Method and system for configuring network devices

• US 10,250,437 B2
• Filed: 10/29/2015
• Issued: 04/02/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Arista Networks, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Arista Networks, Inc.
• Inventors: Berly, Mark, Sprygada, Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): Baturay, Alicia
• Application Number:
  US14/927,164
• Publication Number:
  US 20170126490A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,251 Days
• Field of Search: 709217, 709220
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0806 for initial configuration or provisioning, e.g. plug-and-play
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0843 based on generic templates
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0859 by keeping history of different configuration generations or by rolling back to previous configuration versions
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/12 Discovery or management of network topologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/40 using virtualisation of network functions or resources, e.g. SDN or NFV entities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416

Abstract

An identification server includes a definitions database stored on a storage of the identification server; a network device identifier configured to identify a network device; and an identification files generator configured to generate an identification file based on an identity of the network device. The definitions database includes at least one entry including at least one condition, at least one configuration action, and an availability status.

Claims

1. A method of configuring a network device, comprising:

receiving, by an identification server, identification information of a network device from the network device, wherein the identification information comprises port connection information comprising identification of a plurality of network infrastructure components to which the network device is connected via at least one of a plurality of ports of the network device;

performing an identification of a network device by performing a comparison between the received identification information and a first entry in a definitions database, the first entry comprising the port connection information and an availability status;

requesting, by the identification server, a configuration action from a version control server based on the comparison;

receiving, by the identification server, a version controlled configuration action from the version control server;

generating, by the identification server, an identification file comprising the configuration action; and

sending, by the identification server, the identification file to the network device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the identification information further comprises a model number or a port count.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

updating, by the identification server, the availability status of the first entry as unavailable.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

comparing, by the identification server, the received identification information to a second entry in the definitions database when the availability status of the first entry is unavailable.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

determining, by the identification server, a network device identification as unknown when the availability status of the first entry is unavailable and the availability status of the second entry is unavailable.

6. The method of claim 3, further comprising ignoring the first entry when the first entry has an availability status of unavailable.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein

the first entry further comprises a model number and a port count.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

updating, by the identification server, the availability status of the first entry as unavailable.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

comparing, by the identification server, the received identification information to a second entry in the definitions database when the availability status of the first entry is unavailable.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

determining, by the identification server, a network device identification as unknown when the availability status of the first entry is unavailable and the availability status of the second entry is unavailable.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the identification information is received from a bootstrap client executing on the network device.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the port connection information comprises aggregated linked layer discovery protocol results of the network device.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the identification file comprises at least one instruction executable by the network device.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the definitions database comprises a second entry comprising a condition, and wherein the port connection information comprises at least a portion of the condition.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the definitions database comprises a second entry comprising a configuration action reference, and wherein the configuration action reference is used by the identification server for requesting the configuration action from the version control server.

16. The method of claim 1, performing the comparison comprises determining whether the network device is a spine network device.

17. The method of claim 1, performing the comparison comprises determining whether the network device is a member of a pod of a network.

18. The method of claim 1, performing the comparison comprises using a variables field comprising a plurality of expressions, and wherein at least one expression of the plurality of expressions is evaluated as true.