Cabletron Systems, Inc.

Christopher Crowell

Patrick A Bosa

Gregory E Mayo

Michael Arsenault

Craig Dube

Method and apparatus for fault management of computer networks which utilizes a proxy or recruit network device to test the responsiveness of a network device. When a first network device loses contact with a second network device, the first network device uses a proxy network device to determine if the second network device can be reached and reports back to the first network device whether the contact attempt was successful. The proxy network device may contact the second network device through a different path and/or protocol than used by the first network device.

Method and apparatus for testing the responsiveness of a network device

A system determines that a frame relay connection exists between an interface on a first interface device and an interface on a second interface device, for example by comparing addresses resident in routing tables of the interface devices. The system then queries each of the first and second interface devices, to determine the amount of traffic that is communicated by each channel of each of the two interfaces. This data is then correlated to determine the relative amount of data by each channel on each of the two interfaces, and the pair of channels having the best correlation are determined to represent an actual connection.

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East Hampstead, NH, United States of America

Christopher Crowell