System and method to discover and configure remotely located network devices

• US 20040095897A1
• Filed: 11/14/2002
• Published: 05/20/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Digi International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Digi International Inc.
• Inventors: Vafaei, Amir
• Granted Patent: US 7,035,257 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/254
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

To permit discovery and configuration of a remotely located network server element by a client element of a local network device, the client sends a multicast discovery protocol request packet. The server element may monitor packets received at a pre-configured discovery protocol port of the server for the discovery protocol request packet. When the discovery protocol request packet is received at the discovery protocol port, the server element may validate the discovery protocol request packet by comparing a portion of a header with a predetermined value, and may perform an action requested by the discovery protocol request packet. The server element may also unicast a discovery protocol reply packet to the client indicating a response to the requested action. When the discovery protocol request packet is valid, the method determines whether the action requested is a query request, a configuration request, or a remote reboot request based on a message type portion of the header of the discovery protocol request packet. In one embodiment, the discovery protocol reply packet unicasted to the client may indicate the information requested by the query request, whether a configuration was performed in accordance with the configuration request, or whether the server element agrees to reboot in accordance with the remote reboot request.

Claims

1. A method to permit discovery and configuration of a remotely located network server element by a client device, wherein the client device sends a multicast discovery protocol request packet, the method comprising:

monitoring packets received at a pre-configured discovery protocol port of the server for the discovery protocol request packet;

when the discovery protocol request packet is received at the discovery protocol port, validating the discovery protocol request packet by comparing a portion of a header with a predetermined value;

when the discovery protocol request packet is valid, performing an action requested by the discovery protocol request packet; and

unicasting a discovery protocol reply packet to the client device indicating a response to the requested action.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising determining, when the discovery protocol request packet is valid, whether the action requested is a query request, a configuration request, or a remote reboot request based on a message type portion of the header of the discovery protocol request packet, and

wherein unicasting comprises unicasting the discovery protocol reply packet to the client device, the discovery protocol reply packet indicating one of either:

information requested by the query request;

whether a configuration was performed in accordance with the configuration request;

or

whether the server element agrees to reboot in accordance with the remote reboot request.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein prior to unicasting the discovery protocol reply packet, the method further comprises:

temporarily configuring the server element as a gateway when an IP address of the server element is not on the same subnet as the requesting client, and the server element has no valid gateway access to the requesting client; and

providing an indication in the discovery protocol reply packet that the server element is misconfigured.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein monitoring includes checking the multicast address and a UDP port number of received packets for a predetermined multicast address and predetermined UDP port number, the predetermined UDP port number corresponding with the pre-configured discovery protocol port.

5. The method of claim 2 wherein for the configuration request, or the remote reboot request, the method includes further validating the discovery protocol request packet by comparing a MAC address identified in the discovery protocol request packet with a MAC address of the server element, and

wherein for the query request, the method includes further validating the discovery protocol request packet by comparing the MAC address identified in the discovery protocol request packet with either the MAC address of the server element or a predetermined broadcast address.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein for the configuration request, or the remote reboot request, the method further includes authorizing the request by comparing a password received in the discovery protocol request packet with a corresponding password stored in the server element.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein validating comprises comparing a magic cookie portion of the header with a predetermined magic cookie stored in the server element.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein validating the received packet further comprises comparing a measured length of the received discovery protocol request packet with an expected packet length, the expected packet length being determined from length information in a data length field of the header added with a length of the header.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

the server element initially registering with a gateway to permit receipt of multicast packets in accordance with a discovery protocol, the multicast packets having a predetermined multicast address and indicating predetermined UDP port number; and

the server element binding with a UDP port of a network device for receipt of multicast packets in accordance with the discovery protocol.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein registering includes registering with an Internet group management protocol (IGMP) to permit receipt of multicast communications behind a router in accordance with the discovery protocol, and

wherein binding includes binding the UDP port of a predetermined port number to enable communications between a TCP/IP stack of the network device for packets having a multicast address and a UDP port number for the discovery protocol.

11. The method of claim 6 wherein for the query request, the method further comprises generating the discovery protocol reply packet to include current configuration of the server element.

13. The method of claim 6 wherein for the configuration request, the method further comprises:

validating configuration information received in the discovery protocol request packet as valid configuration settings;

configuring the server element in accordance with the configuration information when valid; and

generating the discovery protocol reply packet to indicate whether configuring the server element was performed.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the configuration information includes at least one of an IP address, subnet mask or gateway address.

15. The method of claim 6 wherein for the remote reboot request, the method further comprises:

generating the discovery protocol reply packet to indicate whether the server element agrees to reboot; and

rebooting after unicasting the discovery protocol reply packet.

12. The method of claim 111 wherein the current configuration information includes at least one of a MAC address, an IP address, a gateway address, a domain name, hardware information or software information of the server element.

16. A network device to operate a discovery protocol server element comprising:

a network interface to communicate packets with a network; and

a processing element to configure a discovery protocol port of the network device and monitor packets received at the configured discovery protocol port for a discovery protocol request packet,

wherein when the discovery protocol request packet is received at the discovery protocol port, the processing element to validate the discovery protocol request packet by comparing a portion of a header with a predetermined value, and perform an action requested by the discovery protocol request packet, the network interface to transmit a unicast discovery protocol reply packet to a client device indicating a response to the requested action.

