Abstract: 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.

Abstract: A system provides representations of connections or other relationships among entities that make up a communications network. The representations may each have a color or shading to represent different conditions of the relationship. The representations may be graphical and may also include textual information as well as graphical hot-spots selectable by a user to provide even more detailed information regarding the relationship. The condition of each relationship may be determined based upon a combination of the conditions of the interface elements which are coupled together to form the communications relationship.