Method of operating a packet switching network

Claim 1

A method of operating a packet switching network comprising at least a first network access module having a plurality of terminals coupled thereto via a terminal cluster controller and at least two second network access modules each having a respective computer coupled thereto, the method comprising the steps of: storing in the first network access module information relating to a configuration of the terminal cluster controller and said plurality of terminals; establishing a first switched virtual circuit connection between the first network access module and one of the second network access modules having a first computer coupled thereto, wherein the first network access module provides a representation of said configuration of the terminal cluster controller and said configuration of the terminal cluster controller and said plurality of terminals from the stored information to the first computer via this first switched virtual circuit connection for control of the terminal cluster controller and said plurality of terminals by said first computer; establishing a second switched virtual circuit connection between the first network access module and one of the second network access modules having a second computer coupled thereto, wherein the first network access module provides a representation of a single one of said plurality of terminals coupled thereto via the terminal cluster controller to the second computer via this second switched virtual circuit connection; and establishing addresses in the first network access module for communications via the second switched virtual circuit connection between the second computer and said single one of said plurality of terminals.

Claim 2

A method of operating a packet switching network comprising at least a first network access module having a plurality of terminals coupled thereto via a terminal cluster controller and at least two second network access modules each having a respective computer coupled thereto, the method comprising the steps of: storing in the first network access module information relating to a configuration of the terminal cluster controller and said plurality of terminals; establishing a first switched virtual circuit connection between the first network access module and one of the second network access modules having a first computer coupled thereto, wherein the first network access module provides a representation of said configuration of the terminal cluster controller and said configuration of the terminal cluster controller and said plurality of terminals from the stored information to the first computer via this first switched virtual circuit connection for control of the terminal cluster controller and said plurality of terminals by said first computer; establishing a second switched virtual circuit connection between the first network access module and one of the second network access modules having a second computer coupled thereto, wherein the first network access module provides a representation of a single one of said plurality of terminals coupled thereto via the terminal cluster controller to the second computer via this second switched virtual circuit connection; and establishing addresses in the first network access module for communications via the second switched virtual circuit connection between the second computer and said single one of said plurality of terminals.

Claim 6

A method as claimed in claim I and including the step of exchanging information, relating to monitoring network performance, between said first computer and one of said plurality of terminals via said first switched virtual circuit connection for monitoring said single one of said plurality of terminals.