System and method for automatically managing a network port based on a calendar function

• US 20060133399A1
• Filed: 12/20/2004
• Published: 06/22/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Valtrus Innovations Limited (f/k/a Dolya Holdco 9 Limited) (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: 3Com Corporation (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Chang, Yung-Fu, Wafer, Trey
• Granted Patent: US 7,483,394 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/420
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/00 Arrangements for maintenance, administration or management of data switching networks, e.g. of packet switching networks

Abstract

Embodiments of the invention provide a system and method for automatically managing a network port based on a calendar function. In one embodiment, a discovery protocol is provided for automatically discovering at least one port of at least one switch in a network. Furthermore, a management protocol is provided. The management protocol is configured to automatically manage the at least one port of the at least one switch in the network based on a programmable calendar function. In addition, a reconfiguration protocol is also provided. The reconfiguration protocol is configured to reconfigure the calendar function of the automatic management of the at least one port of the at least one switch in the network.

Claims

1. A method for automatically managing a network port based on a calendar function comprising:

providing a discovery protocol for automatically discovering at least one port of at least one switch in a network;

providing a management protocol configured to automatically manage said at least one port of said at least one switch in the network based on a programmable calendar function; and

providing a reconfiguration protocol configured to reconfigure said calendar function of said automatic management of said at least one port of said at least one switch in the network.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the calendar function includes parameters selected from the group of parameters including:

time, location, group, and network.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said reconfiguration protocol further comprises:

providing real time access to said at least one port of said at least one switch in a network for reconfiguration.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the reconfiguration protocol further comprises:

reconfiguring said port in real time from the management station over a wireless network connection.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein said discovery protocol, said management protocol, and said reconfiguration protocol are performed from a remote network connection.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the discovery protocol further comprises:

discovering every said port on every said switch in said network.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the management protocol further comprises:

configuring every said port on every said switch in said network based on said calendar function.

8. A computer system comprising:

a bus;

a memory unit coupled to said bus; and

a processor coupled to said bus, said processor for executing a method for automatically managing a network port based on a calendar function comprising;

providing a discovery protocol for automatically discovering at least one port of at least one switch in a network;

providing a management protocol configured to automatically manage said at least one port of said at least one switch in the network based on a programmable calendar function; and

providing a reconfiguration protocol configured to reconfigure said calendar function of said automatic management of said at least one port of said at least one switch in the network.

9. The computer system of claim 8 wherein the calendar function is selected from the group of functions including:

time, location, group, and network.

10. The computer system of claim 8 wherein said reconfiguration protocol further comprises:

providing real time access to said at least one port of said at least one switch in a network for reconfiguration.

11. The computer system of claim 10 wherein the reconfiguration protocol further comprises:

reconfiguring said port in real time from the management station over a wireless network connection.

12. The computer system of claim 8 wherein said discovery protocol, said management protocol, and said reconfiguration protocol are performed from a remote network connection.

13. The computer system of claim 8 wherein the discovery protocol further comprises:

discovering every said port on every said switch in said network.

14. The method of claim 8 wherein the management protocol further comprises:

configuring every said port on every said switch in said network based on said calendar function.

15. A computer-usable medium having computer-readable program code embodied therein for causing a computer system to perform a method for automatically managing a network port based on a calendar function comprising:

providing a discovery protocol for automatically discovering at least one port of at least one switch in a network;

providing a management protocol configured to automatically manage said at least one port of said at least one switch in the network based on a programmable calendar function; and

providing a reconfiguration protocol configured to reconfigure said calendar function of said automatic management of said at least one port of said at least one switch in the network.

16. The computer-usable medium of claim 15 wherein the calendar function is selected from the group of functions including:

time, location, group, and network.

17. The computer-usable medium of claim 15 wherein said reconfiguration protocol further comprises:

providing real time access to said at least one port of said at least one switch in a network for reconfiguration.

18. The computer-usable medium of claim 17 wherein the reconfiguration protocol further comprises:

reconfiguring said port in real time from the management station over a wireless network connection.

19. The computer-usable medium of claim 15 wherein said discovery protocol, said management protocol, and said reconfiguration protocol are performed from a remote network connection.

20. The computer-usable medium of claim 15 wherein the discovery protocol further comprises:

discovering every said port on every said switch in said network.

21. The computer-usable medium of claim 15 wherein the management protocol further comprises:

configuring every said port on every said switch in said network based on said calendar function.

22. An automatic network port manager utilizing a calendar function, said automatic network port manager comprising:

a discovery protocol provider for automatically discovering at least one port of at least one switch in a network;

a management protocol provider configured to automatically manage said at least one port of said at least one switch in the network based on a programmable calendar function; and

a reconfiguration protocol provider configured to reconfigure said calendar function of said automatic management of said at least one port of said at least one switch in the network.

23. The automatic network port manager of claim 22 wherein said discovery protocol provider, said management protocol provider, and said reconfiguration protocol provider are communicatively coupled via a remote network connection.

24. The automatic network port manager of claim 22 wherein said discovery protocol provider, said management protocol provider, and said reconfiguration protocol provider configure every port on every switch in said network based on said calendar function.