Discovery and configuration of devices across an ethernet interface

• US 20060159032A1
• Filed: 01/19/2005
• Published: 07/20/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/19/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Emulex Design & Manufacturing Corp. (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Mies, Carl Joseph, Ukrainetz, Nathan H. W.
• Granted Patent: US 7,729,284 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/254
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0806 for initial configuration or provisioning, e.g. plug-and-play
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/26 using dedicated tools for LAN [Local Area Network] management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5007 Internet protocol [IP] addresses
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5038 for local use, e.g. in LAN or USB networks, or in a controller area network [CAN]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1097 for distributed storage of data in networks, e.g. transport arrangements for network file system [NFS], storage area networks [SAN] or network attached storage [NAS]

Abstract

The discovery and configuration of devices of interest connected to the Ethernet by an Ethernet port is disclosed. To perform discovery, Client software in a management interface transmits packets including the address of the management interface and a port identifier to a known broadcast address, requesting the MAC address for all devices of interest. Server software in the devices of interest parse the broadcast packets and broadcast a packet containing a MAC address that uniquely identifies the devices of interest back to the Client. Once the MAC addresses are returned to the Client, the Client can then broadcast protocol packets requesting the configuration of a specific device of interest such as a new IP address. Once a device of interest is configured with at least an IP address, the device of interest can communicate using TCP/IP, and it can thereafter be managed using higher level tools and firmware.

Claims

1. A method for discovering devices of interest connected to an Ethernet via Ethernet ports, comprising:

broadcasting discovery protocol packets from a management interface to the devices of interest over the Ethernet via the Ethernet ports, the discovery protocol packets including an IP address of the management interface and a request for configuration information from the devices of interest;

receiving and parsing the discovery protocol packets at the devices of interest; and

broadcasting the configuration information from the devices of interest back to the management interface via the Ethernet ports.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, the request for configuration information broadcast from the management interface comprising a request for a MAC address, and the configuration information broadcast from the devices of interest comprising the MAC address of the devices of interest.

3. The method as recited in claim 2, further comprising configuring a particular device of interest by:

broadcasting configuration protocol packets from the management interface to the devices of interest over the Ethernet via the Ethernet ports, the configuration protocol packets including the MAC address and new configuration information for the particular device of interest;

receiving and parsing the configuration protocol packets at the devices of interest;

determining at the particular device of interest that the configuration protocol packets are intended for the particular device of interest; and

configuring the particular device of interest with the new configuration information.

4. The method as recited in claim 3, the new configuration information comprising a new IP address.

5. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising developing a configuration map from the configuration information received from the devices of interest.

6. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising utilizing a tag-data format proprietary protocol for the communication of packets between the management interface and the devices of interest.

7. The method as recited in claim 6, further comprising utilizing a MAC address-command format for the tag-data format proprietary protocol for packets communicated from the management interface to the devices of interest, wherein the command is selected from the group consisting of a <

GET_ALL>

command, a <

SET_IP>

[IP ADDRESS IN DOTTED DECIMAL NOTATION] command, a <

SET_NETMASK>

[ NETMASK IN DOTTED DECIMAL NOTATION] command, and a <

SET_GATEWAY>

[GATEWAY IN DOTTED DECIMAL NOTATION] command.

8. The method as recited in claim 6, further comprising utilizing a MAC address-command format for the tag-data format proprietary protocol for packets communicated from the devices of interest to the management interface, wherein the command is selected from the group consisting of a <

IP>

[IP ADDRESS IN DOTTED DECIMAL NOTATION] command, a <

NETMASK>

[ NETMASK IN DOTTED DECIMAL NOTATION] command, and a <

GATEWAY>

[GATEWAY IN DOTTED DECIMAL NOTATION] command.

9. One or more storage media including a computer program which, when executed by one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to perform the steps of:

discovering devices of interest connected to an Ethernet via Ethernet ports by broadcasting discovery protocol packets from a management interface to the devices of interest over the Ethernet via the Ethernet ports, the discovery protocol packets including an IP address of the management interface and a request for a MAC address from the devices of interest; and

once the MAC address of a particular device of interest is known, configuring a particular device of interest by broadcasting configuration protocol packets from the management interface to the devices of interest over the Ethernet via the Ethernet ports, the configuration protocol packets including the MAC address and new configuration information for the particular device of interest;

10. The one or more storage media as recited in claim 9 which, when executed by one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to perform the further step of utilizing a MAC address-command format for packets communicated from the management interface to the devices of interest, wherein the command is selected from the group consisting of a <

GET_ALL>

command, a <

SET_IP>

[IP ADDRESS IN DOTTED DECIMAL NOTATION] command, a <

SET_NETMASK>

[ NETMASK IN DOTTED DECIMAL NOTATION] command, and a <

SET_GATEWAY>

[GATEWAY IN DOTTED DECIMAL NOTATION] command.

11. One or more storage media including a computer program which, when executed by one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to perform the steps of:

assisting in a discovery of devices of interest connected to an Ethernet via Ethernet ports by receiving and parsing discovery protocol packets at the devices of interest, the discovery protocol packets broadcast from a management interface to the devices of interest over the Ethernet via the Ethernet ports and including an IP address of the management interface and a request for a MAC address from the devices of interest, and broadcasting the MAC address from the devices of interest back to the management interface via the Ethernet ports; and

configuring a particular device of interest by

receiving and parsing configuration protocol packets at the devices of interest, the configuration protocol packets broadcast from the management interface to the devices of interest over the Ethernet via the Ethernet ports and including the MAC address and a new IP address for the particular device of interest,

determining at the particular device of interest that the configuration protocol packets are intended for the particular device of interest, and

configuring the particular device of interest with the new IP address.

