Bay Networks, Inc.

Synoptics Communications, Inc.

Chao-Yu Liang

Brian Brown

Ronald V Schmidt

Shabbir A Chowdhury

Jean-Luc Fontaine

Chang-Jung Wang

Apparatus for monitoring and displaying the status of a local area network. The network includes a hub with ports for connection to various data terminal equipment in a star configuration and for connection to other hubs of the network. The hubs each have different types of plug-in modules which have ports for connecting the hub to different types of network cable such as fiber optic cable, unshielded twisted pair cable and shielded twisted pair cable. Information is automatically provided to a control console identifying the types of modules and the location of the modules in the hub so that an image of the actual hub can be displayed on the screen of the control console. The actual hub image shows the location and types of modules installed in the hub. In addition, information regarding the connection of each of the hubs to other hubs of the network is obtained and provided to the control console. The information is processed so as to automatically produce a topology map on the control console display showing the overall topology of the network.

Apparatus and method for automatically determining the topology of a

A method and apparatus for preventing intrusive access to a network. The method and apparatus are implemented in a network having a star topology. Utilizing a network management module of a network concentrator as a centralized functional base, unauthorized Data Terminal Elements (DTEs) may be prevented from transmitting messages on a network. By providing a centrally located means by which a set of unique DTE addresses can be associated with a particular port on the network concentrator, valid DTE addresses can be associated with a message packet that contains the address of the transmitting DTE. If the DTE address matches those associated with the port from which it was received, the message packet is authorized. If the DTE address does not match those addresses associated with from which it was received, the message packet is unauthorized. When an unauthorized message packet is received, the port from which the frame was received, is partitioned. The centralized approach utilizing a network manager as a functional base has certain advantages in comparison to distributed security implementations. Such advantages include lower cost and the ease of using existing network management functionality.

Receiving port security in a network concentrator

A method and apparatus for associating stations to a port on a network concentrator. The network concentrator implements a network having a Ring based topology. Associating stations to ports provides for the coupling of multiple stations to a single port. Three maps are created which describe the network, a port map, a station map and an exit station map. The port map identifies the ports having one or more stations coupled to it. The station map identifies each station in the network. The exit station map identifies for each port with a station coupled to it, the station which transmits data into the port. By identifying the stations between two exit stations on adjacent ports in the network concentrator, the stations coupled to a port are determined. The identification of exit stations is facilitated by the use of an exit station detection circuit located at the port.

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San Jose, CA, United States of America

Chao-Yu Liang