17. The device of claim 16 wherein the processing element to determine when the discovery protocol request packet is valid, whether the action requested is a query request, a configuration request, or a remote reboot request based on a message type portion of the header of the discovery protocol request packet, and

wherein the network interface unicasts the discovery protocol reply packet to the client device, the discovery protocol reply packet indicating one of either:

information requested by the query request;

whether a configuration was performed in accordance with the configuration request;

or

whether the server element agrees to reboot the network device in accordance with the remote reboot request.

18. The device of claim 16 wherein prior to the network interface unicasting the discovery protocol reply packet, the server element is temporarily configured as a gateway when an IP address of the server element is not on the same subnet as the requesting client, and the server element has no valid gateway access to the requesting client, the discovery protocol reply packet including an indication that the server element is misconfigured.

19. The device of claim 16 wherein the processor checks a multicast address and a UDP port number of received packets for a predetermined multicast address and predetermined UDP port number, the predetermined UDP port number corresponding with the pre-configured discovery protocol port.

20. The device of claim 17 wherein for the configuration request, or the remote reboot request, the processor validates the discovery protocol request packet by comparing a MAC address identified in the discovery protocol request packet with a MAC address of the server element, and

wherein for the query request, the processor validates the discovery protocol request packet by comparing the MAC address identified in the discovery protocol request packet with either the MAC address of the server element or a predetermined broadcast address.

21. An article comprising a storage medium having stored thereon instructions, that when executed by a computing platform, result in:

monitoring packets received at a pre-configured discovery protocol port of a server for a discovery protocol request packet;

when the discovery protocol request packet is received at the discovery protocol port, validating the discovery protocol request packet by comparing a portion of a header with a predetermined value;

when the discovery protocol request packet is valid, performing an action requested by the discovery protocol request packet; and

unicasting a discovery protocol reply packet to the client device indicating a response to the requested action.

22. The article of claim 21 wherein the instructions, when further executed by the digital computing platform further result in determining, when the discovery protocol request packet is valid, whether the action requested is a query request, a configuration request, or a remote reboot request based on a message type portion of the header of the discovery protocol request packet, and

wherein unicasting comprises unicasting the discovery protocol reply packet to the client device, the discovery protocol reply packet indicating one of either:

information requested by the query request;

whether a configuration was performed in accordance with the configuration request;

or

whether the server element agrees to reboot in accordance with the remote reboot request.

23. The article as claimed in claim 22 wherein prior to unicasting the discovery protocol reply packet, the instructions, when further executed by the digital computing platform further result in:

temporarily configuring the server element as a gateway when an IP address of the server element is not on the same subnet as the requesting client, and the server element has no valid gateway access to the requesting client; and

providing an indication in the discovery protocol reply packet that the server element is misconfigured.

24. The article as claimed in claim 23 wherein the article is a computer readable medium having program instructions stored thereon.

25. A method of determining configuration of a remotely located network server element by a client device, wherein the client device sends a multicast discovery protocol request packet, the method comprising:

monitoring packets received at a pre-configured discovery protocol port of the server for the discovery protocol request packet;

when the discovery protocol request packet is valid, performing an action requested by the discovery protocol request packet; and

unicasting a discovery protocol reply packet to the client device indicating a response to the requested action; and

validating the discovery protocol request packet by comparing the MAC address identified in the discovery protocol request packet with a predetermined broadcast address,

wherein the server element initially registers with a gateway to permit receipt of multicast packets in accordance with a discovery protocol, the multicast packets having a predetermined multicast address and indicating predetermined UDP port number, and the server element binds with a UDP port of a network device for receipt of multicast packets in accordance with the discovery protocol.

26. The method of claim 25 wherein the server element registers with an Internet group management protocol (IGMP) to permit receipt of multicast communications behind a router in accordance with the discovery protocol, and

wherein the server elements binds with the UDP port of a predetermined port number to enable communications between a TCP/IP stack of the network device for packets having a multicast address and a UDP port number for the discovery protocol,

and wherein the discovery protocol reply packet to include current configuration of the server element, the current configuration information includes at least one of a MAC address, an IP address, a gateway address, a domain name, hardware information or software information of the server element.

27. A method of configuring of a misconfigured remotely located network server element by a client device, wherein the client device sends a multicast discovery protocol request packet, the method comprising:

monitoring packets received at a pre-configured discovery protocol port of the server for the discovery protocol request packet;

when the discovery protocol request packet is received at the discovery protocol port, validating the discovery protocol request packet by comparing a portion of a header with a predetermined value;

validating configuration information received in the discovery protocol request packet as valid configuration settings;

configuring the server element in accordance with the configuration information when valid;

generating the discovery protocol reply packet to indicate whether configuring the server element was performed; and

unicasting a discovery protocol reply packet to the client device indicating a response to the requested action,

wherein the configuration information includes at least one of an IP address, subnet mask or gateway address.

28. The method of claim 27 further comprising:

the server element initially registering with a gateway to permit receipt of multicast packets in accordance with a discovery protocol, the multicast packets having a predetermined multicast address and indicating predetermined UDP port number; and

the server element binding with a UDP port of a network device for receipt of multicast packets in accordance with the discovery protocol.