System for automatically identifying the physical location of network end devices

• US 20050030955A1
• Filed: 12/04/2001
• Published: 02/10/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/05/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RiT Technologies Ltd.
• Original Assignee: RiT Technologies Ltd.
• Inventors: Cafif, Nitzan, Galin, Liam
• Granted Patent: US 7,684,416 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/401
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0213 Standardised network management protocols, e.g. simple network management protocol [SNMP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/12 Discovery or management of network topologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/229 Wire identification arrangements; Number assignment determination
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 1/149 Wireguides in connector blocks

Abstract

Method and system for automatically identifying the physical location and/or end-to-end connectivity of end-devices, each of which having a unique ID and, normally, being connected to an access point of a network, each access point having a known physical location and being connected to a port of a Switch. A first data that represents the relation between the unique ID of each end-device (that is connected to a corresponding port in the Switch) and the port, is stored in a storage means. A first set of separate contacts, capable of being represented, whenever desired, by switch ports, and a second set of separate contacts, capable of being represented, whenever desired, by access points, the first and second sets are capable of being cross-connected by corresponding data cords, are provided, for allowing changes in connecting end-devices to ports of the switch. Whenever desired, ports of the switch are connected to contacts of the first set and access points are connected to contacts of the second set. Predetermined contacts of the first and second sets are cross connected, and a second data, being the cross-connection data and representing the current cross-connection status between the sets and relating ports of the switch to corresponding access points, is obtained and stored. A Connectivity Table (CT), containing a third data that represents the end-to-end connectivity of each end-device that is connected to one of the access points, is generated, by utilizing the first and second data. Whenever required, the physical location of each end-device obtained by using the third data is updated according to changes in the first and/or in the second data.

Claims

1. A method for automatically identifying the physical location and/or end-to-end connectivity of end-devices, each of which having a unique ID and being connected to an access point of a network, each access point having a known physical location and being connected to a port of a Switch, comprising:

a) storing a first data, in storage means, said first data representing the relation between the unique ID of each end-device, that is connected to a corresponding port in said Switch, and said port;

b) providing a first set of separate contacts, capable of being represented, whenever desired, by switch ports, and a second set of separate contacts, capable of being represented, whenever desired, by access points, said first and second sets are capable of being cross-connected by corresponding data cords, for allowing changes in connecting end-devices to ports of said switch;

c) whenever desired, connecting ports of said switch to contacts of said first set;

d) whenever desired, connecting access points to contacts of said second set;

e) cross-connecting between predetermined contacts of said first and second sets;

f) obtaining and storing a second data, said second data being the cross-connection data that represents the current cross-connection status between said sets, said cross-connection data relating ports of said switch to corresponding access points;

g) generating a Connectivity Table (CT), containing a third data that represents the end-to-end connectivity of each end-device that is connected to one of said access points, by utilizing said first and second data; and

h) whenever required, obtaining the physical location of each end-device using said third data and said known physical location, and updating said third data, according to changes in said first and/or in said second data.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the first data is stored in the Bridge Table (BT) of the Switch.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein the first data is updated automatically by sending data from active end-devices through the corresponding ports of the switch, said data being, or containing, the unique IDs of said end-devices.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein the first data is updated automatically by sending interrogation messages, and receiving data containing the unique ID from each active end-device that is connected to an access point, in response to said interrogation messages.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein more than one end-device is connected to the same access point.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein the second data is updated automatically by transmitting signals to one or more contacts of the first, or second, set of contacts, and receiving corresponding signals at the second, or first, set of contacts, respectively.

7. A method according to claim 1, further comprising representing each end-device by its corresponding IP address, and/or using the IP addresses for sending interrogation messages to one or more end-devices.

8. A method according to claim 1, further comprising connecting the Switch to a port of a Router, for representing each end-device by its corresponding IP address, and/or using the IP addresses for sending interrogation messages to one or more end-devices.