12. The one or more storage media as recited in claim 11 which, when executed by one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to perform the further step of utilizing a MAC address-command format for packets communicated from the devices of interest to the management interface, wherein the command is selected from the group consisting of a <

IP>

[IP ADDRESS IN DOTTED DECIMAL NOTATION] command, a <

NETMASK>

[NETMASK IN DOTTED DECIMAL NOTATION] command, and a <

GATEWAY>

[GATEWAY IN DOTTED DECIMAL NOTATION] command.

13. In a management interface, one or more processors programmed for:

discovering devices of interest connected to an Ethernet via Ethernet ports by broadcasting discovery protocol packets from a management interface to the devices of interest over the Ethernet via the Ethernet ports, the discovery protocol packets including an IP address of the management interface and a request for a MAC address from the devices of interest; and

once the MAC address of a particular device of interest is known, configuring a particular device of interest by broadcasting configuration protocol packets from the management interface to the devices of interest over the Ethernet via the Ethernet ports, the configuration protocol packets including the MAC address and new configuration information for the particular device of interest;

14. The management interface as recited in claim 13, the one or more processors further programmed for utilizing a MAC address-command format for packets communicated from the management interface to the devices of interest, wherein the command is selected from the group consisting of a <

GET_ALL>

command, a <

SET_IP>

[IP ADDRESS IN DOTTED DECIMAL NOTATION] command, a <

SET_NETMASK>

[ NETMASK IN DOTTED DECIMAL NOTATION] command, and a <

SET_GATEWAY>

[GATEWAY IN DOTTED DECIMAL NOTATION] command.

15. In a particular device of interest, one or more processors programmed for:

assisting in a discovery of devices of interest connected to an Ethernet via Ethernet ports by receiving and parsing discovery protocol packets at the particular device of interest, the discovery protocol packets broadcast from a management interface to the particular device of interest over the Ethernet via the Ethernet ports and including an IP address of the management interface and a request for a MAC address from the devices of interest, and broadcasting the MAC address from the particular device of interest back to the management interface via the Ethernet ports; and

configuring the particular device of interest by

receiving and parsing configuration protocol packets at the particular device of interest, the configuration protocol packets broadcast from the management interface to the devices of interest over the Ethernet via the Ethernet ports and including the MAC address and a new IP address for a device of interest,

determining at the particular device of interest that the configuration protocol packets are intended for the particular device of interest, and

configuring the particular device of interest with the new IP address.

16. The particular device of interest as recited in claim 15, the one or more processors further programmed for utilizing a MAC address-command format for packets communicated from the devices of interest to the management interface, wherein the command is selected from the group consisting of a <

IP>

[IP ADDRESS IN DOTTED DECIMAL NOTATION] command, a <

NETMASK>

[ NETMASK IN DOTTED DECIMAL NOTATION] command, and a <

GATEWAY>

[GATEWAY IN DOTTED DECIMAL NOTATION] command.

17. A root switch comprising the one or more programmed processors of claim 15.

18. A storage system comprising the root switch of claim 17.

19. A storage area network (SAN) comprising the storage system of claim 18.

20. A management interface for discovering devices of interest connected to an Ethernet via Ethernet ports, comprising:

means for broadcasting discovery protocol packets from a management interface to the devices of interest over the Ethernet via the Ethernet ports, the discovery protocol packets including an IP address of the management interface and a request for a MAC address from the devices of interest; and

means for configuring a particular device of interest once the MAC address of the particular device of interest is known by broadcasting configuration protocol packets from the management interface to the devices of interest over the Ethernet via the Ethernet ports, the configuration protocol packets including the MAC address and new configuration information for the particular device of interest;

21. The management interface as recited in claim 20, further comprising means for utilizing a MAC address-command format for packets communicated from the management interface to the devices of interest, wherein the command is selected from the group consisting of a <

GET_ALL>

command, a <

SET_IP>

[IP ADDRESS IN DOTTED DECIMAL NOTATION] command, a <

SET_NETMASK>

[ NETMASK IN DOTTED DECIMAL NOTATION] command, and a <

SET_GATEWAY>

[GATEWAY IN DOTTED DECIMAL NOTATION] command.

22. A particular device of interest for assisting in a discovery of devices of interest connected to an Ethernet via Ethernet ports, comprising:

means for receiving and parsing discovery protocol packets at the particular device of interest, the discovery protocol packets broadcast from a management interface to the particular device of interest over the Ethernet via the Ethernet ports and including an IP address of the management interface and a request for a MAC address from the devices of interest, and broadcasting the MAC address from the particular device of interest back to the management interface via the Ethernet ports; and

means for configuring the particular device of interest by

receiving and parsing configuration protocol packets at the particular device of interest, the configuration protocol packets broadcast from the management interface to the devices of interest over the Ethernet via the Ethernet ports and including the MAC address and a new IP address for a device of interest,

determining at the particular device of interest that the configuration protocol packets are intended for the particular device of interest, and

configuring the particular device of interest with the new IP address.

23. The particular device of interest as recited in claim 22, further comprising means for utilizing a MAC address-command format for packets communicated from the devices of interest to the management interface, wherein the command is selected from the group consisting of a <

IP>

[IP ADDRESS IN DOTTED DECIMAL NOTATION] command, a <

NETMASK>

[ NETMASK IN DOTTED DECIMAL NOTATION] command, and a <

GATEWAY>

[GATEWAY IN DOTTED DECIMAL NOTATION] command.

24. A root switch comprising the particular device of interest of claim 22.

25. A storage system comprising the root switch of claim 24.

26. A storage area network (SAN) comprising the storage system of claim 25.