INTER-NETWORKING DEVICES FOR USE WITH PHYSICAL LAYER INFORMATION

• US 20100215049A1
• Filed: 02/12/2010
• Published: 08/26/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/13/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CommScope Technologies, LLC (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: ADC Telecommunications Incorporated (TE Connectivity Limited)
• Inventors: Day, Michael, Coburn, Hutch, Stone, David, Coffey, Joseph C., Anderson, John P., Patel, Kamlesh G., Raza, Mohammad H.
• Granted Patent: US 8,982,715 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/401
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6658 on printed circuit board H01R13/6666 - H01R13/6691 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/64 for high frequency, e.g. RJ 45
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/00 Arrangements for maintenance, administration or management of data switching networks, e.g. of packet switching networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/08 Configuration management of networks or network elements address allocation H04L61/50
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/12 Discovery or management of network topologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/24 using dedicated network management hardware
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/26 using dedicated tools for LAN [Local Area Network] management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/15 Interconnection of switching modules
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/351 for local area network [LAN], e.g. Ethernet switches
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services

Abstract

One exemplary embodiment is directed to an inter-networking device that performs at least one inter-networking function using physical layer information about the network of which the device is a part. Another exemplary embodiment is directed to capturing physical layer information about physical communication media that is attached to an inter-networking device. Another exemplary embodiment is directed to a technique for generating a spanning tree and/or forwarding database information for a plurality of switches in a network at a central location. The spanning tree and/or forwarding database information is generated at the central location using information including physical layer information about devices and physical communication media in the network. Another exemplary embodiment is directed to an ETHERNET physical layer device having integrated support for capturing physical layer information about the physical communication media connected to the ETHERNET physical layer device.

Claims

1. An inter-networking device comprising:

a plurality of ports;

inter-networking functionality to perform an inter-networking function for packets received on the ports; and

functionality to receive physical layer information, wherein at least a portion of the physical layer information was stored in or on physical communication media and read therefrom and communicated to the inter-networking device;

wherein the inter-networking functionality performs the inter-networking function using at least a portion of the physical layer information.

2. The inter-networking device of claim 1, wherein the inter-networking device comprises one of a switch, router, hub, repeater, bridge, gateway, and access point.

3. The inter-networking device of claim 1, wherein the inter-networking function comprises at least one of a Layer 1, Layer 2, and Layer 3 inter-networking function.

4. The inter-networking device of claim 1, wherein the inter-networking function comprises at least one of routing, switching, repeating, bridging, and grooming communication traffic received at the inter-networking device.

5. The inter-networking device of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the physical layer information is used in performing bandwidth selection.

6. The inter-networking device of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the physical layer information is used in characterizing communication links that are more than one hop away from the inter-networking device.

7. The inter-networking device of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the physical layer information is used to constrain routing of communication traffic in accordance with a policy specifying that traffic received on some ports of the inter-networking device can only be communicated through certain areas.

8. The inter-networking device of claim 7, wherein at least a portion of the physical layer information is used to determine through which areas communication traffic will pass.

9. The inter-networking device of claim 1, wherein the inter-networking device acts as a bus guardian enforcing at least one policy that is a function of the physical layer information.

10. The inter-networking device of claim 1, wherein the inter-networking device enforces a virtual keying scheme in which at least some of the information read from the physical communication media is used to key the physical communication media.

11. The inter-networking device of claim 1, wherein the inter-networking device is configured to read information stored in or on physical communication media attached to the inter-networking device.

12. The inter-networking device of claim 11, wherein the information stored in or on the physical communication media attached to the inter-networking device is stored in a storage device.

13. The inter-networking device of claim 12, wherein the storage device comprises a non-volatile memory device.

14. The inter-networking device of claim 12, further comprising at least one physical layer device, wherein the at least one physical layer device is configured to read information stored in or on physical communication media attached to the inter-networking device.

