METHODS, SYSTEMS AND COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCTS FOR PROVISIONING VLAN SERVICES IN A NETWORK

• US 20090178119A1
• Filed: 01/07/2008
• Published: 07/09/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/07/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CommScope Inc. (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: CommScope Inc. (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Inventors: Macauley, Daniel Warren
• Granted Patent: US 8,490,161 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/4
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2856 Access arrangements, e.g. Internet access asynchronous transfer mode networks H04L12/5601; broadband local area networks H04L12/2801; optical access or distribution networks H04Q11/0067; access to open networks H04L12/5691; digital subscriber line end-user equipment and bit-level processing of data on a PSTN-based network H04M11/00; home network gateways H04L12/2834; wireless access networks H04W
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/467 Arrangements for supporting untagged frames, e.g. port-based VLANs
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 1/136 having patch field management or physical layer management arrangements

Abstract

Provisioning VLAN services in a network patching system includes receiving a request to provide a VLAN service to an individual communication channel, determining whether a switch connector port connected to the individual communication channel via a patch cord is configured to provide the requested VLAN service, and initiating the requested VLAN service to the individual communication channel in response to determining that the switch connector port is configured to provide the requested VLAN service. Verification that a user associated with the individual communication channel is authorized to access the requested VLAN service may be performed prior to initiating the requested VLAN service. An administrator may be notified that a VLAN service has been requested and/or initiated. The user associated with the communication channel may be notified when the requested VLAN service has been initiated.

Claims

1. A method of provisioning Virtual Local Area Network (VLAN) services in a network patching system, wherein the network patching system includes a patch panel having a plurality of connector ports that are connected to respective individual communication channels, a switch having a plurality of connector ports that are configured to provide access to one or more services, and one or more patch cords that are each configured to selectively connect a patch panel connector port and a switch connector port such that a respective individual communication channel can access one or more services, the method comprising:

receiving a request at the patching system to provide a VLAN service to an individual communication channel;

automatically determining whether a switch connector port connected to the individual communication channel via a patch cord is configured to provide the requested VLAN service; and

initiating the requested VLAN service to the individual communication channel in response to determining that the switch connector port is configured to provide the requested VLAN service.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying additional switch connector ports that are configured to provide the requested VLAN service; and

parking any identified switch connector ports that are configured to provide the requested VLAN service such that the VLAN service cannot be accessed without authorization.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising verifying that a user associated with the individual communication channel is authorized to access the requested VLAN service.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising notifying an administrator that the requested VLAN service has been initiated for a user associated with the individual communication channel, and/or notifying a user associated with the individual communication channel that the requested VLAN service has been initiated.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

monitoring for removal of a patch cord from a switch connector port; and

parking the switch connector port such that the VLAN service cannot be accessed without authorization in response to detecting removal of the patch cord from the switch connector port.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising notifying an administrator that removal of the patch cord from the switch connector port has been detected.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

monitoring for insertion of another patch cord in a switch connector port; and

parking the switch connector port such that the VLAN service cannot be accessed without authorization in response to detecting insertion of another patch cord in the switch connector port.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising notifying an administrator that insertion of another patch cord in the switch connector port has been detected.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising configuring the switch connector port to provide the requested VLAN service in response to determining that the switch connector port is not configured currently to provide the requested VLAN service.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

configuring one or more additional switch connector ports to provide the requested VLAN service; and

parking the one or more additional switch connector ports such that the VLAN service cannot be accessed without authorization.

23. A computer program product for provisioning Virtual Local Area Network (VLAN) services in a network patching system, comprising:

a computer readable storage medium having computer readable program code embodied therein, the computer readable program code being configured to carry out the method of claim 1.

11. A method of provisioning Virtual Local Area Network (VLAN) services in a network patching system, wherein the network patching system includes a patch panel having a plurality of connector ports that are connected to respective individual communication channels, a switch having a plurality of connector ports that are configured to provide access to one or more services, and one or more patch cords that are each configured to selectively connect a patch panel connector port and a switch connector port such that a respective individual communication channel can access one or more services, the method comprising:

receiving a request at the patching system to provide a VLAN service to an individual communication channel;

determining whether a switch connector port connected to the individual communication channel via a patch cord is configured to provide the requested VLAN service; and

generating a work order to configure the switch connector port to provide the requested VLAN service in response to determining that the switch connector port is not configured to provide the requested VLAN service.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising notifying an administrator that a work order has been generated.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising verifying that a user associated with the individual communication channel is authorized to access the requested VLAN service.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

determining when the switch connector port has been configured to provide the requested VLAN service; and

initiating the requested VLAN service to the individual communication channel in response to determining that the switch connector port is configured to provide the requested VLAN service.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising notifying an administrator that the requested VLAN service has been initiated for a user associated with the individual communication channel, and/or notifying a user associated with the individual communication channel that the requested VLAN service has been initiated.

24. A computer program product for provisioning Virtual Local Area Network (VLAN) services in a network patching system, comprising:

a computer readable storage medium having computer readable program code embodied therein, the computer readable program code being configured to carry out the method of claim 11.

16. A network system, comprising:

a patch panel comprising a plurality of connector ports that are connected to respective individual communication channels;

a VLAN switch having a plurality of connector ports that are configured to provide access to one or more services;

one or more patch cords, each configured to selectively connect a patch panel connector port and a switch connector port such that a respective individual communication channel can access one or more VLAN services; and

a controller operatively associated with the patch panel that is configured to provide a requested VLAN service to an individual communication channel in response to determining that a switch connector port that is connected to the individual communication channel via a patch cord is configured to provide the requested VLAN service.

17. The network system of claim 16, wherein the controller is configured to identify additional switch connector ports that are configured to provide the requested VLAN service, and to park any identified switch connector ports that are configured to provide the requested VLAN service such that the VLAN service cannot be accessed without authorization.

18. The network system of claim 16, wherein the controller is configured to verify that a user associated with the individual communication channel is authorized to access the requested VLAN service.

19. The network system of claim 16, wherein the controller is configured to monitor for removal of a patch cord from the switch connector port, and to park the switch connector port such that the VLAN service cannot be accessed without authorization in response to detecting removal of the patch cord from the switch connector port.

20. The network system of claim 16, wherein the controller is configured to monitor for insertion of another patch cord in the switch connector port, and to park the switch connector port such that the VLAN service cannot be accessed without authorization in response to detecting insertion of another patch cord in the switch connector port.

21. A method of provisioning Virtual Local Area Network (VLAN) services in a network patching system that includes a patch panel having a plurality of connector ports that are connected to respective individual communication channels, a switch having a plurality of connector ports that are configured to provide access to one or more services, and one or more patch cords that are each configured to selectively connect a patch panel connector port and a switch connector port such that a respective individual communication channel can access one or more services, the method comprising:

identifying a switch connector port that is configured to provide a VLAN service; and

parking the identified switch connector port such that the VLAN service cannot be accessed without authorization.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

identifying a switch connector port that is not configured to provide a VLAN service;

configuring the identified switch connector port to provide the VLAN service; and

parking the identified switch connector port such that the VLAN service cannot be accessed without authorization.

25. A computer program product for provisioning Virtual Local Area Network (VLAN) services in a network patching system, comprising:

a computer readable storage medium having computer readable program code embodied therein, the computer readable program code being configured to carry out the method of claim 21.