Autoconfiguration of control connections in an exchange

Abstract

The invention concerns autoconfiguration of control connections in a telecommunication switch. Multiplexers () themselves and without external control information find out which ports of the switching fabric () they are in connection with. After finding out the ports, logical connections are established. Each multiplexer forms probe cells addressed to each of the ports (). Each probe cell includes one port index, preferably in the header. The switching fabric () switches the probe cell to that output port which has been indicated in the header of the probe cell. Thus, those probe cells fed from a port into the switching fabric are returned to the same port if the target in the header is the same as the port number. In consequence of this, the multiplexer receives only the same kind of probe cells. After the connection ports have been determined, a logical connection between each of the multiplexers () and the operation and maintenance unit () is established. The processor units connected to the multiplexers can now receive configuration information and instructions from the operation and maintenance unit ().