METHOD FOR MANAGING MAC ADDRESS FOR OPEN NETWORK ADAPTOR

• US 20110188502A1
• Filed: 03/04/2011
• Published: 08/04/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/05/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: KOBAYASHI, Hiroki
• Granted Patent: US 8,462,787 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/392
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/413 with random access, e.g. carrier-sense multiple-access with collision detection [CSMA-CD]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/56 Packet switching systems

Abstract

A MAC address management method for use in a computer system having a disk device to store a MAC address and assigns the MAC address to an open network adaptor (ONA) printed board, which has a memory retaining a MAC address and an open network adaptor, mounted into the computer system. The METHOD includes: reading, when an ONA printed board is mounted into the computer system for the first time, the MAC address from the memory on the ONA printed board and storing the MAC address in the disk device and invalidating the MAC address; and validating, if a migration instruction is inputted, the MAC address stored in the memory of the ONA printed board mounted in the computer system.

Claims

1. A MAC address management method for use in a computer system having a disk device to store a MAC address, and assigns the MAC address to an open network adaptor (ONA) printed board which has a memory retaining a MAC address and an open network adaptor when the ONA printed board is mounted into the computer system, the method comprising:

reading the MAC address from the memory on the ONA printed board and storing the MAC address in the disk device and invalidating the MAC address stored in the memory, when an ONA printed board is mounted into the computer system for the first time; and

validating the MAC address stored in the memory of the ONA printed board mounted in the computer system, when a migration instruction is inputted.

2. A MAC address management method according to claim 1, further comprising:

invalidating the MAC address stored in the memory on the ONA printed board without storing the MAC address in the disk device, when another ONA printed board is mounted into the computer system after an exchange instruction has been inputted; and

overwriting the MAC address stored in the disk device to the memory on the ONA printed board mounted in the computer system, when a migration instruction is inputted.

3. The MAC address management method according to claim 2, wherein the MAC address overwritten to the memory on the ONA printed board is validated when the migration instruction in inputted.

4. A MAC address management method, in a first computer system and a second computer system each having a disk device to store a MAC address and assigns the MAC address to an open network adaptor (ONA) printed board, which has a memory retaining a MAC address and an open network adaptor, mounted thereinto, by which a first computer system executes:

reading, when an ONA printed board is mounted for the first time, the MAC address from the memory on the ONA printed board and storing the MAC address in the disk device and invalidating the MAC address stored in the memory; and

validating, if a migration instruction is inputted, the MAC address stored in the memory on the ONA printed board, and

a second computer system executes;

reading, when an ONA printed board is mounted, the MAC address from the memory on the ONA printed board and storing the MAC address in the disk device.

5. A MAC address management method according to claim 4, further comprising:

invalidating the MAC address stored in the memory on the ONA printed board without storing the MAC address in the disk device, when another ONA printed board is mounted into the computer system after an exchange instruction has been inputted; and

overwriting the MAC address stored in the disk device to the memory on the ONA printed board, if a migration instruction is inputted; and

a second computer system executes;

reading the overwritten MAC address from the memory on the ONA printed board and storing the MAC address in the disk device, when an ONA printed board is mounted.

6. The MAC address management method according to claim 5, further comprising validating, by the first computer, the MAC address overwritten to the memory on the ONA printed board when the migration instruction in inputted.