15. The inter-networking device of claim 11, wherein the inter-networking device is configured to send, to an aggregation point, at least some of the information read from the physical communication media attached to the inter-networking device, wherein the aggregation point is coupled to a network to which the inter-networking device is also coupled.

16. The inter-networking device of claim 15, wherein the inter-networking device is configured to be automatically discovered by the aggregation point that is coupled to the network.

17. The inter-networking device of claim 15, wherein the inter-networking device is further configured to send information about the inter-networking device to the aggregation point.

18. The inter-networking device of claim 11, wherein the information stored in or on physical communication media attached to the inter-networking device comprises information about the physical communication media.

19. The inter-networking device of claim 18, wherein the information about the physical communication media comprises information about a connector attached to the physical communication media.

20. The inter-networking device of claim 11, wherein the information stored in or on physical communication media attached to the inter-networking device comprises information related to at least one of an identifier that uniquely identifies the physical communication media, a part number associated with the physical communication media, a connector type associated with the physical communication media, a media type associated with the physical communication media, a length associated with the physical communication media, a serial number associated with the physical communication media, a cable polarity, a date of manufacture associated with the physical communication media, a manufacturing lot number associated with the physical communication media, a visual attribute associated with the physical communication media, a visual attribute associated with a connector attached to the physical communication media, an insertion count associated with the physical communication media, an Enterprise Resource Planning system, test data associated with the physical communication media, media quality data associated with the physical communication media, and performance data associated with the physical communication media.

21. A system comprising:

a plurality of connector assemblies coupled to a network, each of the connector assemblies comprising a plurality of ports, wherein each of the connector assemblies is configured to read physical layer information stored on or in physical communication media that is connected to the ports of the respective connector assembly; and

an inter-networking device coupled to the network, wherein the inter-networking device is configured to receive at least a portion of the physical layer information read by the connector assemblies; and

wherein the inter-networking functionality performs at least one inter-networking function using at least a portion of the physical layer information received by the inter-networking device.

22. The system of claim 21, further comprising an aggregation point that is communicatively coupled to the network, wherein the aggregation point is configured to receive at least a portion of the physical layer information read by the connector assemblies;

and

wherein the aggregation point is configured to send the at least a portion of the physical layer information received by the inter-networking device to the inter-networking device.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the inter-networking device is configured to be automatically discovered by the aggregation point that is coupled to the network.

24. The system of claim 21, wherein the inter-networking device comprises one of a switch, router, hub, repeater, bridge, and gateway.

25. The system of claim 21, wherein the inter-networking function comprises at least one of a Layer 1, Layer 2, and Layer 3 inter-networking function.

26. The system of claim 21, wherein the inter-networking function comprises at least one of routing, switching, repeating, bridging, and grooming communication traffic received at the inter-networking device.

27. An inter-networking device comprising:

a plurality of ports;

inter-networking functionality that performs at least one inter-networking function for packets received on the ports; and

wherein the inter-networking device is configured to read information stored in or on physical communication media attached to the inter-networking device; and

wherein the inter-networking device is configured to send, to an aggregation point, at least some of the information read from the physical communication media attached to the inter-networking device, wherein the aggregation point is coupled to a network to which the inter-networking device is also coupled.

28. The inter-networking device of claim 27, wherein the inter-networking device comprises one of a switch, router, hub, repeater, bridge, gateway, and access point.

29. The inter-networking device of claim 27, wherein the inter-networking function comprises at least one of a Layer 1, Layer 2, and Layer 3 inter-networking function.

30. The inter-networking device of claim 27, wherein the information stored in or on the physical communication media attached to the inter-networking device is stored in a storage device.

31. The inter-networking device of claim 30, wherein the storage device comprises a non-volatile memory device.

32. The inter-networking device of claim 30, further comprising at least one physical layer device, wherein the at least one physical layer device is configured to read information stored in or on physical communication media attached to the inter-networking device.

