Methods and devices for exchanging peer parameters between network devices
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method for modifying configurations of peer ports interconnecting network devices, the method comprising:
- determining that the interconnected peer ports, comprising a first port of a first network device and a second port of a second network device, can support Exchange Peer Parameters protocol;
exchanging configuration information using the Exchange Peer Parameters protocol between the interconnected peer ports; and
configuring the interconnected peer ports according to the exchanged information.
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Abstract
Methods and devices are provided for detecting whether peer ports interconnecting two network devices can perform a novel protocol called Exchange Peer Parameters (“EPP”). If the peer ports are so configured to perform EPP, EPP services are exchanged between the peer ports. In a first phase, information is exchanged about peer port configurations of interest. In a second phase, the results of the exchange of information are applied to hardware and/or software of the respective ports, as needed.
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Citations
30 Claims
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1. A method for modifying configurations of peer ports interconnecting network devices, the method comprising:
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determining that the interconnected peer ports, comprising a first port of a first network device and a second port of a second network device, can support Exchange Peer Parameters protocol;
exchanging configuration information using the Exchange Peer Parameters protocol between the interconnected peer ports; and
configuring the interconnected peer ports according to the exchanged information. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method for modifying a configuration of a network device, the method comprising:
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determining that a first expansion port of a first network device, the first expansion port attached to a second expansion port of a second network device, can be configured to transmit frames in Extended Interswitch Link format; and
configuring the first expansion port to transmit frames in Extended Interswitch Link format. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15)
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16. A computer program for causing a first expansion port of a first network device to modify a configuration of a second expansion port of a second network device, the computer program causing the first expansion port to perform the following steps:
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determining that the second expansion port can be configured as a trunking port for transmitting frames in Extended Interswitch Link format; and
configuring the second expansion port as a trunking port. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19)
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20. A carrier wave embodying an encoded data signal for modifying a configuration of a network device, the encoded data signal comprising:
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a command code field for identifying whether a command is from a synchronization phase or a commit phase of a process for configuring an expansion port of the network device; and
a command identifier field for indicating whether a request to perform part of the process has been accepted or rejected. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. An apparatus for modifying a configuration of a network device, the apparatus comprising:
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means for determining that the interconnected peer ports, comprising a first port of a first network device and a second port of a second network device, can support Exchange Peer Parameters protocol;
means for exchanging configuration information using the Exchange Peer Parameters protocol between the interconnected peer ports; and
means for configuring the interconnected peer ports according to the exchanged information.
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27. A first network device for modifying a configuration of a second network device, the first network device configured to perform the following steps:
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determining that a port of the second network device can support Exchange Peer Parameter protocol; and
causing the port to be configured based on configuration information exchanged between the first network device and the port via Exchange Peer Parameters protocol. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30)
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Specification