Automatic propagation of circuit information in a communications network

• US 6,614,785 B1
• Filed: 01/05/2000
• Issued: 09/02/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/05/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Huai, Jin, Anbiah, Anix, Baldwin, Gary
• Primary Examiner(s): VINCENT, DAVID ROBERT
• Application Number:
  US09/478,287
• Time in Patent Office: 1,336 Days
• Field of Search: 370/351, 370/352-3, 370/355, 370/356, 370/359, 370/395.3, 370/395.31, 370/419, 370/463, 370/465, 370/475
• US Class Current: 370/352
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/00 Arrangements for maintenance, administration or management of data switching networks, e.g. of packet switching networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/344 Out-of-band transfers

Abstract

Disclosed is a method and associated apparatus for automatically propagating circuit information in a network. In one embodiment, a network includes multiple circuit switches that are coupled using communications links. Information relating to the communications links are automatically propagated in the network using a protocol used by routers in communicating with other routers.

Claims

1. A method for propagating information in a network having a plurality of routers and a plurality of circuit switches, the method comprising:

assigning an index number to an interface in a circuit switch in the plurality of circuit switches; and

transmitting the index number from a router to at least another router in the plurality of routers using a packet in accordance with a protocol used by the plurality of routers to communicate among each other.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the protocol includes Open Shortest Path First (OSPF).

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the protocol includes Routing Information Protocol (RIP).

4. The method of claim 1 wherein a network element includes said circuit switch and said router, said network element including a memory encoded with a table, the table including the index number.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the table includes information indicating a function of a link that couples the interface to another interface in another circuit switch.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein a network element includes said circuit switch and said router, and wherein another circuit switch and said another router are included in another network element, the method further comprising:

said network element storing the index number in a first table;

said network element segmenting the packet into a plurality of units;

said network element forming a plurality of frames equal in number to the plurality of units, each frame including one unit in the plurality of units;

said another network element reassembling the plurality of units into the packet; and

said another network element storing the index number in a second table.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein each unit in the plurality of units is included in a header of a frame in the plurality of frames.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the plurality of frames conform to a format selected from a group consisting of Synchronous Optical Network (SONET) and Synchronous Digital Hierarchy (SDH).

9. The method of claim 8 wherein each unit is in a Data Communications Channel (DCC).

10. The method of claim 6 wherein each unit is included in a payload of a frame in the plurality of frames.

11. The method of claim 6 wherein the first table and the second table both include information indicating a predetermined number of contiguous frames that may be transmitted over a link that couples said interface to another interface in said another circuit switch.

12. The method of claim 6 wherein the first table and the second table both include information indicating a function of a link that couples said interface to another interface in said another circuit switch.

17. The article of manufacture of claim 1 wherein the protocol includes Open Shortest Path First (OSPF).

13. A network element comprising:

(a) a router;

(b) a circuit switch; and

(c) an interface, said interface generating an output signal comprising;

(i) a first unit of information uniquely identifying said interface from among a plurality of interfaces in said network element;

(ii) a second unit of information indicating a physical location of said interface in said network element; and

(iii) a third unit of information indicating a physical address of said network element.

14. The network element of claim 13 wherein said output signal further comprises:

a fourth unit of information indicating the function of a link which couples said interface to another interface in a circuit network.

15. The network element of claim 13 wherein said output signal further comprises:

a fourth unit of information which indicates a predetermined number of contiguous frames that may be transported over a link which couples said interface to another interface in a circuit network.

16. An article of manufacture comprising:

a computer readable medium containing a computer readable program code for propagating information in a network having a plurality of routers and a plurality of circuit switches, said computer readable program code in said article of manufacture comprising;

computer readable program code for assigning an index number to an interface in a circuit switch in the plurality of circuit switches; and

computer readable program code for transmitting the index number from a router to at least another router in the plurality of routers using a packet in accordance with a protocol used by the plurality of routers to communicate among each other.