Link layer discovery and diagnostics
First Claim
1. In a computer network, a method comprising:
- communicating data over a protocol, including transmitting a discovery request of a topology type of service from a computing node to a plurality of responders, in which the protocol includes a mechanism that identifies a mapper to which responders are associated;
sending commands from the mapper that cause at least some of the responders to collect network topology data; and
receiving, at the mapper, network topology data provided by at least some of the responders.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Described is a technology including an Ethernet layer 2 protocol by which a node of a computer network can discover information about other network computing elements, including discovering network topology information, and/or collecting diagnostic information. The protocol allows multiple responders to communicate data with a mapper node for topology discovery, with one or more enumerator nodes for quick enumeration, or with a controller node for network tests that collect diagnostic information. The responders process the received data to determine the type of service (quick discovery, topology discovery or network test) and the service type'"'"'s related function, and take action based on these and possibly additional criteria in the data. Actions may include responding to the data, following received commands, collecting statistics, responding to queries, and so forth.
76 Citations
20 Claims
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1. In a computer network, a method comprising:
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communicating data over a protocol, including transmitting a discovery request of a topology type of service from a computing node to a plurality of responders, in which the protocol includes a mechanism that identifies a mapper to which responders are associated;
sending commands from the mapper that cause at least some of the responders to collect network topology data; and
receiving, at the mapper, network topology data provided by at least some of the responders. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A computer readable medium having computer executable instructions, which when executed perform steps, comprising:
processing data at a responder that was received from a network station, the received data arranged in accordance with a protocol to indicate a type of service and a function corresponding to that type of service, the processing of the data including determining whether the type of service corresponds to an enumerator service or a topology discovery type of service, and if so, determining whether the function corresponds to a discover request, and a) when the function corresponds to a discover request, i) determining based on one or more return criteria whether to respond to the discover request, and if so, returning a discover response to the discover request, and ii) determining whether the type of service corresponds to a topology discovery type of service, and if so, determining whether to enter a command state in a discovery session in which the responder waits for discover commands from the network station; and
b) when the function does not correspond to a discover request, i) determining from the function whether to end the discovery session, and if so, ending the discovery session, and ii) determining from the function and other state information whether to perform an operation corresponding to a command received from the network station, and if so, performing the command and responding to the station, and if not, responding to the station without performing the command. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
- 15. A computer readable medium having stored thereon a data structure, comprising, a service field having a value therein indicative of a type of service that is related to discovering nodes in a network or to a network test type of service, and a function field having a value indicative of a function that relates to the type of service, wherein the fields are filled with their respective values at a station and/or at a responder and communicated by the station and/or the responder as part of a protocol used by the station to discover a responder, or communicated by the station and/or the responder to accomplish network testing.
Specification