System and method for dynamically configuring and transitioning wired and wireless networks

• US 20040264388A1
• Filed: 06/30/2003
• Published: 12/30/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tahoe Research Limited (f/k/a Learndale Limited) (Vector Capital Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Keddy, Asha R., Sistla, Amber D., Rover, Jeremy L.
• Granted Patent: US 7,483,390 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/254
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/00 Arrangements for maintenance, administration or management of data switching networks, e.g. of packet switching networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0803 Configuration setting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0866 Checking the configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0886 Fully automatic configuration

Abstract

A network may be abstracted into four layers: a control layer, a network management layer, a verification and validation layer, and a physical network layer. The control layer interacts with the other three layers to execute network scenarios. The network management layer automatically performs network configurations and network transitions to support the network scenarios executed by the control layer.

Claims

1. A method of automatically configuring a network comprising:

receiving a first description of a network to be configured;

selecting one or more network components from a list of network components, the list having a standardized syntax, based on resources of the selected components and the described network; and

providing a second description of the network including the selected components.

2. The method of automatically configuring a network of claim 1, wherein receiving the first description of the network to be configured comprises:

receiving a human-readable first description of the network to be configured.

3. The method of automatically configuring a network of claim 2, wherein receiving the human-readable first description of the network to be configured comprises:

receiving a randomly generated human-readable first description of the network to be configured.

4. The method of automatically configuring a network of claim 2, wherein receiving the human-readable first description of the network to be configured comprises:

receiving a predetermined human-readable first description of the network to be configured.

5. The method of automatically configuring a network of claim 1, wherein receiving the first description of the network to be configured comprises:

receiving a standardized first description of the network to be configured.

6. The method of automatically configuring a network of claim 1, wherein selecting one or more network components from the list of network components having a standardized syntax based on resources of the selected components and the described network comprises:

referencing a list of network components;

creating a first virtual map of an existing network based, at least in part, on the received description of the network to be configured; and

populating a second virtual map of the network to be configured with network components from the referenced list of network components based on the received description of a network to be configured.

7. The method of automatically configuring a network of claim 6, wherein the list of network components includes addressing scheme information to identify an addressing scheme for the listed network components.

8. The method of automatically configuring a network of claim 1, wherein the second description of the network including the selected network components is provided in accordance with a standardized syntax.

9. The method of automatically configuring a network of claim 1, further comprising:

programmatically configuring a Virtual Local Area Network (VLAN) switch to include at least one of the selected network components in a VLAN of the VLAN switch.

10. The method of automatically configuring a network of claim 9, wherein programmatically configuring the VLAN switch to include at least one of the selected network components in a VLAN of the VLAN switch comprises:

calling a function to interact with the VLAN switch.

11. The method of automatically configuring a network of claim 1, further comprising:

programmatically configuring a router to associate a network interface with IP address information.

12. The method of automatically configuring a network of claim 11, wherein programmatically configuring the router to associate the network interface with at least one of the selected network components comprises:

calling a function to interact with the router.

13. The method of automatically configuring a network of claim 1, further comprising:

programmatically configuring a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) server to associate a network interface with IP address information.

14. The method of automatically configuring a network of claim 1, wherein programmatically configuring a DHCP server to associate the network interface with IP address information comprises:

calling a function to interact with the DHCP server.

15. A method of automatically transitioning a node comprising:

receiving a description of a transition for the node;

selecting one or more network components from a list of network components based on resources of the selected components and the description of the transition of the node; and

configuring at least one of the selected network components based on a resource of the selected component and the description of the transition of the node.

16. The method of automatically transitioning a node of claim 15, wherein receiving the description of a transition for the node comprises:

receiving a human-readable description of a transition for the node.

17. The method of automatically transitioning a node of claim 16, wherein receiving the description of a transition for the node comprises:

receiving a randomly generated human-readable description of a transition for the node.

18. The method of automatically transitioning the node of claim 16, wherein receiving the description of the transition for the node comprises:

receiving a predetermined human-readable description of the transition for the node.

19. The method of automatically transitioning a node of claim 15, wherein receiving the description of the transition for the node comprises:

receiving the description of the transition for the node, the description having a standardized syntax.

20. The method of automatically transitioning a node of claim 19, wherein receiving the description of transitioning the node:

receiving the description of transitioning the node from a first network interface to a second network interface.

21. The method of automatically transitioning a node of claim 19, wherein receiving the description of transitioning the node having:

receiving the description of transitioning the node from a first subnet to a second subnet.

