DISKLESS PC NETWORK COMMUNICATION AGENT SYSTEM

• US 20130013755A1
• Filed: 07/05/2011
• Published: 01/10/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/05/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Jade Quantum Technologies Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Jade Quantum Technologies Incorporated
• Inventors: HUANG, Chia Hsin
• Granted Patent: US 8,655,978 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/222
• 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 63/0272 Virtual private networks

Abstract

A diskless PC network communication agent system includes a host, a network communication agent, a physical network connecting the network communication agent to the host, and diskless PCs connected to the network communication agent. The network communication agent has network packet filtering and transferring functions so that a virtual private network is established between the network communication agent and the diskless PCs for enabling each diskless PC to use a preboot execution environment communication protocol to catch dynamic host configuration protocol information, to start up network bootstrap, and to request the host for the services of remote installation, boot and access to virtual disk.

Claims

1. A diskless PC network communication agent system, comprising:

a host;

at least one network communication agent;

a physical network connecting each said network communication agent to said host; and

at least one diskless PC (personal computer) connected to said at least one network communication agent;

wherein each said network communication agent has network packet filtering and transferring functions so that a VPN (virtual private network) is established between said at least one network communication agent and said at least one diskless PC for enabling each said diskless PC to use a preboot execution environment (PXE) communication protocol to catch dynamic host configuration protocol (DHCP) information, to start up network boot, and to request the host for the services of remote installation, boot, and access to virtual disks.

2. The diskless PC network communication agent system as claimed in claim 1, wherein each said network communication agent comprises:

a multi-interface switch adapted for connecting said at least one diskless PC to said physical network for data exchange with said host and for allowing establishment of a virtual private network between the respective network communication agent and said at least one diskless PC;

a DHCP server adapted for handling and responding to DHCP requests provided by said at least one diskless PC; and

a protocol translator adapted for translating communication protocol packets between said at least one diskless PC and said host.

3. The diskless PC network communication agent system as claimed in claim 2, wherein said multi-interface switch comprises:

a primary interface adapted for connecting said at least one diskless PC and handling the exchanging data between said primary interface and said at least one diskless PC and the exchanging data between two diskless PCs of said at least one diskless PC;

a secondary interface adapted for connecting said physical network and handling the exchanging data between said physical network and said host; and

a packet filter adapted for analyzing and filtering network packets to discriminate virtual private network packets from physical network packets.

4. The diskless PC network communication agent system as claimed in claim 2, wherein each said network communication agent comprises a cache adapted for temporarily storing the data blocks processed by said protocol translator in a memory space for quick data access by said at least one diskless PC.

5. The diskless PC network communication agent system as claimed in claim 1, wherein each said network communication agent comprises a multi-interface switch, a DHCP server, a protocol translator and a cache, said multi-interface switch comprising a primary interface, a secondary interface and a packet filter;

when said primary interface of said network communication agent receives a network packet from one said diskless PC, the diskless PC network communication agent system runs subject to the following steps;

Step A;

Handle the network packet to said packet filter for analysis, enabling said packet filter to determine the network packet to be a DHCP network packet or not? And then proceed to step B when the network packet is determined to be a DHCP network packet;

Step B;

Handle the network packet to said DHCP server, and provide DHCP parameters set by the manager and required for said diskless PC for remote boot by means of PXE processing technique to said at least one diskless PC through said primary interface, and then proceed to Step C;

Step C;

End the operation.

6. The diskless PC network communication agent system as claimed in claim 5, wherein when the network packet is determined not a DHCP network packet, the diskless PC network communication agent system proceeds to Step D:

Step D where said packet filter determines the network packet to be or not to be a communication protocol packet for access to said host, and then the diskless PC network communication agent system proceeds to Step E;

Step E where the diskless PC network communication agent system handles the network packet to said protocol translator for processing, and then said protocol translator determines said at least one diskless PC and said host use or not use the same communication protocol, and then, the diskless PC network communication agent system proceeds to Step F when said at least one diskless PC and said host use the same communication protocol;

Step F where said protocol translator determines that the network packet has contained or not contained a data block required for the respective diskless to perform disk access, and then said protocol translator proceeds to Step G when positive;

Step G where said protocol translator handles the data block of the network packet, the related disk address, data length and, a version number to said cache for registration, and then proceeds to Step H;

Step H where said cache handles the network packet to said secondary interface for delivery, and then the system returns to Step C.

7. The diskless PC network communication agent system as claimed in claim 6, wherein when the network packet is not a communication protocol packet for access to said host during Step D, said packet filter handles the network packet to said secondary interface for delivering to an external network, and then returns to Step C.

8. The diskless PC network communication agent system as claimed in claim 6, wherein said protocol translator converts the network packet into a communication protocol communicable to the respective diskless PC and said host when the respective diskless PC and said host use different communication protocols during Step E, and then proceeds to Step F.

9. The diskless PC network communication agent system as claimed in claim 6, wherein said protocol translator proceeds to Step H when the network packet has not contained therein a data block required for the respective diskless PC to perform disk access during Step F.

10. The diskless PC network communication agent system as claimed in claim 1, wherein each said network communication agent comprises:

a multi-interface switch adapted for connecting said at least one diskless PC to said physical network for data exchange with said host and for allowing establishment of a VPN between the respective network communication agent and said at least one diskless PC, a DHCP server adapted for handling and responding to DHCP request provided by said at least one diskless PC, a protocol translator adapted for translating communication protocol packets between said at least one diskless PC and said host and a cache adapted for temporarily storing the data blocks processed by said protocol translator in a memory space for quick data access by said at least one diskless PC;

when said secondary interface of said network communication agent receives a network packet from an external network, the diskless PC network communication agent system runs subject to the following steps;

Step A;

Handle the network packet to said packet filter for analysis, enabling said packet filter to determine the destination of the network packet, and then to proceed to step B when the destination of the network packet is not one said diskless PC;

Step B;

Handle the network packet to said secondary interface for delivery to the external network and then proceed to Step C; and

Step C;

End the operation.

11. The diskless PC network communication agent system as claimed in claim 10, wherein the diskless PC network communication agent system runs the following steps after Step A:

Step D;

said network filter determines the source of the external network packet, and then proceeds to Step E when the external network packet is a packet responded by said host;

Step E;

said network filter handles the external network packet to said protocol translator for analyzing the communication protocol, and then the diskless PC network communication agent system proceeds to Step F when the respective diskless PC and said host use the same communication protocol;

Step F;

said protocol translator determines the content of the external network packet, and then proceeds to Step G when the external network packet has contained a data block required for the respective diskless to perform disk access;

Step G;

said protocol translator handles the data block of the external network packet, the related disk address, data length, and a version number to said cache for registration, and then proceeds to Step H; and

Step H;

said cache handles the external network packet to said primary interface for delivery to the respective diskless PC, and then the system returns to Step C.

12. The diskless PC network communication agent system as claimed in claim 11, wherein said network filter proceeds to Step H when the external network packet is not a packet responded by said host during Step D.

13. The diskless PC network communication agent system as claimed in claim 11, wherein said protocol translator converts the external network packet into a communication protocol communicable to the respective diskless PC and said host when the respective diskless PC and said host use different communication protocols during Step E, and then proceeds to Step F.

14. The diskless PC network communication agent system as claimed in claim 11, wherein said protocol translator proceeds to Step H when the external network packet contains no data block required for the respective diskless to perform disk access during Step F.