Method and system for multi-tiered data access

Abstract

A system and method include receiving a telephone number corresponding to a unique pair of first and second parameters in which the first parameter corresponds to a device having a plurality of ports and the second parameter corresponds to one of the ports of the device. A storage includes units respectively corresponding to different first parameters with each unit respectively having a physical location in the storage. Each unit has members respectively corresponding to different second parameters with each of the second parameters respectively corresponding to a member of each unit. The parameters are determined using the telephone number. A physical location in storage of a unit corresponding to the first parameter is determined. The member corresponding to the second parameter of the unit which corresponds to the first parameter is then identified.

1 . A method comprising: 
 receiving a telephone number corresponding to a unique pair of first and second parameters, wherein the first parameter corresponds to a device having a plurality of ports and the second parameter corresponds to one of the ports of the device;    determining the parameters using the telephone number;    determining a physical location in storage of a unit corresponding to the first parameter, wherein the storage includes units respectively corresponding to different first parameters with each unit respectively having a physical location in the storage, wherein each unit has members respectively corresponding to different second parameters with each of the second parameters respectively corresponding to a member of each unit; and    identifying the member corresponding to the second parameter of the unit which corresponds to the first parameter.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein: 
 the different first parameters respectively correspond to different devices each having a plurality of ports such that each unit respectively corresponds to one of the devices.    
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 2  wherein: 
 each member of each unit includes data relating to an object coupled to one of the ports of the device which corresponds to the unit.    
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 3  wherein: 
 each device is a Digital Subscriber Line Access Multiplexer.    
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 3  wherein: 
 the identified member includes data relating to the object coupled to the port corresponding to the second parameter of the device corresponding to the first parameter.    
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 2  wherein: 
 each device has a unique name and each of the first parameters includes the unique name of the device corresponding to the first parameter.    
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 6  wherein: 
 each unit has a unique name which includes the unique name of the device corresponding to the first parameter which corresponds to the unit.    
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein: 
 the device is one of an Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line, an Asynchronous Transfer Mode Switch, and a DSL Access Multiplexer.    
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 1  wherein: 
 each first parameter resolves directly into the physical location of the corresponding unit.    
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 1  wherein: 
 determining the parameters using the telephone number includes using one of a hash function and a table.    
   
   
       11 . A system comprising: 
 a storage having units respectively corresponding to different first parameters with each unit respectively having a physical location in the storage, wherein each unit has members respectively corresponding to different second parameters with each of the second parameters respectively corresponding to a member of each unit, wherein the first parameters respectively correspond to devices each having a plurality of ports and the second parameters respectively correspond to the ports;    a logical mapping apparatus for determining a pair of first and second parameters which uniquely correspond to a telephone number; and    a physical mapping apparatus for receiving the parameters from the logical mapping apparatus, determining a physical location in the storage of a unit corresponding to the first parameter, and identifying the member corresponding to the second parameter of the unit which corresponds to the first parameter.    
   
   
       12 . The system of  claim 11  wherein: 
 the different first parameters respectively correspond to different devices each having a plurality of ports such that each unit respectively corresponds to one of the devices.    
   
   
       13 . The system of  claim 12  wherein: 
 each member of each unit includes data relating to an object coupled to one of the ports of the device which corresponds to the unit.    
   
   
       14 . The system of  claim 13  wherein: 
 each device is a Digital Subscriber Line Access Multiplexer.    
   
   
       15 . The system of  claim 13  wherein: 
 the identified member includes data relating to the object coupled to the port corresponding to the second parameter of the device corresponding to the first parameter.    
   
   
       16 . The system of  claim 12  wherein: 
 each device has a unique name and each of the first parameters includes the unique name of the device corresponding to the first parameter;    wherein each unit has a unique name which includes the unique name of the device corresponding to the first parameter which corresponds to the unit.    
   
   
       17 . The system of  claim 11  wherein: 
 the device is one of an Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line, an Asynchronous Transfer Mode Switch, and a DSL Access Multiplexer.    
   
   
       18 . The system of  claim 11  wherein: 
 each first parameter resolves directly into the physical location of the corresponding unit.    
   
   
       19 . The system of  claim 11  wherein: 
 the logical mapping apparatus determines the parameters using the telephone number includes using one of a hash function and a table.    
   
   
       20 . A method comprising: 
 receiving an identifier corresponding to a unique pair of first and second parameters, wherein the first parameter corresponds to a switch having a plurality of ports and the second parameter corresponds to one of the ports of the switch;    determining the parameters using the identifier;    determining a physical location in storage of a unit corresponding to the first parameter, wherein the storage includes units respectively corresponding to different first parameters with each unit respectively having a physical location in the storage, wherein each unit has members respectively corresponding to different second parameters with each of the second parameters respectively corresponding to a member of each unit; and    identifying the member corresponding to the second parameter of the unit which corresponds to the first parameter.