22. The method of automatically transitioning a node of claim 19, wherein receiving the description of transitioning the node, the description having a standardized syntax comprises:

receiving the description of transitioning the node from a first Virtual Local Area Network (VLAN) to a second VLAN.

23. The method of automatically transitioning a node of claim 19, wherein receiving the description of transitioning the node, the description having a standardized syntax comprises:

receiving the description of transitioning the node from a first topology to a second topology.

24. The method of automatically transitioning a node of claim 15, wherein selecting one or more network components from a list of network components having a standardized syntax based on resources of the selected network components and the description of transitioning the node comprises:

referencing the list of network components;

creating a first virtual map of an existing network based on the referenced list of network components; and

populating a second virtual map of another network with network components from the referenced list based on the description of transitioning the node.

25. The method of automatically transitioning a node of claim 24, wherein referencing the list of network components comprises:

referencing the list of network components, the referenced list having a standardized syntax.

26. The method of automatically transitioning a node of claim 15, wherein configuring at least one of the selected network components based on a resource of the selected component and the received description of transitioning the node comprises:

programmatically configuring a VLAN switch to include the node to be transitioned in a VLAN.

27. The method of automatically transitioning a node of claim 26, wherein programmatically configuring the VLAN switch to include the node to be transitioned in a VLAN comprises:

calling a function to alter the configuration of the VLAN switch.

28. The method of automatically transitioning a node of claim 15, wherein configuring at least one of the selected network components based on a resource of the selected component and the received description of transitioning the node comprises:

programmatically configuring a power on/off module to a network component to affect link state of the node to be transitioned.

29. The method of automatically transitioning a node of claim 28, further comprising:

interrupting a link that connects the node to be transitioned to a network.

30. The method of automatically transitioning a node of claim 29, further comprising:

establishing the link that connects the node to be transitioned to the network; and

providing configuration information to the node to be transitioned responsive to a request for configuration information.

35. The method of claim 30, further comprising:

validating the configured network.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein validating the configured network comprises:

sending a ping packet to the selected node to determine whether the selected node is reachable.

31. A method comprising:

selecting a network scenario;

determining whether the selected network scenario is supported by a preexisting network; and

automatically requesting that a network be configured, if the selected network scenario is not supported by the preexisting network.

32. The method of claim 31, further comprising:

automatically configuring the requested network responsive to the request to configure the network.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein automatically configuring the requested network responsive to the request to configure the network comprises:

selecting a node for inclusion in the configured network;

automatically configuring a router to associate a network interface with the selected node; and

automatically configuring a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) server to provide Internet Protocol (IP) address information to the selected node.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein automatically configuring the requested network responsive to the request to configure the network comprises:

initializing a network connection that joins the selected node to the network to be configured.

37. The method of claim 31, further comprising:

verifying that the selected network scenario is supported in the preexisting network.

38. The method of claim 31, further comprising:

determining whether the selected network scenario includes a node transition.

39. The method of claim 38, further comprising:

transitioning a node, if the selected network scenario includes a node transition.

40. The method of claim 39, wherein transitioning a node comprises:

initializing a network connection to which the node is being transitioned; and

interrupting a network connection from which the node is being transitioned.

41. The method of claim 40, wherein

the node is a mobile node;

and

initializing a network connection to which the node is to be transitioned comprises initializing an access point to which the mobile node is being transitioned.

42. The method of claim 41, wherein interrupting a network connection from which the node is being transitioned comprises:

powering down a hub that provides a network connection from which the mobile node is being transitioned.

43. The method of claim 40, further comprising:

verifying that the node is transitioned.

44. The method of claim 43, wherein verifying that the node is transitioned comprises:

sending a ping packet to the transitioned node to determine whether the transitioned node is reachable.

45. The method of claim 31, wherein selecting a network scenario comprises:

selecting a randomly generated network scenario.

46. The method of claim 31, wherein selecting a network scenario comprises:

selecting a predetermined network scenario.

47. A network comprising:

a plurality of network components; and

a network management node to automatically configure the network coupled with the plurality of network components and having a processor and logic executable thereon to

receive a first description of a network to be configured,

select one or more network components from a list of network components having a standardized syntax based on resources of the selected components and the described network, and

provide a second description of the network including the selected components.

48. The network of claim 47, wherein

the network management node to automatically configure the network coupled with the plurality of network components and having the processor and logic executable thereon further to

reference a list of network components;

create a first virtual map of a network based on the referenced list of network components; and

populate a second virtual map of the network to be configured with network components from the referenced list of network components based on the received description of a network to be configured.

