Network device identification in an industrial control network

• US 10,389,825 B2
• Filed: 09/29/2017
• Issued: 08/20/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 01/15/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Yang, Xuechen, Klecka, Rudy
• Primary Examiner(s): Dalencourt, Yves
• Application Number:
  US15/720,973
• Publication Number:
  US 20180027081A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2101/69 using geographic information, e.g. room number
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/3025 Domain name generation or assignment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5014 using dynamic host configuration protocol [DHCP] or bootstrap protocol [BOOTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services

Abstract

In one embodiment, a system and method are disclosed for receiving, at a first network routing element, a discovery message sent via a network, where the discovery message comprises identifying information that identifies a physical location of a first network device. The method modifies the identifying information in the discovery message by adding additional information to the identifying information, where the additional information can, for example, identify a physical location of the first network routing element. Subsequent to modifying the identifying information, the method forwards the discovery message to a network element, where the network element can be, for example, either a second network routing element or a server.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, at a current network routing element, a discovery message sent via a network, wherein

the discovery message comprises identifying information that identifies a physical location of a first network device;

modifying the identifying information in the discovery message, wherein

the modifying comprises adding additional information to the identifying information to create modified identifying information,

the additional information identifies a physical location of an immediately-preceding network routing element, and

the modified identifying information comprises information describing at least the physical location of the first network device and the physical location of the immediately-preceding network routing element; and

subsequent to the modifying, forwarding the discovery message, wherein

the discovery message is configured to be forwarded to a network element,

the network element is at a different network location than the first network device, the immediately-preceding network routing element, and the current network routing element, and

the network element comprises at least one of a second network routing element or a server.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein

the first network device initiated the discovery message.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

subsequent to the forwarding, receiving an offer message, wherein

the offer message comprises network name information,

the network name information indicates the physical location of the first network device within a topology of the network, and

the network name information further indicates the physical location of the current network routing element within the topology of the network.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein

the discovery message is a DHCP discovery message, and

the offer message is a DHCP offer message.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein

the network comprises a plurality of organizational levels,

the network name information comprises information describing each of the plurality of organizational levels.

6. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

forwarding the offer message to the first network device.

7. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

using the network name information to forward a packet received from the first network device, wherein

the packet is received from the first network device subsequent to receiving the offer message.

8. An apparatus comprising:

a processor;

a memory coupled to the processor and configured to store instructions executable by the processor, the instructions configured to perform operations comprising;

receiving, at a current network routing element, a discovery message sent via a network, wherein

the discovery message comprises identifying information that identifies a physical location of a first network device;

modifying the identifying information in the discovery message, wherein

the modifying comprises adding additional information to the identifying information to create modified identifying information,

the additional information identifies a physical location of an immediately-preceding network routing element, and

the modified identifying information comprises information describing at least the physical location of the first network device and the physical location of the immediately-preceding network routing element; and

subsequent to the modifying, forwarding the discovery message, wherein

the discovery message is configured to be forwarded to a network element,

the network element is at a different network location than the first network device, the immediately-preceding network routing element, and the current network routing element, and

the network element comprises at least one of a second network routing element or a server.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein

the first network device initiated the discovery message.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the instructions are further configured to perform an additional operation comprising:

subsequent to the forwarding, receiving an offer message, wherein

the offer message comprises network name information,

the network name information indicates the physical location of the first network device within a topology of the network, and

the network name information further indicates the physical location of the current network routing element within the topology of the network.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein

the discovery message is a DHCP discovery message, and

the offer message is a DHCP offer message.

12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein

the network comprises a plurality of organizational levels,

the network name information comprises information describing each of the plurality of organizational levels.

13. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the instructions are further configured to perform an additional operation comprising:

forwarding the offer message to the first network device.

14. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the instruction are further configured to perform an additional operation comprising:

using the network name information to forward a packet received from the first network device, wherein

the packet is received from the first network device subsequent to receiving the offer message.

15. A computer program product comprising:

a plurality of program instructions, comprising

a first set of instructions, executable on a computer system, configured to

receive, at a current network routing element, a discovery message sent via a network, wherein

the discovery message comprises identifying information that identifies a physical location of a first network device;

a second set of instructions, executable on the computer system, configured to

modify the identifying information in the discovery message, wherein

modifying the identifying information comprises adding additional information to the identifying information to create modified identifying information,

the additional information identifies a physical location of an immediately-preceding network routing element, and

the modified identifying information comprises information describing at least the physical location of the first network device and the physical location of the immediately-preceding network routing element; and

a third set of instructions, executable on the computer system, configured to

subsequent to the modifying, forward the discovery message, wherein

the discovery message is configured to be forwarded to a network element,

the network element is at a different network location than the first network device, the immediately-preceding network routing element, and the current network routing element, and

the network element comprises at least one of a second network routing element or a server.

16. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein

the first network device initiated the discovery message.

17. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the plurality of program instructions further comprises a fourth set of instructions, executable on the computer system, configured to

subsequent to forwarding the discovery message, receive an offer message, wherein

the offer message comprises network name information,

the network name information indicates the physical location of the first network device within a topology of the network, and

the network name information further indicates the physical location of the current network routing element within the topology of the network.

18. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein

the discovery message is a DHCP discovery message, and

the offer message is a DHCP offer message.

19. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein

the network comprises a plurality of organizational levels,

the network name information comprises information describing each of the plurality of organizational levels.

20. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the plurality of program instructions further comprises

a fifth set of instructions, executable on the computer system, configured to forward the offer message to the first network device;

and

a sixth set of instructions, executable on the computer system, configured to

use the network name information to forward a packet received from the first network device, wherein

the packet is received from the first network device subsequent to receiving the offer message.