Abstract: A network device may identify an integrated circuit, a port group number, port lanes, and port channels associated with a transceiver port of a network device, and may map the integrated circuit, the port group number, the port lanes, and the port channels to the transceiver port. The network device may provide a time domain reflectometry pulse to a channel of the transceiver port at a first time and with a first voltage, and may receive a reflected time domain reflectometry pulse via the channel at a second time and with a second voltage. The network device may calculate a distance and an impedance of the channel based on the first time, the second time, the first voltage, and the second voltage, and may determine a status of the channel based on the distance and the impedance. The network device may output the status of the first channel.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and apparatus for improving the configuration of virtual connections. Specifically, virtual path identifier (VPI) and virtual channel identifier (VCI) Availability Indexes are made available to network administrators. The Availability Indexes present valid, available values. Thus, the potential for misconfigurations is reduced and even less experienced network administrators may easily configure virtual connections. The Availability Indexes provide administrators with control over exactly which paths and channels are allocated for each connection while eliminating the guesswork and tracking burden present in current network/element management systems. Availability Indexes also reduce the time and frustration required to configure virtual connections.