49. The network of claim 48, wherein

the plurality of network components comprises a Virtual Local Area Network (VLAN) switch;

and

the network management node to automatically configure the network coupled with the plurality of network components and having the processor and logic executable thereon further to

programmatically configure the VLAN switch to associate at least one of the plurality of network components in a VLAN of the VLAN switch.

50. The network of claim 48, wherein

the plurality of network components comprises a router;

and

the network management node to automatically configure the network coupled with the plurality of network components and having the processor and logic executable thereon further to

programmatically configure the router to associate a network interface with at least one of the plurality of network components.

51. The network of claim 48, wherein

the plurality of network components comprises a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) server;

and

the network management node to automatically configure the network coupled with the plurality of network components and having the processor and logic executable thereon further to

programmatically configure the DHCP server to provide IP address information to at least one of the plurality of network components.

52. A network comprising:

a plurality of network components; and

a network management node to automatically transition one of the plurality of network components, the network management node coupled with the plurality of network components and having a processor and logic executable thereon to

receive a description of a transition for a node;

select one or more network components from a list of network components having a standardized syntax based on resources of the selected components and the description of the transition of the node; and

configure at least one of the selected network components based on a resource of the selected component and the description of the transition of the node.

53. The network of claim 52, wherein

the network management node to automatically transition one of the plurality of network components, the network management node coupled with the plurality of network components and having a processor and logic executable thereon further to

reference the list of network components;

create a first virtual map of a network based on the referenced list of network components; and

populate a second virtual map of another network with network components from the referenced list based on the description of transitioning the node.

54. The network of claim 53, wherein

the plurality of network components comprises a VLAN switch;

and

the network management node to automatically transition one of the plurality of network components, the network management node coupled with the plurality of network components and having a processor and logic executable thereon further to

programmatically configure the VLAN switch to include the node to be transitioned in a VLAN.

55. The network of claim 54, wherein

the plurality of network components comprises a power on/off module;

and

the network management node to automatically transition one of the plurality of network components, the network management node coupled with the plurality of network components and having a processor and logic executable thereon further to

programmatically configure the power on/off module to associate the power on/off module with the node to be transitioned.

56. The network of claim 55, wherein

the network management node to automatically transition one of the plurality of network components, the network management node coupled with the plurality of network components and having a processor and logic executable thereon further to

interrupt a link that connects the node to be transitioned to the network.

57. The network of claim 56, wherein

the network management node to automatically transition one of the plurality of network components, the network management node coupled with the plurality of network components and having a processor and logic executable thereon further to

provide configuration information to the node to be transitioned responsive to a request for configuration information from the node.

58. An article of manufacture comprising:

an electronically accessible medium providing instructions that, when executed by an apparatus, cause the apparatus to

receive a first description of a network to be configured;

select one or more network components from a list of network components having a standardized syntax based on resources of the selected components and the described network; and

provide a second description of the network including the selected components.

59. The article of manufacture of claim 58, wherein the electronically accessible medium providing instructions that, when executed by the apparatus, further cause the apparatus to

reference a list of network components;

create a first virtual map of a network based on the referenced list of network components; and

populate a second virtual map of the network to be configured with network components from the referenced list of network components based on the received description of a network to be configured.

60. The article of manufacture of claim 59, wherein the electronically accessible medium providing instructions that, when executed by the apparatus, further cause the apparatus to

programmatically configure a VLAN switch to include at least one of the selected network components in a VLAN of the VLAN switch.

61. An article of manufacture comprising:

an electronically accessible medium providing instructions that, when executed by an apparatus, cause the apparatus to

receive a description of a transition for a node;

select one or more network components from a list of network components having a standardized syntax based on resources of the selected components and the description of the transition of the node; and

configure at least one of the selected network components based on a resource of the selected component and the description of the transition of the node.

62. The article of manufacture of claim 61, wherein the electronically accessible medium providing instructions that, when executed by the apparatus, further cause the apparatus to

reference the list of network components;

create a first virtual map of an existing network based on the referenced list of network components; and

populate a second virtual map of another network with network components from the referenced list based on the description of transitioning the node.

63. The article of manufacture of claim 62, wherein the electronically accessible medium providing instructions that, when executed by the apparatus, further cause the apparatus to

programmatically configure a VLAN switch to include the node to be transitioned in a VLAN of the VLAN switch;

interrupt a link that connects the node to be transitioned to the network; and

establish the link that connects the node to be transitioned to the network.