winnis, Davar, Jonathan, Opher, Ayal, Sawant, Shiva
• Primary Examiner(s): Harrell, Robert B.
• Application Number:
  US08/484,656
• Time in Patent Office: 559 Days
• Field of Search: 364/DIG. 1 MS File, 364/DIG. 2 MS File, 395/200.01, 395/200.06, 395/200.1, 395/200.11, 370/17, 370/53, 370/54
• US Class Current: 709/223
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/5619 Network Node Interface, e.g. tandem connections, transit switching
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/5626 Network management, e.g. Intelligent nets
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/563 Signalling, e.g. protocols, reference model
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2101/604 Address structures or formats
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/12 Discovery or management of network topologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/32 Specific management aspects for broadband networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/02 Topology update or discovery
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/10 Routing in connection-oriented networks, e.g. X.25 or ATM
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/42 Centralised routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/105 ATM switching elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/253 using establishment or release of connections between ports
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/255 Control mechanisms for ATM switching fabrics
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/3009 Header conversion, routing tables or routing tags
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/10 of different types
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5007 Internet protocol [IP] addresses
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5061 Pools of addresses
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5076 Update or notification mechanisms, e.g. DynDNS
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 11/0478 Provisions for broadband connections

Abstract

An asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) network or the like employing a method and apparatus for automatically determining the topology of the network is described. The method and apparatus provides for each switch in the network transmitting on each of its ports link advertisement messages (without processing intervention by intermediate switches). The link advertisement messages are received by neighbor switches and forwarded to a topology manager. The topology manager constructs network topology profile information based on received link advertisement messages. Further, the topology manager is able to verify bidirection links based on the received link advertisement messages.

Claims

1. A system for communicating topology information in an ATM network, said system having:

a) a central manager for receiving said topology information;

b) a first switch coupled in communication with said central manager, said first switch having a switch fabric for switching ATM cells through said first switch and for translating headers of said ATM cells;

c) a device coupled with a first port of said first switch to communicate an ATM cell to said first switch, said ATM cell being switched through said first switch, a header of said ATM cell being translated by said switch fabric of said first switch to include location information in said header of said ATM cell.

2. The system as recited by claim 1 wherein said location information includes information identifying said first switch and said first port.

3. The system as recited by claim 2 wherein said information identifying said first switch identifies a virtual service path of said first switch.

4. The system as recited by claim 2 wherein said information identifying said first switch is stored in a VPI field of said header of said ATM cell.

5. The system as recited by claim 2 wherein said information identifying said first port is a port number.

6. The system as recited by claim 2 wherein said information identifying said first port is stored in a VCI field of said header of said ATM cell.

7. The system as recited by claim 1 wherein said device is a second switch.