33. The inter-networking device of claim 27, wherein the inter-networking device is configured to be automatically discovered by the aggregation point that is coupled to the network.

34. The inter-networking device of claim 33, wherein the inter-networking device is further configured to send information about the inter-networking device to the aggregation point.

35. The inter-networking device of claim 27, wherein the information stored in or on physical communication media attached to the inter-networking device comprises information about the physical communication media.

36. The inter-networking device of claim 35, wherein the information about the physical communication media comprises information about a connector attached to the physical communication media.

37. The inter-networking device of claim 27, wherein the information stored in or on physical communication media attached to the inter-networking device comprises information related to at least one of an identifier that uniquely identifies the physical communication media, a part number associated with the physical communication media, a connector type associated with the physical communication media, a media type associated with the physical communication media, a length associated with the physical communication media, a serial number associated with the physical communication media, a cable polarity, a date of manufacture associated with the physical communication media, a manufacturing lot number associated with the physical communication media, a visual attribute associated with the physical communication media, a visual attribute associated with a connector attached to the physical communication media, an insertion count associated with the physical communication media, an Enterprise Resource Planning system, test data associated with the physical communication media, media quality data associated with the physical communication media, and performance data associated with the physical communication media.

38. The inter-networking device of claim 27, wherein the inter-networking device is configured to receive physical layer information, wherein at least a portion of the physical layer information was stored in or on physical communication media and read therefrom and communicated to the inter-networking device;

wherein the inter-networking functionality is configured to perform at least one inter-networking function using at least a portion of the physical layer information.

39. A system comprising:

an inter-networking device comprising a plurality of ports and inter-networking functionality that performs at least one inter-networking function, wherein the inter-networking device is configured to read information stored in or on physical communication media attached to the inter-networking device; and

an aggregation point that is communicatively coupled to the aggregation point;

wherein the inter-networking device is configured to send, to the aggregation point, at least some of the information read from the physical communication media attached to the inter-networking device; and

wherein the aggregation point is configured to store at least some of the information sent by the connector assemblies to the aggregation point.

40. The system of claim 39, wherein the inter-networking device comprises one of a switch, router, hub, repeater, bridge, gateway, and access point.

41. The system of claim 39, wherein the inter-networking function comprises at least one of a Layer 1, Layer 2, and Layer 3 inter-networking function.

42. The system of claim 39, wherein the information stored in or on the physical communication media attached to the inter-networking device is stored in a storage device.

43. The system of claim 42, wherein the storage device comprises a non-volatile memory device.

44. The system of claim 39, wherein the inter-networking device further comprises at least one physical layer device, wherein the at least one physical layer device is configured to read information stored in or on physical communication media attached to the inter-networking device.

45. The system of claim 39, wherein the inter-networking device is configured to be automatically discovered by the aggregation point.

46. The system of claim 39, wherein the inter-networking device is further configured to send information about the inter-networking device to the aggregation point.

47. The system of claim 39, wherein the information stored in or on physical communication media attached to the inter-networking device comprises information about the physical communication media.

48. The inter-networking device of claim 47, wherein the information about the physical communication media comprises information about a connector attached to the physical communication media.

49. The inter-networking device of claim 39, wherein the information stored in or on physical communication media attached to the inter-networking device comprises information related to at least one of an identifier that uniquely identifies the physical communication media, a part number associated with the physical communication media, a connector type associated with the physical communication media, a media type associated with the physical communication media, a length associated with the physical communication media, a serial number associated with the physical communication media, a cable polarity, a date of manufacture associated with the physical communication media, a manufacturing lot number associated with the physical communication media, a visual attribute associated with the physical communication media, a visual attribute associated with a connector attached to the physical communication media, an insertion count associated with the physical communication media, an Enterprise Resource Planning system, test data associated with the physical communication media, media quality data associated with the physical communication media, and performance data associated with the physical communication media.