9. A method according to claim 1, wherein whenever a change in the first data is detected, obtaining information representing a corresponding change in the physical location of an end-device by:

a) obtaining the current second data, and comparing said data to the previously obtained second data;

b) if no corresponding change is identified in the second data, updating the storage array with the corresponding change in the physical address;

otherwise

c) maintaining the previous content of the storage array.

10. A method according to claim 1, wherein whenever a change in the second data is detected, obtaining information representing a corresponding change in the physical location of an end-device by:

a) seeking changes in the current first data;

b) if no corresponding change is identified in the first data, obtaining information related to a change in the physical location of each device according to the deviations from said corresponding change;

otherwise

c) maintaining the previous end-device location.

11. A method according to claim 1, wherein the data network comprises at least two Routers, being connected to each other by at least one data communication channel, and communicating with each other by utilizing at least one type of communication protocol.

12. A method according to claim 1, wherein the corresponding first and second data, are obtained from one or more Routers each of which being associated with a corresponding switch and transceiver.

13. A method according to claim 11, wherein the corresponding first and second data, are obtained from one or more Routers each of which being associated with a corresponding switch and transceiver.

26. A method according to claim 1, in which the unique ID is the MAC address of the end-device.

27. A method according to claim 3, in which the unique ID is the MAC address of the end-device.

28. A method according to claim 4, in which the unique ID is the MAC address of the end-device.

14. A system for automatically identifying the physical location and/or end-to-end connectivity of end-devices, each of which having a unique ID and being connected to an access point of a network, each access point having a known physical location and being connected to a port of a Switch, comprising:

a) a storage means, for storing a first data being representative of the relation between the unique ID of each end-device, that is connected to a corresponding port in said Switch;

b) a first set and a second set of separate contacts, said first set is capable of being represented, whenever desired, by switch ports, and said second set is capable of being represented, whenever desired, by access points, said first and second sets are capable of being cross-connected by corresponding data cords, for providing alternative communication paths between end-devices and ports of said switch, said first and second sets being connected to ports of said Switch, and to access points, respectively;

c) data cords, for cross-connecting between corresponding contacts of said first and second sets, and for providing alternative communication paths between end-devices and ports of said switch;

d) a means, for obtaining and storing a second data, said data being the cross-connection data that represents the current cross-connection status between said sets, said data relating ports of said Switch to corresponding access points and stored in said second means; and

e) means for storing a Connectivity Table (CT), for producing a third data, said data being updated by utilizing said first and second data that are stored in said first and second means, respectively, said third data being a reflection of the physical location and end-to-end connectivity of each end-device that is connected to one of said access points.

15. A system according to claim 14 wherein the first data is stored in the Bridge Table (BT) of the Switch.

16. A system according to claim 14, in which the first data is updated automatically by sending data from active end-devices through the corresponding ports of the switch, said data being, or containing, the unique IDs of said end-devices.

17. A system according to claim 14, in which the first data is updated automatically by sending interrogation messages, and receiving data containing the unique ID from each end-device that is connected to an access point, in response to said interrogation messages.

18. A system according to claim 14, in which more than one end-device is connected to the same access point.

19. A system according to claim 14, in which the second data is updated automatically by transmitting signals to one or more contacts of the first, or second, set of contacts, and receiving corresponding signals at the second, or first, set of contacts, respectively.

20. A system according to claim 14, further comprising representing each end-device by its corresponding IP address, and/or using the IP addresses for sending interrogation messages to one or more end-devices.

21. A system according to claim 14, further comprising connecting the Switch to a port of a Router, for representing each end-device by its corresponding IP address, and/or using the IP addresses for sending interrogation messages to one or more end-devices.

22. A system according to claim 14, in which the data network comprises at least two Routers, being connected to each other by at least one data communication channel, and communicating with each other by utilizing at least one type of communication protocol.

23. A system according to claim 14, in which the unique ID is the MAC address of the end-device.

24. A system according to claim 16, in which the unique ID is the MAC address of the end-device.

25. A system according to claims 17, in which the unique ID is the MAC address of the end-device.