Discovery of network devices

• US 20080219184A1
• Filed: 03/05/2007
• Published: 09/11/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development LP (Hewlett-Packard Enterprise Company)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Tassinari, Mark A., Fowler, Jeffery L.
• Granted Patent: US 8,208,386 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/254
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4641 Virtual LANs, VLANs, e.g. virtual private networks [VPN] LAN interconnection over a bridge based backbone H04L12/462; encapsulation techniques H04L12/4633; routing of packets H04L45/00; packet switches H04L49/00; virtual private networks for security H04L63/0272
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/12 Discovery or management of network topologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0811 by checking connectivity
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/00 Reducing energy consumption in communication networks

Abstract

Network devices, systems, and methods are described for visually identifying physically linked network devices. One network device includes a memory in connected to a processor. A network chip on the device is connected to the processor and the memory. The network chip includes logic and a number of ports. A first location indicator is associated with the network device. A physical link is established between one of the number of ports on the network device and a port on a different network device. Computer executable instructions are stored in the memory and executable by the processor to send a locate signal to visually identify the different network device.

Claims

1. A network device, comprising:

a processor;

a memory connected to the processor;

a network chip, connected to the processor and the memory, the network chip including logic and a number of ports;

a first location indicator associated with the network device;

a physical link between one of the number of ports on the network device and a port on a different network device; and

computer executable instructions storable in the memory and executable by the processor to send a locate signal to visually identify the different network device.

2. The network device of claim 1, wherein the port on the different network device is included among a number of ports on a network chip of the different network device, the different network device having access to processor and memory resources.

3. The network device of claim 2, wherein the network device is a first network switch and the different network device is a second network switch.

4. The network device of claim 3, wherein the second network switch includes a second location indicator associated with the second network switch, and wherein the locate signal visually identifies the second network switch.

5. The network device of claim 4, wherein the physical link extends from a first port on the first network switch to a second port on the second network switch, and wherein the locate signal is sent via the physical link.

6. The network device of claim 4, wherein the first location indicator and the second location indicator are light emitting diodes.

7. The network device of claim 3, wherein the first network switch includes a port location indicator and the second network switch includes a port location indicator.

8. The network device of claim 7, wherein the port location indicators of the first and the second network switches are light emitting diodes.

9. A network system including a number of network devices, comprising:

a first network device physically linked to a second network device, where the first network device and the second network device include;

a processor;

a memory connected to the processor;

a network chip, connected to the processor and the memory, the network chip including logic and a number of ports;

a first and a second device location indicator, respectively, connected to the processor and the memory and associated with the first and second network devices

a physical link between one of the number of ports on the first network device and a port on the second network device; and

computer executable instructions storable in the memory and executable by the processor on the first network device to send a locate signal to the second network device to cause the location indicator on the second network device to illuminate.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the first network device and second network device include a port location indicator.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the locate signal causes the device location indicator on the first and second network devices to illuminate.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the locate signal causes the port location indicator on the first and second network devices to illuminate.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the locate signal causes the device location indicator and the port location indicator to illuminate for a user configurable time duration.

14. The system of claim 9, further including a command line interface (CLI) associated with the first network device and wherein the locate signal returns second network device configuration parameters to the CLI.

15. A computer readable medium having executable instructions which can be executed by a processor to cause a network device to perform a method, comprising:

associating a first location indicator with a first network device;

associating a second location indicator with a second network device, wherein the second network device is physically linked to the first network device;

sending a location signal via the physical link to activate the first location indicator and the second location indicator.

16. The medium of claim 15, wherein the first location indicator and the second location indicator are device location indicators.

17. The medium of claim 16, wherein the method includes:

associating a first port indicator with a first port on the first network device; and

associating a second port indicator with a second port on the second network device, wherein the locate signal activates the first port indicator and the second port indicator.

18. The medium of claim 16, wherein the method includes returning second network device configuration parameters to a command line interface associated with the first network device.

19. The medium of claim 15, wherein sending the location signal includes sending a locate packet signal in accordance with a Data Link Layer Discovery Protocol (LLDP).

20. The medium of claim 19, wherein the method includes specifying a type, length, and value entry in association with the locate packet signal.