50. The inter-networking device of claim 39, wherein the inter-networking device is configured to receive physical layer information, wherein at least a portion of the physical layer information was stored in or on physical communication media and read therefrom and communicated to the inter-networking device;

wherein the inter-networking functionality is configured to perform at least one inter-networking function using at least a portion of the physical layer information.

51. A system comprising:

a plurality of switches coupled to one another via a plurality of network segments that make up a network;

a central bridge function configured to receive physical layer information related to the network, the physical layer information including information associating media access control (MAC) addresses of devices on the network with ports of the switches;

wherein the central bridge function is configured to determine a spanning tree for the network; and

wherein the central bridge function is configured to communicate information about the spanning tree to the plurality of switches;

wherein the switches are configured to use the information about the spanning tree determined by the central bridge function to configure the switch to carry out a bridging function performed by the plurality of switches.

52. The system of claim 51, wherein the central bridge function is implemented in a network management system for the network.

53. The system of claim 51, wherein each of the plurality of switches uses a respective forwarding database to carry out the bridging function at the respective switch;

wherein the central bridge function is further configured to determine how the forwarding database in each switch should be configured;

wherein the central bridge function is configured to communicate, to each switch, information indicating how the forwarding database in that respective switch should be configured; and

wherein each switch configures the respective forwarding database for that respective switch as indicated by the information communicated to that switch by the central bridge function.

54. The system of claim 51, wherein each of the switches comprises an ETHERNET Layer 2 bridging device.

55. The system of claim 51, wherein the central bridge function is configured to obtain information about the MAC addresses of devices on the network from a network management system.

56. The system of claim 51, wherein the central bridge function is configured to receive physical layer information about the network from an aggregation point.

57. The system of claim 56, wherein the aggregation point obtains physical layer information about connector assemblies in the network and end devices in the network;

wherein the central bridge function is configured to use at least some of the physical layer information about connector assemblies in the network and end devices in the network in associating MAC addresses of devices on the network with the ports of the switches.

58. The system of claim 56, wherein at least some of the devices on the network are configured to automatically communicate, to the aggregation point, physical layer information about at least one of the devices and physical communication media coupled to the devices;

and

wherein the central bridge function is configured to use at least some of the physical layer information communicated to the aggregation point in associating MAC addresses of devices on the network with the ports of the switches.

59. The system of claim 56, wherein a connector assembly included in the network is configured to automatically communicate, to the aggregation point, physical layer information about at least one of the connector assembly and physical communication media coupled to the connector assembly;

and

wherein the central bridge function is configured to use at least some of the physical layer information communicated to the aggregation point in associating MAC addresses of devices on the network with the ports of the switches.

60. A switch comprising:

a plurality of ports; and

functionality configured to receive information about a spanning tree generated by a central bridge function;

wherein the switch is configured to perform a bridging function based on the information about the spanning tree generated by the central bridge function;

wherein the central bridge function is configured to generate a spanning tree for the network using physical layer information related to the network, the physical layer information including information associating media access control (MAC) addresses of devices on the network with ports of the switch.

61. The switch of claim 60, wherein the central bridge function is implemented in a network management system for the network.

62. The switch of claim 60, wherein the switch uses a forwarding database to carry out the bridging function at the switch;

wherein the central bridge function is further configured to determine how the forwarding database in the switch should be configured;

wherein the central bridge function is configured to communicate to the switch, information indicating how the forwarding database should be configured; and

wherein the switch configures the forwarding database as indicated by the information communicated that respective switch by the central bridge function.

63. The switch of claim 60, wherein the switch comprises an ETHERNET Layer 2 bridging device.

64. The switch of claim 60, wherein the central bridge function is configured to obtain information about the MAC addresses of devices on the network from a network management system.

65. The switch of claim 60, wherein the central bridge function is a part of a network management system.

66. The switch of claim 60, wherein the central bridge function is configured to receive physical layer information about the network from an aggregation point.

