Storage Technology Corporation

Joseph E Massery

Roger Frederick Osmond

Michael J Fitzgerald

Michael D Mancusi

A system and method for interconnecting a plurality of network components to form a local area network (LAN) include a wiring manager having at least one port module connected to a controller via a data signal bus on a passive backplane. Each port module includes a plurality of ports which can be programmed to electrically couple selected sets of the plurality of network components without physically rerouting network cabling. A LAN management system provides a graphical user interface to communicate with the wiring manager and provide network status information and control the wiring manager to configure the network.

Programmable matrix switch

A wiring hub for interconnecting a plurality of network components to form a local area network, the wiring hub including a data signal bus and a programmable switching mechanism connected to the data signal bus. The switching mechanism includes a plurality of ports each of which can be electrically coupled to a different one of the plurality of network components so as to pass communications signals to and receive communications signals from the network component to which it is coupled. The programmable switching mechanism interconnects a selectable set of the plurality of ports together through the data signal bus and in any user selectable ordered sequence.

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Westborough, MA, United States of America

Joseph E Massery