System for selecting network management protocol by setting protocol handler index based on newly selected protocol and selecting protocol handler address using protocol handler index

摘要

Multiplexer (100) includes a plurality of resident network management protocol handlers (116, 118 and 120). The multiplexer user can select which one of the protocols to use from among the resident protocols to use for framing network management messages received or transmitted via network management port (134). This selection can be made without requiring new hardware or software modules to be installed, and without significant run-time overhead to select among several supported protocols. Upon receiving a request to update the currently used protocol handler (116, 118 and 120) a handler index (124) which is used to select a pointer to all of the resident protocols, causes the newly selected to be activated, and any new network protocol messages are transmitted and received using the standards for the new protocol.