67. The switch of claim 66, wherein the aggregation point obtains physical layer information about connector assemblies in the network and end devices in the network;

wherein the central bridge function is configured to use at least some of the physical layer information about connector assemblies in the network and end devices in the network in associating MAC addresses of devices on the network with ports of the switch.

68. The switch of claim 66, wherein at least some of the devices on the network are configured to automatically communicate, to the aggregation point, physical layer information about at least one of the devices and physical communication media coupled to the devices;

and

wherein the central bridge function is configured to use at least some of the physical layer information communicated to the aggregation point in associating MAC addresses of devices on the network with ports of the switch.

69. The switch of claim 66, wherein a connector assembly included in the network is configured to automatically communicate, to the aggregation point, physical layer information about at least one of the connector assembly and physical communication media coupled to the connector assembly;

and

wherein the central bridge function is configured to use at least some of the physical layer information communicated to the aggregation point in associating MAC addresses of devices on the network with the ports of the switch.

70. A method comprising:

receiving physical layer information related to a network at a central bridge function;

associating, at a central bridge function, media access control (MAC) addresses of devices on the network with ports of a plurality of switches coupled to one another via a plurality of network segments that make up the network;

determining, at a central bridge function, a spanning tree for the network;

communicating information about the spanning tree to the plurality of switches; and

configuring the plurality of switches to use the information about the spanning tree to carry out a bridging function performed by the plurality of switches.

71. The method of claim 70, further comprising:

determining at the central bridge function, for each of the plurality of switches, how a respective forwarding database in the respective switch should be configured;

communicating from the central bridge function to each of the plurality of switches information indicating how the respective forwarding database should be configured; and

configuring the forwarding database in each of the plurality of switches as indicated by the information communicated the respective switch by the central bridge function.

72. A method comprising:

receiving physical layer information related to a network at a central bridge function;

associating, at a central bridge function, media access control (MAC) addresses of devices on the network with ports of a plurality of switches coupled to one another via a plurality of network segments that make up the network;

determining at the central bridge function, for each of the plurality of switches, how a respective forwarding database in the respective switch should be configured;

communicating from the central bridge function to each of the plurality of switches information indicating how the respective forwarding database should be configured; and

configuring the forwarding database in each of the plurality of switches as indicated by the information communicated the respective switch by the central bridge function.

73. The method of claim 72, further comprising:

determining, at the central bridge function, a spanning tree for the network;

communicating information about the spanning tree to the plurality of switches; and

configuring the plurality of switches to use the information about the spanning tree to carry out a bridging function performed by the plurality of switches.

74. An ETHERNET physical layer device comprising:

a physical medium dependent sublayer to couple the physical layer device to a jack;

a physical medium attachment sublayer; and

a physical coding sublayer;

medium independent interface functionality to couple the physical layer device to a media access control device over a medium independent interface;

management functionality to couple the physical layer device to the media access control device over a management interface;

a plurality of registers, wherein the management functionality is configured to output information stored in the plurality of register to the media access control device via the management interface; and

physical layer information functionality configured to determine if a plug is inserted into to the jack and, if a plug is inserted into to the jack, read information stored in a respective storage device associated with the plug and store the information in at least one of the registers.

75. The ETHERNET physical layer device of claim 74, wherein the management functionality is configured to store information received from the media access control device in the plurality of registers;

and

wherein the physical layer information functionality is configured to write information stored in at least one of the registers into a storage device associated with a plug inserted into the jack.

76. The ETHERNET physical layer device of claim 74, wherein the physical medium dependent sublayer is operable to couple the physical layer device to a plurality of jacks;

and

wherein the physical layer information functionality is configured to determine if a plug is inserted into to each of the jacks and, if a plug is inserted into to the respective jack, read information stored in a respective storage device associated with the plug and store the information in at least one of the registers.

77. The ETHERNET physical layer device of claim 76, wherein the physical layer information functionality is configured to write information stored in at least one of the registers into a storage device associated with a plug inserted into one of the plurality of jacks.