Network topology manager
US7020145B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 24, 2001 |
| Grant date | Mar 28, 2006 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 30, 2024 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04L41/0886
- WIPO fieldDigital communication
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A network infrastructure, and methods for managing and configuring networks, are disclosed. The network infrastructure is physically wired once, and includes a plurality of interconnected switches and a plurality of devices coupled thereto, with each network interface on a device coupled to a single switch. Network traffic is forwarded between devices by programming intervening switches to enable a communication path between the devices. Traffic intended for a particular device is forwarded by the intervening switches only to that device. Traffic is only forwarded between devices for which a communication path has been enabled. The network configuration, the function of a device in a network application, or the position of the device in the network topology, can be changed by programming the switches to disable existing communication paths and/or enable new ones. Accordingly, networked resources are allocated as needed without changing the physical wiring of the network.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.